Hopeless romantics have existed since the dawn of time, but it’s 2016 and these days, waiting for a white knight to come and sweep you off your feet isn’t just unrealistic, it’s downright crazy. Here’s why:
- Prince Charming doesn’t exist. I would love to marry The Beast (after he’s transformed into a handsome prince) but unfortunately, he’s taken — oh, and fictional. It’s nice to believe in true love, princesses, chivalry and fairytales when you’re a kid, but it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee. Waiting for Prince Charming is like waiting for a reboot of The Hills — in other words, never gonna happen.
- It makes you look foolish. How many times have you told your friends that you’ve met “The One”? If it’s been more than once, you’re definitely an embarrassing hopeless romantic. Your friends secretly talk about you behind your back and your parents are flirting with the idea of admitting you to the local psych ward. Not every guy you meet is going to be Mr. Right, so stop saying it! Enjoy things for what they are and stop trying to fit guys into your preconceived notions of love.
- You’ll only see the relationship through a biased lens. He’s perfect and can do no wrong, right? False. Relationships that last are going to hit some snags along the way and if you can’t see or confront those issues, something must be wrong. Honestly, YOU are probably what’s wrong! You get so excited by the fact that he dropped a few bucks buy you roses on his way home from work that you forget the reason he bought you roses was because you caught him in bed last night with his CrossFit instructor!
- It’s careless. Hopeless romantics can be careless, impractical and oh so very cheesy. I love the movie Pretty Woman, but it doesn’t make me want to become a prostitute in hopes of finding someone like Richard Gere. You can enjoy things theoretically while realizing that they don’t actually exist.
- Real love might pass you by. A romantic will never give up on romance. They will constantly be looking for that perfect guy who fits the mold of what they envisioned when they were little. But, THE perfect guy doesn’t really exist — we’re all human and make mistakes, after all — and holding out for him may cause you to miss out on the guy that’s perfect for you.
- There’s too much emphasis on love. Being a hopeless romantic means that you LOVE love! Finding love is your number one priority and you’re always on the prowl. The guy who held the elevator door open for you may be a prospect. Ooh, what about the barista who knows your name by heart because you go there three times a day? He only remembers your name because he’s secretly in love with you and just needs for you to show some interest before he shares his true feelings, right? I mean, obviously! If you spent half as much time on cultivating a rich life for yourself without guys in mind, you’d be a forced to be reckoned with.
- You’ll always get the short end of the stick. Unless you’re dating a fellow hopeless romantic, you will always be disappointed. Your expectations are going to be way too high because life isn’t like the movies or any Nicholas Sparks novel. How can real love ever live up to your idea of it?
- Chivalry is on its way out the door. If chivalry isn’t dead then it’s currently surviving on life support. If you don’t respect yourself, you will accept anything a guy throws your way because you don’t realize how much better you can do — take Netflix and chill, for example. Sitting on someone’s couch watching Scrubs for five minutes and then slowly making your way into the bedroom is a date you smile about the next morning. I think you can do a little bit better than that. That’s not romance.
