LAURDIY + LAUREN RIIHIMAKI +
A quote that’s always stuck with me is “LOVE YOURSELF BEFORE YOU TRY TO FIND LOVE IN ANOTHER.” There’s nothing more important that spending a portion of your life learning what makes you tick, what drives you and what you need in life to be happy. After these core elements are discovered, you can focus on finding a counterpart that compliments what you already know about yourself. Sometimes people get into relationships for the wrong reasons, maybe they’re insecure and they need the flattery of their significant other to feel good about themselves this is only going to lead to trouble in the future. I’m not saying we’re not allowed to have insecurities - we all do, but we just need to make sure our partner isn’t using us to satisfy or “fix” those insecurities that they haven’t learned to handle solo.
I think the most successful relationships are also those that are between two individuals who have spent a healthy amount of time learning how to love themselves. I don’t necessarily think that “learning how to love yourself” directly translates to being single, but more focuses on ensuring the person has taken the time to understand themselves and understand what they want/need in life to be happy. If both parties are already content with themselves going into a new relationship, the odds of it working out are going to be much higher because we can focus on not only the happiness of ourselves but also the happiness of our significant other and overall satisfaction in the relationship. It’s a lot of work to be working on yourself while trying to bring happiness to someone else at the same time. Another important factor that I’ve learned is that if we’ve found happiness within ourselves and you meet someone that takes that away from you, it’s a crystal clear indication this person is not right for you. I’ve been with someone who’s insecurities controlled the way they were in a relationship and it quickly turned sour because they haven’t taken the time to focus on self love. Take the time to figure out who you are, what makes you happy when you’re alone and in a relationship - you’ll feel confident, empowered and strong about who you are as a person. PHOTOS: SHANNON BRAY // INTRO: LAUREN RIIHIMAKI STORY & QUESTIONS: HUDSON LUTHRINGSHAUSEN
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