I’ve discussed before how it’s important to support those you love and to ask for the same support in return. But, I also think that in order to support someone emotionally, you have to believe in them. And it can sometimes be difficult to truly believe in someone if you don’t agree with them.

Make sure your special someone knows that you believe in them, no matter what. It can be a small but important distinction for them to know that you’re behind them 100 percent. Standing behind someone is a great way to show them you care.

It’s insanely difficult to know when you should leave a relationship if no one has really done anything outright to warrant it. If no one has cheated or been abusive, when do you know when enough is enough? For me, it’s when I know I just don’t want to try anymore, and that is saying a lot. I firmly believe that every relationship you have, even the one with your mom or dad, takes some work from both parties. So, when I get to the point with someone that I just can’t do the work anymore, that’s when I know it’s time to move on. It’s such a sad realization, and it’s incredibly difficult to do.

Being in love makes everything better. The grass is greener, the sky is bluer, and the air seems crisper. There’s something about being in love that makes everything seem so much more beautiful. You’re able to see stars shining brighter. Clouds seem to take on more shapes.

It can always be so easy to see the darkness and bad in the world, but when you’re in love, you’re more apt to see the good instead. Make sure to hold onto this beauty because seeing the world in rose-colored glasses is so much more relaxing and beautiful than focusing on the bad and cynical. Even if you’re not in love right now, try to look at the world this way so that you’re more open to the idea of falling in love. It’s much easier than outright mistrusting everyone and everything. People will respond to sunniness better any day. Plus, flowers and kittens and stars area always sights to behold, so never let your cynicism overshadow that!

How do you know when you’re in love and it’s not just infatuation? For me, I get this fluttery feeling in my chest when I see them. It’s almost as if my heart is bursting out of my chest. But falling in love with someone is much more than just an intense attraction or having fun with them.

When I’m falling in love, I can’t stop smiling when I’m around them, but I also have no problem being myself. That’s the moment when I know I’m in love with someone—I just relax and stop trying to put forth my good side. I know that I can just truly be me without worrying that they’ll run for the hills. It’s the moment when I let down my guard and show them some of my baggage because I know I can trust them enough to share it with them.

Being in love is much more than just roses and romantic dates—it’s allowing someone through the walls you’ve built around yourself and letting them see the real you. It’s not about pretending to be someone who’s constantly fun and laidback. It’s about showing that you’re a real person with neuroses, and knowing that they’ll love you for the whole package—not just your good sides. When I have this faith in someone, it’s how I know that my heart is going pitter patter for a reason. It’s because I’m in love.

There is nothing more devastating than losing the one you love. It is the most heart-wrenching thing in the world, and no words can accurately describe how much pain your heart will feel. You will feel like someone is pushing down on your chest and find it difficult to breathe. Your heart will hurt for a long time. Nothing can prepare you for this feeling, and it’s a sad fact of life that you will most likely feel this awful pain at some point in your life.

But realize that your heart will go on. You will love again, and you will be loved again. It’s difficult to see this when you’re heartbroken. It’s impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You don’t feel like you’ll ever get there again—that there is no one else in the world for you to love. There is. You can get through the pain and the sadness.

Trust me. I’ve been there, and I’ve loved again. It sucks to hear people say, “everything happens for a reason” because you don’t want to believe there is a reason to feel all this pain. But believe me when I say this: you will love again because giving your heart to someone is the most precious gift you can give. Sometimes that person doesn’t deserve to hold your heart in their hands, and sometimes that person will protect your heart with the respect and love it so desperately deserves. Even though it seems impossible, you will be loved again.

They always say that you never forget your first love. Sure, that person may or not be your greatest love, but you will never forget the person one who made your heart go pitter-patter in your chest. Maybe it happened on the playground or in the cafeteria. Or maybe you felt fireworks when meeting a stranger for the first time. No matter how you met, what your courtship was like, or how it ended, your first love will stick with you forever.

And if you don’t end up with your first love, you can still think of that relationship fondly because it was the first one where you opened yourself up to loving someone, and that’s a beautiful thing. So whether you’re still with your first love, have found the love of your life, or are still looking, take a moment to think back to when you first gave a piece of your heart away and cherish that time.