You’ve got to kiss a couple frogs before you get to that Prince Charming (at least that’s what all those fairy godmothers keep spewing). But if you’re not totally convinced of the truth behind this funny wisdom, then check out these powerful lessons learned only from dating the wrong person:
What You Want in a Partner
The guy who wasn’t right for you works as a perfect representation of everything you don’t want in a partner, and knowing what you don’t want takes you one step closer to knowing what you do! Think about all of the things that you didn’t like in dating the wrong guy — why wasn’t he the one? Once the data has been gathered and analyzed within an inch of its life, finding that right person becomes a whole lot easier.
Your Relationship Goals
It’s not always clear that you’re dating the wrong person until you get to conversations about the future (and then it can hit like a ton of bricks). He wants kids and you don’t. He dreams of a house in the suburbs and you want to travel the world as a nomad. When the goals don’t match up it’s just a matter of time before things fizzle out, BUT the silver lining is that you end up knowing exactly what kind of relationship works for you!
What You’re Willing to Compromise
When you desperately want to make things work with the wrong person you’ll do everything you can to adapt! They aren’t romantic so you start telling yourself you don’t care about romance. Your partner loves extreme vacations, so you trade in your beachy dream vacay for rock climbing. Once you stop dating the wrong dude, you’ll reflect on what compromises you’re comfortable making and what things are non-negotiable.
Your Own Strength
Walking away from a partner that isn’t right for you takes a ton of guts (even if it doesn’t feel that way in the moment). After you’ve realized that you’re dating the wrong guy the toughest part is getting out of the relationship, but once you take that step you’ll come to find that you’re a super strong chick!
Some Guys SUCK
There’s plenty of fish in the sea and guess what? Some of them just totally suck! It might not be the easiest of lessons to learn, but if there’s one thing you’ll get out of dating the wrong guy it’s a confirmation that some dudes are brutal. Keep doing your thing, never settle for less than what you’re worth and you’ll eventually find your gem.
Dating someone who isn’t right for you can sometimes end up being super painful and also totally confusing, but out of every relationship fail comes lessons learned — and they’re often the most powerful things gained!