Someone once told me, “If your idea of a good relationship is one where each person gives fifty-fifty, then maybe you’re not ready for one.”

At the time, I wasn’t sure what they meant. But with time — and a few scars — I came to understand it.

Fifty-fifty sounds fair, balanced, reasonable. But love isn’t a math equation. And when we expect our partner to “make up the difference” or meet us halfway every time, it won’t take long before we start keeping score… and feeling shortchanged.

Here’s the deeper truth: no one can complete you. That’s not their job. And when we look to someone else to fill our gaps, we hand them responsibility for our self-worth.

We’ve all heard it — the romantic line that brings te...

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