Will You Be My Valentine?❤️

What Social Media Taught Me About Love

When I got older, love was different—performative, tactical.

Something you had to approach wildly but cautiously, almost like a game.

Be coy. Don’t give out too much information. Act like you don’t care. Act like you’ve been here before. Ask him for money, but don’t seem desperate. Don’t pour out your heart to him because he’ll use it against you. Learn the ways to talk to him, the ways to be a high-value woman…

It was a literal slap in the face. Because what’s all this?

Why are we playing a game of cat and mouse when all we really want is to be loved?

But if you say these thoughts out loud, you’ve messed up. In fact, you’ve already lost. Because while you’re out here being an understanding girlfriend, a tactical babe will swoop in and "secure" your supposed man. Be sharp.

But things didn’t always feel like this.

"Falling in love" used to be freeing, secure. No one was traumatized by a cheating ex. No one was trying to be the stereotypical bad boy, toxic, or just a silly time-waster.

Love was genuine. It came wrapped in handwritten letters, folded and passed between classes. It sounded like an off-key but heartfelt Ed Sheeran cover sung over the phone at night. It showed up in tok shop snacks shared during break time like a grand romantic gesture.

That love was experienced by a 13-year-old girl. So, of course, it was young, innocent, and maybe even a little naïve.

But now, 10 years later, love feels... different.

Social media parades a version of romance that looks like money bouquets, decorated hotels, endless gifts, fine dining, and lavish trips. And honestly? I want it all. I want the over-the-top surprises, the drama, the full experience. But what I don’t want is the endless strategies and emotional tug-of-war before getting there. The game of pretending, of withholding emotions, of acting uninterested just to seem more desirable—I don’t have the energy for that.

But I don’t blame them, or the “game”.

As you get older, love requires a little more caution. The stakes are higher—standard of living, personality, values, discipline, marriage, kids, healthcare. It’s no longer just about butterflies; it’s about building a life. So, I get it. Love with your eyes wide open. I just find myself yearning for the softer side of things—the kind of love that feels easy, warm, and free, even in the midst of life’s complexities.

Don’t get me wrong—I’ve experienced different kinds of love over the years. I’ve had moments that reminded me love can be warm, patient, and kind. I’ve even caught glimpses of the love I truly desire—the kind that feels easy, safe, and without pretense. But somehow, it still feels like love today is a test of endurance, a game of survival.

And that’s the part I don’t have the energy for.

I don’t want to have to strategize my way into love. I don’t want to be calculating my every move, making sure I’m not too available, not too emotional, not too much.

I want to love wildly without feeling like a fool. I want to be seen. I want soft love—the kind that plays with my hair just to help me fall asleep. The kind that doesn’t feel like a prize to be won, but a safe place to rest.

Love that is both thrilling and safe. Love that exists in quiet moments, not just in grand displays. Love that doesn’t need a strategy to survive.

Maybe, just maybe, we don’t have to play the game at all.

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Have you ever felt like love today comes with too many rules?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Too late to wish you a happy new year?👀

Happy New Year guys🥳🥳🥳 We’re backkkkkkkk!

I initially planned to come here and tell you how my January went, but this is the season of loveeeeee

Let’s channel our inner lover babe and guy😆❤️

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day!! Give me all the details, I love love🤭🤭

Until then, see you same time, next week!

Have an amazing weekend.