As an online divorce review site, we are fascinated by the dynamics of relationships — good and bad — as well as what can be learned from each. Relationships can teach us a lot about who we are and what we want in another person over the long term, but some of these lessons can come the hard way. Recently someone on Reddit asked the community what their biggest relationship lessons learned were. Here were some of the more memorable responses.
1. “That there are worse things than being alone.”
2. “I learned a lot from it, but the biggest thing I learned is that a breakup does not have to come from someone screwing up, sometimes it is simply the best thing.”
3. “She showed me who I was becoming. … Started to adopt some of the abusive traits I learned from my parents. Projected them to her until she couldn’t take it anymore. I’m a better person today, sucks it took her leaving me in order to realize that.”
4. “Dated a girl who I was crazy about, her feelings just weren’t as strong. In the end it became a bit one sided. If your partner genuinely doesn’t seem to love you, it’s very difficult to create that feeling.”
5. “Always buy refundable airline tickets. No matter how into you she seems, you just might get a you’re dumped text completely out of the blue.”
6. “I can’t depend on anybody for my own happiness.”
7. “I learned that you should always trust your gut. There were so many red flags that I failed to acknowledge.”
8. “That emotional constipation is never a good thing. Seriously, people, communicate with your partner!”
9. “When you’re compromising too much. In every relationship both parties will need to make compromises, but you shouldn’t have to be a completely different person to make it work. If that’s the case, you’re with the wrong person.”
10. “There’s no use in trying to track your SO down, or controlling whether they go or not, or even the people they go out with. If your SO wants to cheat on you, they will. The only thing you can do is making sure you are with someone who cares about you, and being a caring and loving person yourself. If you can’t trust this person, you shouldn’t rely your emotional well being on them.”
11. “That people can fall out of love just as quickly and abruptly as they fall into it. Even if you are the most caring and compassionate partner, that has no real power over their heart. Sometimes love just disappears and there is nothing you can do but move on (or stand outside their window with a stereo).”
If you’re relationship is at an end and you need help deciding the next step, be sure to check out some of our online divorce reviews, and good luck!