In a world where you can basically Google anything and find a wide array of articles dictating to you what you should do, what you should give and receive, what or who you should be, who you should be with (this article is no exception, apparently), doesn’t it all get confusing? Everywhere you turn you receive tons of voices screaming the type of standards you should have, in every aspect of your life. And sure, it can be quite helpful at times, but maybe there are times when trusting our own instincts should come into play. So let’s challenge the status quo for a little bit…
When it comes to dating, there are certain so-called “rules” we get to follow. And these are the typical rules – ie. how women shouldn’t be the ones who would initiate courtships; how men should pay for dinner dates; how if someone was your soulmate, women wouldn’t have to communicate how they feel because men should just “know,” and the list goes on and on. Some still follow these to this very day, others don’t. And for those who do, they might think that once these rules are broken, it’d be a total dealbreaker.
It doesn’t just stop there at all either. When one talks about their relationship with other people, they’d receive tons of opinions which could probably cause more confusion. You’d start questioning yourself and your sense of judgment, leading you to blow things out of proportions and failing to realize the more important values we should all be looking at.
External pressures won’t be able to sustain a relationship, especially if it comes from a society that asks you to conform. Remember that not everyone’s situation in their relationships are the same, and so we should face them all differently by setting different expectations and being more understanding. These standards or ideals don’t exactly apply to everyone. It might be nice to tick off all those checklists that might make someone look good on paper, but how one treats you or what values and traits they hold, should be significantly considered.
Setting your own standards to simply please what others say they want for their own isn’t going to help you achieve the long-lasting, nurturing relationship you oh so crave to have. Hold off on the judgment. Be true to yourself and stop looking at the superficial facets. From there, you’ll build deeper and meaningful connections.