Think back to all your relationships. Every single one. I bet there are some that make you question where your head was, and there are some that still leave you confused. There are some that got away and some that couldn’t get away fast enough. Still to this day, people are trying out to figure out relationships, how they work, what’s the best ways to handle situations, etc. but to be quite honest, you just need to accept that it is something you won’t know. For instance, have you ever done something that surprised yourself, like acted towards someone in a way that was totally unexpected? Or maybe did something that was out of your character? Well that’s strange, because you out of all people should know how you work and yet you don’t.

Now think to a significant other. Ever hear/see them do something and be totally surprised because you never expected them to do that? That is normal. As much as many people say, “I know you inside out”, it is not necessarily true. You don’t live inside someone’s head, you don’t control their actions/words, you can’t guarantee someone will act in a certain way...heck they can’t even guarantee it themselves. Whether you have been with one person or a million, we can all come to terms seeing that every single person in this world is different; Everyone has been through different situations, lived different lifestyles, have different families. With that being said, your relationships are going to be different but also more than just black and white. With everyone being unique, you will find it challenging to use a specific guideline for your relationship. You can’t walk into one relationship and expect to do everything the same for your new significant other, as you did in the past, it just wont work out.

Among every relationship being individualized, there is an importance to living beyond the lines. With this being said, what your best friend and their gf/bf do could be awesome, but could work terribly for your partner. In my own experiences, I have found that couples that try to live by their friend’s/family’s relationships, tend to suffer more due to the constant inability to be satisfied with their lives. The whole point behind being with someone is because you genuinely enjoy this person, therefore you know what you both enjoy. Typically, there is a mutual like that connected you both in the beginning, and you should use this to your advantage.

Knowing this, you should accept that although you think you know this person, you shouldn’t expect them to act/respond to things in a particular way. Like I said before, you often surprise your own self, and you’re the one who controls your body, therefore you need to know that you shouldn’t expect anything from someone. At the end of the day, many people will tell you how to live your life and how to run your relationship however, until they’ve been inside your skin, they can’t determine anything for you. Remember, every relationship is different, and being to read between the black and white.