You need to be able to talk to your boyfriend. That may sound totally obvious, but for so many young women, it just isn't a reality. With the way our fast-paced world works today, being able to really talk to someone is so rare. Couples keep in contact during the day mostly through text messaging, where holding a substantial conversation can be difficult. Conversation is exercise for your brain and being able to freely share the ideas you think of when you're in the shower is really pretty awesome. Whether it's over coffee, beers or brunch, holding a one on one conversation where both parties are equally interested is a really special thing.

Relationships are so much more than posting cute photos on Instagram or having good sex.

Dating is a learning experience, and communication is so key in sharing your unique perspective with the other person. Learning is fun, and "Netflix and chill" every night isn't going to get you very far (unless you watch Cowspiracy!). To have a solid relationship you need to support each other, really listen to each other, and constantly challenge one another to learn new things and explore new perspectives of the world. You should never feel like your opinions are invalid, and your man certainly shouldn't be the one to make you feel like they are. Basically, you need to be with a man who thinks you are the smartest woman in the world. The most attractive thing in the world is when a guy (or anyone, really) challenges me to think outside of the box. Not only is that good for me, but it proves that he values my opinions and is interested in my input. If he makes you feel inferior in any way, you need to dump him. Plain and simple.

Your man should always make you feel powerful, motivated and brilliant. You should never feel hesitant to express your opinions to him. This is what I wish I had known when I was a teenager. I was with a boy who wanted to "save" me, so in order to do that, he made me feel like I needed him. He convinced me that he had all of the answers and it got to the point where I just didn't talk to him anymore because he didn't care. I was just happy to have a boyfriend so I let that go on for way too long.

Now, I know that I am smart and that what I have to say is important (which is why I write for Odyssey!). I question everything and I take full advantage of my mind and all that it can do. I don't need a man to tell me I am capable of that, but it doesn't hurt that my current boyfriend thinks that I am brilliant and pushes me to be even better.

A big part of why so many women are put in the position I was once in is because of the lack of respect from a lot of men. Gone are the days when the wife would have breakfast prepared for the husband before he goes to work and they eat in silence as the husband reads the newspaper, uninterested in anything the woman has to say. If you have a voice, you have important things to say. You may have met your boyfriend in line at the vegan coffeehouse where you both realized that your usual order of a medium iced coffee with soy creamer and a bagel with tofu-based cream cheese also happens to be his usual order, so you may think you're made for each other. But no matter how alike you may be, your views and interests are bound to conflict in some way. No two people can get along all of the time, but the distinction between a healthy relationship and a not-so-healthy relationship is how you deal with your differences.If you and your boyfriend differ on big political issues, you should be able to talk about them and help each other really understand why you believe what you believe, even if in the end you still don't entirely agree. You don't need to convert your Beatles-loving, punk rocker boyfriend into Miley Cyrus' number one fan, but he should be able to engage in a conversation with you about why she is important for women (because she totally is). It's all part of being a unit, working together instead of against each other. There should be no upper hand in a relationship.

All of this is not ground-breaking, and I did not just uncover the hidden secret to a perfect love life, but it is extremely important to reiterate because so many women just settle. But if you aren't constantly changing and evolving in a relationship, that means it is the end of that relationship. Every day you should be finding ways to further enrich your life, and helping your boyfriend do the same. So tonight, text your dude and ask if he wants to "just talk," and have a wild night picking each other's brains. Conversation is sexy.