Are you ready for this? Here’s what really happens … — I love the early morning quiet of a weekend to myself. I’m a single mother. I don’t get a lot of quiet mornings. I have a different kind of appreciation for a morning with my children, but quiet mornings on my own are savored — especially when it’s early enough…

I’ve never considered myself fearful. Even as a child, I was borderline reckless with my bravery. There was no tree I was afraid to climb or height I was afraid to go to. If someone told me I couldn’t do something, I was definitely going to try to do…

Can you spot the signs? — Relationships should feel like coming home. They should be these safe places where you feel like the truest version of yourself, not always the best version. They should include mutual respect, affection, and appreciation. These are the healthy relationships that give us relationship goals. But some relationships start with affection…

Finding love instead of disappointment — We’re told we’re looking for love in all the wrong places. It certainly feels that way when the love we’ve found has been so much less than what we needed. A lifetime of disappointment and disappointing partners adds up. …

None of what’s happening to you is okay — There’s a good chance that if you’re here reading this article, you either suspect that you’re with a controlling partner or love someone who is experiencing this type of relationship. It’s also possible that the controlling partner isn’t your “partner” at all — but a family member, friend, colleague, or…

Are you brave enough to trust the Universe to bring them back? — Most of us seem to grow up with this idea that we’ll meet the right person, and everything will just fall into place. It doesn’t help that people in committed relationships will tell you things like “when you know, you know” and how easy a relationship can be when you…

And a glimpse into ethical non-monogamy — Relationship goals. You hear those words, and you might have an idea of a couple who stays together through a lifetime. While that’s the societal ideal, there are many other types of relationships that are considered to be just as satisfying, healthy, mature, and loving. When you hear that someone…

How adult attachment issues become roadblocks in relationships — I don’t think I’ve ever fully considered myself an anxious person. Despite my tendency to over-think, worry, and wonder, I manage my life with confidence, and I keep my cool in a crisis. The anxiety, ever-present, bubbles unseen beneath the surface. I’m self-aware enough to know the anxiety is present…

On some level, you already sense the truth — Language surrounding relationships can be fascinating. The first time I heard the term ghosted I knew exactly what it meant without needing to be told. I had felt haunted for some time by a person who dated and then discarded me, disappearing without any explanation. …