Took us 3 years of dating to find a communication style that works for us. Love ain’t for kids, y’all. You gotta find that balance between “not about to let nobody play me” and “I’m fighting for this because it’s what I want”. It’s a fine line to walk, but it’s there.
Trauma teaches you to hide your wings, to apologize for who you are, to seek to please those who want to dismantle you. Healing empowers you to reject that programming and to unlearn those lessons.
You have to understand that love just isn’t enough to sustain a relationship. You NEED trust. Reciprocation. You need compassion and reassurance to feel secure in a relationship. You need to feel cared about and respected. If those elements are missing? Love won’t be enough.