Relationships can teach you how to fall in love with yourself. They provide someone else’s perspective as a lens to view yourself in ways that you wouldn’t have otherwise. Once you lose that relationship, it causes you to lose that confidence because the person who once reassured you, is no longer there. This became difficult for me, as the pressure that I placed on my relationship had derived from my deeper insecurities to begin with. 

TikTok houses what I like to call “BreakupTok,” a trend where users can discuss breakups, share experiences and give advice. As someone who enjoys reading through Pinterest quotes and relating to other people’s experiences, I love “BreakupTok” and how it allows my own experiences to feel heard and seen. 

Once I scroll deep enough through my camera roll to hit the time period of my past relationship, I begin to feel anxious, expecting to be reminded of everything, regardless of whether there are pictures of us right away. Before I even reach this time, I can already feel a pit forming in my stomach. 

One of the most important things I have learned thus far from my breakup is how important respect is. Going forward, it is one of my top priorities —both for myself and my relationships.