Growing up, we learned what love is supposed to be like from movies, TV shows and books. For years we learned about love being like fairy tales and how everyone has a special someone out there for them who is their happily-ever-after. I am not saying that isn't the case, but it is very different nowadays, especially with the younger generations.
Instead of finding Mr. Right, we are more into finding Mr. Right Now, which can be a good and a bad thing. It is good because we are experimenting and figuring out what characteristics we like and don't like in a significant other. It is also good because we aren't being tied down to one person, so we are able to learn more about ourselves as well as taking charge of our own lives. A bad thing is that we have trouble finding someone who we want to spend our time with and whom we want to stay loyal to since many people aren't ready for that quite yet. It is important to make sure that the person you spend most of your life with is the right person for you and that you are completely ready and able to truly give yourself.
The first step that we have to take is to love ourselves and accept ourselves for the good, the bad and the ugly, because if we can't than we can't expect someone else to. While reading this you might think that it sounds easier said than done, but just take it one step at a time.
First things first, start by doing different things that interest you like traveling, volunteering, joining a book club, the list is endless. Once you figure out things that you like, you slowly start to learn more and more about yourself. Something else you can do is to try meeting new people all over the place through work, friends, the bar, while traveling or even online. Once you start putting yourself out there, you start to see life for what it is and it is completely fine to make mistakes, because that is the best way to learn. Let's face it, after an awkward dating mistake you will make a mental note to not do that again.
Growing up, especially during college, is all about making mistakes, learning and growing. It is a time to learn all about ourselves and what love means to us, not from books, shows or movies, but from experience. That is the best way to truly understand what we want in life. Instead of only focusing on happily ever after, it is all about the right time, the right place and when we least expect something to happen, because if we are always trying to find the one, we will never be truly happy and satisfied.
