Today I've been dating my boyfriend, Josh for SEVEN years! Seven years, y'all. That's half of my youngest sister's life! Do people even date for that long anymore?
It seems like just yesterday (ok maybe not yesterday, but really when did we get so old) we were going on our first date and awkwardly texting each other after. I still remember almost all of the details from when he "officially" asked me to be his girlfriend.
In the seven years, I've learned a lot about myself and nurturing a relationship.
1. Stay true to yourself first and foremost.
Be yourself. If you are trying to fake it (whatever it is: a hobby, a persona, etc), it'll never work. I think we have the most fun when we are the most real with each other. I know Josh loves my singing off key on road trips and he knows I love when he rattles off random sports knowledge. Ok maybe not, but we love the little quirks about each other. P.S. After seven years, I can almost keep up with his sports knowledge!
2. Be friends.
Josh and I were friends for about four years before we started dating. He came to my school with a girlfriend, but when I first saw him I remember thinking he was SO CUTE (omg--I was a stalker). He would roll my house, put a duck in my car, and I would embarrass him at JCP buying outrageous things. Continuously falling in love with your best friend is truly the best feeling. Everyday Josh surprises me and makes me love him even more.
3. Don't listen to the "peanut gallery".
Friends and family mean well, but sometimes, all of their noise can drown out what's really important--the two of you. You can't spend you entire relationship listening to other people's opinions--believe me, someone will ALWAYS have an opinion on what you could do, should do differently. And you really can't live like that. Take all opinions with a grain of salt and let it go in one ear and out of the other.
4. Support each other.
This is huge. You can't be in a relationship and expect it to last if you don't have your S.O's best interests in mind. Believe in each others dreams and help them reach it--to me, that's a huge way to show love.
5. Being different is ok.
In fact, it's for the best. If Josh were just like me--anxious, uptight, sometimes controlling--then we likely would have killed each other already. He's patient and easy going which balances my high strung personality out perfectly. I could NOT date someone EXACTLY like me--and really, I wouldn't want to.
6. Communicate.
Duh. Boys aren't mind readers and sometimes even when you spell it out for them, they still don't get it. So if something really bugs you, your feelings get hurt, or even if you'd rather watch a different movie than him, TELL HIM! I can't stand when girls "play games." It never results in anything good--unless you're playing like Monopoly or something.
7. Don't compare.
Following #6, the comparison game is so hard not to play. But, don't let yourself get bogged down in the going ons of other couples. Take it from someone who knows EXACTLY how difficult it is. We've been dating seven years, so it's hard when people who have been dating for way less time get engaged. But that's them, and we are us. Who knows what's happening in their relationship, and really who cares. The grass is greener where you water it.
It hasn't always been easy, but it's
always been worth it and I wouldn't trade what we have for the world.
P.S. These are the only "professional" pictures we have of ourselves--from my senior (in high school) portraits! We are in desperate need of cute couple pictures!
