I think this is an article we all knew I would touch on. For the most part a lot of us grew up craving love, desperate for the fairytale that never came. As you can imagine I've been through my ups and downs with boys. Immature, controlling, manipulative, fun, loving, adrenaline pumping boys. The ones that gave me all the confidence in the world, and the ones who turned around and took it all away.

I haven't had many relationships, believe it or not, I've always been "one of the boys" and tend to be seen as a friend more than a datatable person. But that doesn't mean I haven't dated. I've had my fair share of heartbreak. And I know I've for sure done my damage as well, because we're human and we make mistakes and we learn and grow and change.

We all change and grow. The thing is, nowadays we are all so focused on being in love or in a relationship we forget what love is, how we are supposed to be treated, and how to walk away when our standards aren't met.

Once you realize that people, boys, and relationships don't dictate your life and the pain they cause sometimes don't create you and your character it is a lot easier to figure yourself out. Of course this is only one portion of what makes us, us but it's a start.

Boys (and girls) don't mean crap when it comes to who we are. People say things they don't mean all the time, especially heated arguments between two people who love and feel emotion strongly. However, there is a line between being angry and saying things a person doesn't mean and being abusive and manipulative.

My advice/life lesson? Don't chase after love all the time. Love who you are, thrive in your own presence and let love come to you. That doesn't mean play hard to get and demand someone to chase you beyond measures. But when you lower your standards, realize they aren't meant for you and move on, either entirely or through a different relationship (acquaintance, friend, social media). It will end up being much healthier for you. This whole life lesson summed up into one sentence:

Don't let someone take advantage of you, in any way, for the sake of "love" or a "relationship". Be you and your person will come. Patience is key, and it's time to love you before they can love you.