



What I learned shocked me:











Checking your phone every 5 minutes, calculating response times, analyzing every text for hidden meanings, feeling your heart race when you see they're "active now" but haven't replied to you
Spending hours spiraling over small things - a different emoji, a shorter response, them not saying "I love you" at the end of a text, plans changing, them mentioning another person's name
Unable to enjoy good moments because you're already worried about when it will end, waiting for them to realize you're not good enough, anticipating the breakup that hasn't happened
Feeling crazy and out of control - knowing logically everything is fine but unable to stop the racing thoughts, feeling like you're sabotaging the best thing in your life
Afraid to be vulnerable because you don't want to "be too much," hiding your anxiety until it explodes, oscillating between being clingy and pulling away
Exhausting your partner with constant need for reassurance, making them responsible for your emotional state, creating the very distance you fear most

Genuinely present during dates and conversations, able to enjoy the moment without mentally writing breakup speeches or scanning for red flags that aren't there
Sleeping peacefully without checking your phone at 2 AM, trusting that your relationship is solid even when you're not together
Reading texts at face value instead of analyzing every word, emoji, and punctuation mark for signs they're losing interest
Feeling secure in the relationship even during normal space and distance, understanding that time apart doesn't mean growing apart
Communicating needs healthily without becoming "the anxious one," sharing vulnerably without making your partner your therapist
Actually enjoying your relationship instead of constantly bracing for disaster, building something real instead of sabotaging something good







