Holly Riordan

You should be proud of yourself for walking away from a toxic relationship when it would have been so much easier to stay. Even though you might have known deep down that you were with the wrong person, there were still plenty of reasons you could have remained in place. There were plenty of excuses…

Don’t wait a lifetime for them to propose. Make sure they know how you feel about marriage, and that you’re ready to take that next step with them, so that they aren’t confused about where you want the relationship to go. Make sure you’re open and honest with them about your expectations – and ask…

Avoid people who doubt you. Who tell you to dream smaller. Who act like your goals are unachievable. You should never waste your time with someone who tries to make you feel insignificant in order to make themselves feel more powerful. Your partner should want what’s best for you, even if that means they might…

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in a relationship with her. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve said those three little words in the past. What matters is whether you say them today. After all, she needs to know that you haven’t lose interest in her. She needs to know that you’re still…

Sometimes, people are being serious when they say they’re not ready for a relationship right now. They might need a little more time to heal their heart after a breakup, or maybe they’re swamped with work and don’t have time to dedicate to a relationship. But other times, this phrase is a cop-out. It’s a…

Consistent. You deserve a partner who treats you well consistently. Not only when he’s sober. Not only when he wants something. But every single moment he spends with you. If he’s only treating you with respect and admiration half the time, then he isn’t rising to your standards. The right person for you will be…

Argumentative. You don’t want to get into arguments every single day. Especially when they refuse to see your side of the situation, when they assume they know better, when they talk down to you like you’re stupid. Your partner should never make you feel inferior. They should treat you like an equal, respect your opinion,…

Don’t settle for someone who is going to run the other way at the first sign of conflict, someone who cannot handle a tough situation, someone who needs the relationship to be smooth sailing or they’re going to get nervous and consider leaving. Never settle for someone with one foot out the door because you…

You shouldn’t convince yourself that this is as good as you’re ever going to get. You shouldn’t feel guilty about complaining because you’re lucky that you even have a partner. You shouldn’t disregard your own feelings and make excuses to justify the poor way this person is treating you. You deserve more than half their…

You shouldn’t remain in the wrong relationship longer than necessary because you’re scared of being alone again, because you’re scared of hurting this other person’s feelings, because you’re scared of saying goodbye to the life you’ve already created. Fear is what’s keeping you in place. Not love. Not guilt. You’re worried about taking that next…

Almost relationships are tricky because you feel like this person is perfect for you – but the relationship isn’t going anywhere. You’re stuck in stasis. However, you might mistake someone with good intentions for an almost. Maybe they aren’t stringing you along. Maybe they simply aren’t ready to put a label on the relationship because…

The right person won’t only come around when it’s convenient for them, when they have nothing better to do and they might as well see you. Someone who genuinely loves you will make time for you. They will rearrange their schedule in order to squeeze you in because they can’t stand the thought of going…

You want to believe that the person you’ve been seeing is a good match – but there’s a chance you aren’t the only person they’re seeing. You might be the person that they’re cheating with even though you don’t realize it. Here are a few signs that they’ve lied to you about being single: They…

Sometimes, your partner is going to make mistakes.  Just because they hurt you once doesn’t mean they’re going to hurt you again. However, there’s a chance that history will repeat itself. Here are a few signs that they’re probably going to make the same mistakes again, so you should be careful: They give you a…

You don’t want to break a heart on accident. You don’t want to string someone along and make them think that there’s a chance you’ll live happily ever after together when you already know that they aren’t your type. Here are a few signs that you’re the heartbreaker and you don’t even realize it: You’re…

They constantly check in on you – and need proof to back up what you’re saying. Your person needs to trust you if you want the relationship to work. If they’re constantly quizzing you about where you are and who you’re with, it’s proof that they’re unsure where your loyalties lie. But you shouldn’t have…

You aren’t supposed to fight with your partner. It’s impossible to date someone without having your fair share of arguments. But there’s nothing wrong with fights – as long as you keep things respectful and listen to their side of the conversation. It’s way worse if you sweep your problems under the rug and refuse…