Real Life of an MSW

“there are relationships that exist in the world with zero conflict.”• all relationships experience conflict. Some just navigate the bumps better than others. • “relationships with the right person (or people) should feel effortless.” • healthy relationships require effort on both sides. • “if a relationship triggers us, it is not a healthy relationship.” • relationships trigger us. it’s natural. they are vulnerable, raw, and intense spaces and we enter them with layers of experiences that have shaped who we are and how we see the world. if we so choose, we can learn to embrace this and look to our triggers to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves in relation to others. • “relationships can’t heal or grow stronger after a certain level of pain.” • there is always an opportunity and room to heal if both parties want that. (this does not include abusive relationships, something i’ve had to heal from myself). • “the longer you’re with somebody the easier it gets.” / “the longer you’re with somebody the harder it gets.” • all relationships are different. • “there is always somebody who is wrong and somebody who is right in relationship conflict.” • there are two realities and experiences coexisting at once amid relationship conflict. • “a romantic relationship should meet all of our needs, or else it isn’t serving us.” • many of us are conditioned to believe that our romantic partner is and should be our “everything” – when in reality, we have many needs that many other facets of our lives should help provide. there’s a reason why sisterhood, hobbies, a sense of purpose is important…and why there are seasons in our lives where focusing on that instead of a romantic partner are valuable. accepting that 1) conflict is inevitable in our relationships, 2) none of our relationships will ever be perfect, and 3) there is no one-size-fits-all handbook for cultivating lasting relationships are just three of many liberating truths about love.