It is tempting to think love should always feel easy.
Someone who agrees with you.
Who never challenges you.
Who keeps you comfortable.
But real love does something braver.
Embrace love as a catalyst for growth.
Through loving relationships, we are challenged to evolve and become our best selves.
The people who truly love you do not just flatter your favorite version of yourself.
They see your quiet potential and your old habits.
They hold up a mirror, even when you would rather not look.
Sometimes that mirror shows how you shut down in conflict.
Sometimes it shows how you talk over people.
Sometimes it shows how small you make yourself to keep the peace.
It can sting.
It can be annoying.
And it can also be the exact pressure that helps you grow.
Love and growth are not about becoming perfect.
They are about becoming more honest, more awake, more aligned with what actually matters to you.
In that way, a relationship is like a workshop.
You bring your rough edges.
The friction is not a sign that love has failed.
It is a sign that something real is happening, if you stay open.