Holly Riordan

They never notice when you change something small about your appearance. It doesn’t matter whether you cut your hair, style it differently, or dye it a completely different color because they don’t pay enough attention to you to notice. 

Sometimes, the person you couldn’t imagine living life without is going to walk away without a glance back. Sometimes, you’re going to experience a hard switch from talking every single day to never speaking again. 

It’s not fair that I’m stuck in this position — wondering whether I should let you back into my life and risk getting hurt again, or whether I should and risk living with the guilt of keeping you at a distance.

If you’re worried you’re going to check your phone when you should be working, change your home screen to a quote about working hard.

If they feel like they haven’t really done anything wrong, then what’s stopping them from repeating the bad behavior in the future? If they think they’re living a perfectly fine, moral life, then they’re going to continue acting the way they’ve been acting. They won’t see a reason to change.

It sucks when people assume you’re too strong and independent to get hurt by a casual hookup — or when they simply don’t care whether you get hurt. 

It’s entirely possible to achieve success in your career and success in your relationship. You don’t have to choose one over the other — at least, not when you’re with the right person. 

You have to continue putting in the effort, even when it feels like it’s getting you nowhere.

Don’t hold yourself back because you feel like you’re already behind, like you already lost your chance at happiness, like there’s no hope for you.

You can’t lower your standards, just because you’re a little lonely.

Their relationship isn’t based entirely on sex — or even romance.

You might not have gone on any official dates — but that doesn’t mean your flirting wasn’t real. It doesn’t mean your feelings weren’t real. It doesn’t mean your friendship wasn’t real. 

Relationships require effort — but you shouldn’t be the only one putting in the effort.

They aren’t going to play any games. They aren’t going to make you guess what’s on their mind. They’re going to be vocal about their feelings for you.

CANCER: Don’t push good people away, just because you have been hurt in the past. Don’t assume everyone who enters your world is going to bring as much harm to you as the last people who have left. Don’t let your history turn you into a cynic. Don’t let your heart turn to ice. 

You don’t want to deal with unanswered texts and canceled plans and unmet expectations.

You need to believe in yourself because the second you start doubting yourself is the second you leave yourself vulnerable to quitting. 

Having a history with someone doesn’t mean you’re required to have a future with them.