Hopeless romantics don’t get anywhere in life. Their views on pretty much everything are warped and unrealistic, but they won’t own up to that, and they expect ridiculous things from other people but fail to hold themselves to the same standards. While they wallow in the misery of their latest romantic disaster and obnoxiously complain about their “bad luck” in love, they refuse to make the changes necessary for a less tumultuous love life. Realistic romantics are the opposite of all this crap. If you are a realistic romantic, these signs apply to you:
- You realize that chick flicks are a load of BS. You don’t swoon over poorly-written, cringe-worthy drivel on the big screen and you don’t compare your own love life to Hollywood. You recognize entertainment as entertainment and nothing more. In fact, you’d probably prefer watching a classic Bruce Lee movie over the latest cockamamie calamity starring Blue Eyes McPenisPants and Attractive But Adorably Clueless Brunette.
- You feel that respect is something to be earned, not automatically given. Common courtesy is for everyone, but respect is for those who truly deserve it. If someone behaves like a piece of crap, you believe they deserve to be treated that way. Earning your boyfriend’s unadulterated respect is important to you and you would never do anything to compromise that.
- You treat your partner as an equal. “That’s a man’s job” never crosses your mind. You contribute equally and don’t hold your partner to ridiculous standards. Your relationship is a true partnership and not just you sitting on your ass expecting your man to throw chocolate fountains and romance at your face 24/7.
- You have no problem approaching men. You don’t expect the “dream guy” scenario to unfold right in front of you while you sit around and do nothing. You know that landing in a good relationship takes effort on your part as well as the man’s, and that doesn’t make you bitter. It’s 2016 and asking a glorious bearded bastard for his number doesn’t faze you at all.
- You’re fully aware that your partner is human. He’s human and therefore has flaws and shortcomings just like any other person. You don’t necessarily see these as bad things, but as normal things. Making mistakes is part of the human experience and it doesn’t mean that someone is broken beyond repair. It isn’t your job to fix these things and support someone who hurts you, but the little flaws don’t bother you at all.
- You’re a stable person. It takes a lot to really piss you off. You aren’t a terrifying, undateable, temperamental pile of boobs and anger — you’re a reliable, composed lady who remains levelheaded in all aspects of her life. You know that crazy results in more crazy, not a lovey-dovey couple riding a stallion into the sunset amid violins playing in the background.
- You accept yourself. Sure, there are always things to improve, but you genuinely like yourself. You don’t see yourself as a work-in-progress, but rather as a complete, bipedal being who has a lot to offer. You have your doubts just like anyone else, but you’re ultimately a confident person and you don’t drag your relationship down with you to the depths of insecurity.
- Failed romantic endeavors don’t get you down. Not every dating encounter you have is going to work out. You know that, and it’s okay with you. Romance is a lot of trial and error, and you know that you can’t expect things to work out perfectly all the time. Walking away from an obviously doomed relationship doesn’t gut your self-esteem — it adds to your wisdom.