How to Love Someone that Doesn't "Really" Love You

It happens to all of us at some form or another-unrequited love. There are a plethora of different reasons why we enter into this excrutiating circumstance. Whether this is what you think you deserve, maybe you're not sure you'll find anyone else, or maybe it's the most popular reason- you believe that if you just wish,pray,and try hard enough-if you could just hold out one more day, they'll finally realize that you're the best thing they never knew they needed. Whatever the reason, we have to admit that no matter how hard we attempt to hide it, this "spot" is the most uncomfortable in the world-you never feel secure or sure of where exactly you stand with this person. And the fear in the back of your mind,the fear that is all to real, is that you're standing alone.

It is an irresistably strong tempation to compare yourself to the person your love actually wants. Sometimes, it's not even a crush of theirs- all they have to say is that someone is pretty or fun and you automatically start scheming on how to make them view you as prettier or more fun. You obsess over the thought that if you were just more beautiful, more intelligent, more interesting-just "more"-that they'll finally love you like you want(need) them to. The more you make these desperate attempts for their attention, you feel more and more insecure because you realize that your best still isn't good enough. Your "alpha" version doesn't even turn their head. This may cause you to continually think about what's so "wrong" about you and make you feel "defective" somehow. A lot of the time they don't realize how much agony they're constantly putting you through. This person is probably a very good person. Just remember that you are still good too.

You suit up. Full Armor,Shield, Helmet-Everything. You mentally prepare yourself for the most gruesome war you will probably ever fight. You rush to the battlefield but something is very,very wrong. You realize the battle has already been fought..and your side has lost. From the beginning, unrequited love is a losing battle. If you're going to remain in this, you need to accept that your heart will be broken,daily. There's nothing "beautiful" or "romantic" about fully investing yourself into someone that is not willing or able to do the same. As I said before, it's not that this person is a bad person-clearly they must be wonderful or you wouldn't be in this situation. Just know that you will constantly want more while having to accept that it's not really an option. You'll search for the smallest ounce of hope in the tiniest gestures, but you won't find it. I'm not trying to be depressing, but I owe it to you to be real. As someone who's been on both sides of this situation, i must admit that it tends to not end so well. I will admit that that's not always true and sometimes, the person does come around and you ride of into the sunset together and live happily ever after. However, until that happens, and for the rest of us in the other 99% of the population, it's not so simple.

Not to see if the "distance makes the heart grow fonder" thing is going to work in your favor. Take time away from this person to recenter yourself and remind yourself of your true worth. Make sure you set aside a bunch of time to just be around friends and family who truly appreciate and make you feel wonderful about yourself again. Be sure to balance out all that pain with joy.Also, this will help you avoid suffocating the person you desire. It's easy to smother someone when you feel like it just takes a little more,work and effort on your part for them to finally,finally want you back. A lot of times ,this will make no sense to them and you may just come off as a clingy weirdo. This will be contradictory to everything you're fighting so very hard for.

There. I said it. The one thing we never want to hear. It's absolutely neccesary for your mental, physical, and especially emotional health. This is the thing we avoid with everything we have because we know it's true. We've been stuck on this person for so long, it almost seems normal at this point. And we'll come up with every excuse in the book to rationalize our way out of leaving. I mean, how could we? They're just so very perfect and we love them so very much and we're so very used to this hurtful,second-rate kind of relationship. Plus, there's always this lurking feeling that tommorow will finally be the day!...Make up your heart. Stop convincing yourself (and everyone that's told you it's time to let go) and ask the question, is this really what you want? This sick feeling in the pit of your heart? This constant back and forth, up and down? I don't know how long you've been in this and it's true that the longer it's been, the harder it is. I understand that.After a while you feel like it's wrong to leave-like you deserve to get something out of this in return for all the time and effort you invested before you just leave-I mean, is this really it? I pour my whole self into this person and not only miss out on the love I wanted but I get a big bucket of heartbreak to top it all off? Sadly, that's the reality. I won't lie-of course it's going to hurt but...aren't you hurting now? One quote that's incredibly helpful in this situation is "Almost is never enough."

Don't give up on yourself. Just because this one didn't work out doesn't mean the next one won't be ten times better. I know you can't see that now, but just trust me on this one. Start focusing on what's right about you again. Realize that you are enough just the way you are,right now- not the "better", more "perfect" version of you. You should feel liberated! You don't constantly have to try and "fix" yourself anymore. It's time for you to go out there and live for you again. Remember that you deserve love. You wait until you find someone that worships you. You're going to be so suprised when you realize what being truly cherished for who you are feels like. Go ahead,love. It's time to let go and let (yourself) live.