Dating mistakes: I have made them ALL

[Treasa]

Oooh, full disclosure time. I'm going to list every mistake I've made in a relationship at some time or another. You live and you LEARN. I think people forget the second part of that sentence. Disclaimer: I don't regret any of these things when looking back on my life. They've made me who I am today, and I ****ing love who I am today:

 

1. I've been engaged three times. I broke up with two of them.

2. I stayed with a guy who cheated on me and called me fat.

3. I stayed in relationships with two narcissistic men.

4. I "dated" guys I never even met.

5. I was "in love" with someone almost 20 years my junior.

6. I've been too clingy and made a guy the center of my universe.

7. I've been too distant and not ended it with a guy when I should have.

8. I have flirted back with married men who flirted with me first (never did more than flirt, though.)

9. I broke up with men out of boredom.

10. I electronically stalked a guy who had broken up with me for a few weeks.

 

If you can name it, I've probably done it. I'd never do any of these things again. Go ahead and judge me. It's cool. I have no regrets.

 

For those who are making mistakes and who think there's never any hope of being happy, PLEASE take it from me that you can be happy. Sometimes the people who make the most mistakes and then learn from them and reflect on them and then turn things around end up being the most well-adjusted, happiest people.

 

I'm sure I've made other mistakes, and some of the ones above were with more than one guy, but I can't remember every single relationship I've ever had. I can't even remember the last name of the guy I lost my virginity to.

[tcd421]

well i done one not on your list, date a neighbor, i will never do that again.

[Roadkill007]

Looks like what really grew was your heart And yea, it's good to learn from mistakes. But usually the first mistake people make is not acknowledging the mistake After all, people feel acknowledging a mistake is the same thing as saying that the time and effort they put into making that mistake is a waste of time, even if that's not necessarily true. The real waste of time is that period of time in which you're in denial about your mistake, and all your close friends and family disagree with you, making you feel even more isolated and defensive about it as a result.

 

 

 

 

 

but really, 20 years younger?

[tbf]

Less important is each detailed "mistake" since "mistakes" are subjective. More important is resilience and a solid sense of self.

 

Why can't you flirt with married men, if they're only being friendly? There's a difference between flirting with and without intent.