Stop dating who they COULD be, date who they are right now¶

Date who someone is right now -- their patterns, consistency, and present behavior -- not who they might become if they healed or tried harder.

Key points¶

Potential is a fantasy that keeps you stuck; reality is what is actually happening in front of you.
If someone cannot communicate, be consistent, meet your emotional needs, or choose you clearly now, the future with them is irrelevant.
Dating potential leads to over-functioning, self-abandonment, making excuses for bare-minimum effort, and confusing patience with loyalty.
It is not your job to wait while someone decides whether they are willing to do the work; the right person shows up already moving in your direction.