I know far too many girls who do crazy things to keep their significant others interested. I've never been one of them. In fact, I've always had a super natural look when dating someone I've really liked, never, ever trying to impress them. Isn't that counterintuitive though?
Why wouldn't I want to put on my tightest skirt and slap on my vixen red lipstick for the boy I'm interested in? Because the best love is the kind of love that brings out your self-confidence, not bringing you down or having you change.
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I think Drake has a pretty good understanding of the best kind of love. Sweatpants, hair up, chillin with no make up on is pretty much my motto in a relationship. Hiding behind makeup and elaborate outfits is easy.
Allowing your partner to see you au naturale is like shedding a layer of defensiveness and insecurity. That's how you know you really like someone and that you feel comfortable and confident around them to show your truest self, imperfections aside.
I used to focus tremendously on the love I felt for other people, but as I reached my mid-twenties, I realized that I was neglecting the most important person I needed to love - myself.
In order to genuinely love someone, you have to be aware of your self and embrace it fully. This is why picking a partner is such a crucial decision. There are guys out there who tell their girlfriends they are ugly or fat or whatever generic bullshit comes to mind, just to bring them down and ensure that they'll keep them around.
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Lowering someone's self esteem makes them believe that they can't do any better. That's how so many people end up trapped in a loveless relationship out of fear mixed with a dose of comfort, passing it off as "love."
True love, on the other hand, is when two people manage to see the best in each other and appreciate it. Like any other girl, I'm self-conscious about lots of things - my laugh, my bum, my lasagna - you name it, but I've had partners who have acknowledged these insecurities and addressed them in a very gentle and understanding way, making me feel nothing but confidence.
When we talk about true love, surely romantic relationships come to mind, but you don't need to have sex with someone to love them truly and feel great around them. I'm yet to find my romantic match, fine - let's call it a "soulmate," but I've been lucky enough to find my best friend.
Our relationship is the best thing in the world and we support and encourage each other in everything we do. I've called him up so many times complaining about the latest wave of existential crisis I've fallen victim to and projects I've totally fucked up.
He's always managed to make me feel better by saying something super simple like, "ok, it didn't work out. Go back to the drawing board, you'll figure this out."
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Love is perhaps the most awkward, difficult emotion to understand and handle. No matter how many science articles I read, I'll never really get why my palms sweat when I sit next to someone I like or why I act like a 5 year old and insult them to get their attention.
What I do know, is that the best, truest kind of love is that which builds you up and if you ever, even for a moment feel insecure or undervalued in your relationship, you have to move on.
There is always that one person who will see you for what you are and embrace everything about you - good, bad, ugly, weird.