To All The Women Who Stay In Unhealthy Relationships
This is for you.
Tyrell Charles via Unsplash By Lourdes Tabuyan
If you’ve ever stayed in a relationship when you just want to leave, I understand you. I know how it feels to be the only one who’s fighting and to keep you afloat.
I know the feeling when you unconsciously recognize the void inside of you, because you’re busy filling up his emptiness. But I hope that you learn to make yourself a priority.
You might unconsciously find yourself torn between leaving your relationship or staying. And no matter how much you want to leave, you feel in your heart that you should stay.
Hopefully, you'll learn that you can always change your mind and choose what your heart truly desires.
You might keep your hopes up high that he’ll change. You wish that he’ll remember the good he saw in you the first time he met you. But I hope that you don’t let the past poison who you could become. Hopefully, you recognize that he might not learn or change. I hope that you learn to let go.
You might have promised to always see the good in every situation rather than end your relationships. But I hope you know that sometimes, the best solution is ending what’s not good for you.
You might feel completely alone as you decide what you should do next in your relationship. But hopefully, you know that you can always run back where you belong.
I hope you still remember that the people who make you feel warm are your home. Hopefully, you know you can always ask them for help. Their doors are always open for you.
You might feel like everyone’s judging you for your decision to stay. But I hope you keep in mind that other peoples’ opinions are insignificant.
Remember that you know the truth better than anyone else. Never let an empty mind bring you down. Never give them the power to make you question yourself.
You may feel like your chest is going to explode from all the heavy emotions you feel. But hopefully, you cry everything out.
I hope that you never have second thoughts about freeing yourself from everything that suffocates you. I hope you breathe your feelings out.
You may feel like you aren’t enough. But hopefully, you’ll picture yourself as a happy, strong woman who can carry herself even when she shatters.
I hope you remember the woman you promised yourself that you’d be and never forget that promise. You may feel like you did nothing but love and understand him to the point where you lost yourself.
But I hope that you realize that loving unconditionally is never a mistake. Still, giving chance after chance when you know the truth is your choice.
You may feel like you deserve better than the toxic love he’s given you. But hopefully, you listen to those doubts about his love and recognize your own capacity for love.
I hope you don’t restrict yourself. Hopefully, you remember her. I hope you remember how it felt to be truly loved.
If you’ve stayed in a toxic relationship and want more than anything to leave, I hope you know that you are strong. Hopefully, you see yourself as more than just a woman who stayed for love.
I hope you also know that you deserve to receive the same pure love you give. And I hope you see the difference between loving someone for love’s sake alone and staying with them because you don’t want to lose what you have.
Hopefully, you don’t spend the rest of your life trying to fix a relationship that has already ended. I hope you don’t stay. I hope that you find a loving relationship where you stay because he loves and cherishes you.
Most of all, I hope you know that you are worthy of love.
Lourdes Tabuyan is a writer who focuses on relationships, dating, and love. For more of her relationship content, visit her author profile on Unwritten.