Do you believe you should give, or receive, unconditional love in a relationship?
If we didn’t receive unconditional love from our caretakers growing up, often we can seek that from our partners.
But it’s not realistic to expect that a partner should show up for us unconditionally.
And, while to “love unconditionally” is widely perpetuated in our culture, it can be harmful to our own well-being to believe that it’s our duty to be there unconditionally for someone else.
Many who hold on to this misinformed narrative, often find themselves trapped in consistently stressful relationship situations that lead to illness, dysfunction, and trauma.
Adult relationships are conditional. We are not required to stay in relationships that are bad for physical or mental health.
We need to have boundaries around what we will, and will not tolerate from someone else.
Self-love is where true unconditional love can be found. It comes when we prioritize our relationship with ourselves.
It’s so empowering when we realize that we can give ourselves the unconditional love we yearn for.
It starts when we can learn to understand what our needs are, and then figure out how to communicate them.
It starts when we can stop criticizing ourselves when we fall short of our expectations, and rather, give ourselves compassion and forgiveness.
It starts when we can let go of old, programmed feelings of shame, regret and guilt, and instead, decide to prioritize doing things that make us happy.
It starts when we can treat ourselves with the same loving kindness we so readily give to others.
That’s the kind of unconditional love that only we can truly give to ourselves.
Here for you,
Jenna
