The Impact of Domestic Violence in Communities of Color 

Domestic violence is a pervasive issue in communities of color, exacerbated by historical and systemic inequalities. African American women experience higher rates of domestic violence compared to their white counterparts¹. The intersection of race and gender often means that survivors of color cannot rely on law enforcement for support. Black men are more than twice as likely to be brutalized or killed by police, and Black women face the risk of being criminalized or incarcerated while attempting to escape abuse ¹. 

For minorities, these toxic behaviors add to other stresses like discrimination and stigma. Latina women face intimate partner violence at a rate of 1 in 3², and Native American women endure some of the highest rates, with more than 4 in 5 experiencing violence in their lifetime ³ Asian women also face significant challenges, with 21-55% reporting intimate partner violence, often compounded by cultural stigmas that discourage speaking out ⁴. 

Mental Health Impacts and Cultural Influences 

The mental health impacts of relationship abuse are profound. Survivors often struggle with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health issues. Cultural factors can also influence the experience and reporting of abuse. In many cultures, speaking out about abuse is stigmatized, and survivors may face isolation or rejection from their communities. 

Access to culturally appropriate resources and support services is crucial. Raising awareness, educating, and providing supportive services tailored to the unique needs of these groups can significantly aid in recovery and healing. Addressing relationship abuse’s impact on mental health in minority communities fosters a more inclusive and equitable society. 

Get Help 

If you or someone you know is experiencing an abusive relationship, help is available: 

• Call The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (24/7) for expert support. 

• Call a Peer Advocate: 1-866-331-9474 to explain your situation and receive support and education. 

• Live Chat: Visit Loveisrespect.org for a live, discreet, and confidential chat service specifically for young adults. 

• Text Message: Get in touch with a peer advocate by texting “LOVEIS” to 22522. You will receive an immediate response from a peer advocate who will help you find solutions to your situation. 

How to Help a Friend Who May Be Feeling Suicidal 

If you know someone who may be feeling suicidal, it’s important to act with care and urgency: 

• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988 to be connected to support for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis. 

Recognizing and addressing these behaviors is essential for supporting mental health and fostering healthier relationships in all communities. 

 -Carla M Kozen, Content Manager

Sources 

1. “Domestic Violence in Communities of Color” – National Institute of Justice 
2. “Intimate Partner Violence Among Latinas” – National Latin@ Network 
3. “Violence Against Native American Women” – Indian Health Service 
4. “Statistics On Violence Against API Women” –  Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence 

The post National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: Addressing Abuse in Minority Communities appeared first on One Love Foundation.

Keep Doing You: Why Independence Matters

Being in a relationship doesn’t mean losing yourself. In fact, a healthy relationship thrives when both people have the freedom to be themselves. Here’s the lowdown:

1. Chase Your Dreams: Just like we celebrate our country’s freedom to pursue happiness, a solid relationship lets you chase your dreams too. Whether it’s a new hobby, a career goal, or hanging with your squad, having the freedom to do your thing makes your relationship stronger.

2. Supportive Vibes: Independence doesn’t mean you’re on your own. A supportive partner gets that you need your space and time to grow. They cheer you on from the sidelines and know they don’t have to be part of every single thing you do.

3. Set Boundaries: Boundaries are your BFF. They help keep the balance between being together and having your own space. Respecting each other’s need for personal space and privacy is key to feeling secure and respected in your relationship.

It’s all about balancing quality time with your partner and nurturing your own individuality. This combo makes for a rock-solid and fulfilling relationship

-Carla Mitchell Kozen is One Love’s Content Manager

The post Celebrate Your Freedom: Independence in Relationships appeared first on One Love Foundation.

Getting to know someone new means being introduced to their needs and wants, and helping them learn ours. If you hold identities different than your partner or friend—whether that’s being a different race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or ability—it’s important to recognize and acknowledge how these differences impact the way you’re each perceived and received by the world around you. Entering into a relationship with a new friend or partner is an agreement to celebrate who they are, while acknowledging their unique challenges and strengths, and a commitment to hold them as an equal in the context of your relationship.

How Can You Practice Equality in Your Relationships?     

• Lift up the things your partner or friend does to show you they care. A thank you can go a long way. Often, these are the behaviors that make them feel seen and supported too! Maybe your partner is always the one planning your date nights—next time, offer to take the reins. Even if it’s outside your comfort zone or usual repertoire, putting in the effort helps them see that you value them and their contributions to your relationship.

• Reflect on your assumptions and acknowledge your privilege. If you hold privileged identities, be accountable to recognizing the ways in which the world is built for you and leaves others out. If your friend is Deaf and you aren’t, are you making an effort to learn sign language, or expecting them to conform to your way of communicating? Be aware of the differences in access or circumstance in your relationship and own your part in bridging the gap (in your relationship and the world!).

• Meet them halfway. Even in the healthiest relationships, people’s desires can clash. In these cases, try to negotiate a compromise that incorporates both people’s needs and does not cross any boundaries. If your partner is a texter and you’re not, discuss ways you can both feel supported and like you’re getting the communication you want. On your part, it may take increased effort to read and respond in a timely manner. On your partner’s, it may mean exercising patience and saving some jokes or stories for when you two see each other in person.

• Maintain balance. There are going to be times when one person in the relationship needs more support than the other—whether it’s a bad day, a longer-term hardship, or the ongoing impact of existing within a marginalized community. It’s okay to put your stuff on the back burner to be there for someone else—but be aware of how often you’re sacrificing and remember that you can be championing your own needs, too.

A healthy relationship is like a well-balanced scale; though it may tip one way or the other, you and your partner or friend should be able to rely on one another to right it. Remember that the other person sees the world through their own lens and may not be as aware of your wants and needs as you are. If something feels off, or you’re noticing continual imbalance in an area of your relationship, try asking for what you need or starting a dialogue with your partner or friend.

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Written by Sheridan Riolo, One Love Senior Engagement Manager

The post Practicing Equality in Your Relationships appeared first on One Love Foundation.

We want to assure you that it’s always our business to talk to our friends about their relationships.

The time to start the conversation is at the beginning of the relationship. 

Typically, when a friend starts talking to someone, we say things like, “You’re so lucky!” and “You two are perfect together.” This makes sense – we’re happy for our friend and want to show our support.  But, actually, when we tell friends their relationship is “perfect,” it can cause them to ignore their partner’s unhealthy behaviors, or not share details with us that aren’t perfect because they want to live up to our expectations.

When a friend begins talking to or dating someone new . . .

Instead of saying this:

“They’re SO great! You guys are perfect together.”

Try saying:

“You seem really happy! How are you feeling about them?”

Instead of saying this:

“OMG you guys are fi-nal-ly together. We’ve all been waiting for this!”

Try saying:

“We thought you liked them for a while. How do you feel now that it’s official?”

Instead of saying this:

“Jealous – you’re so lucky/I want your life/Where do I get one?”

Try saying:

“It looks like you’re having fun, but are there things that are surprising you about being in a relationship?”

If we start conversations with our friends when all signs are pointing to healthy, it will make it less awkward if we need to start a conversation about unhealthy behaviors we’re noticing.

Label Behaviors, Not People

We might assume that if the relationship were that bad, our friend would leave their partner or talk to us about it, but it’s not that simple.  If we think a friend is in an unhealthy relationship, one of the most important things we can do is start a conversation.  We could save our friend’s life by opening up a dialogue with them.

Just remember, it’s important to mention the specific behaviors we’ve seen, rather than calling their partner names – that might cause our friend to shut down.

Instead of saying this:

“Why are you still with them?? They’re abusive and treat you like trash.”

Say that:

“You seem really stressed out lately. I’m your friend first and here if you need to talk.”

Instead of saying this:

“We never see you anymore, you’re always with them. Are we even friends?”

Say that:

“I’ve noticed they always show up unexpectedly. How do you feel about that?”

Instead of saying this:

“Why do you always do everything they say? I don’t get it.”

Say that:

“They seem to get mad when you don’t do what they want you to. What’s your gut reaction to that?”

And if they get defensive or upset…

Instead of saying this:

“I was only trying to help you – sorry I won’t make an effort anymore.”

Say that:

“There’s no time limit on when you can come to me to talk.”

***

It can be challenging, but we have to try our best not to judge or pressure our friend if they find it challenging to leave their relationship. People stay in unhealthy relationships for lots of reasons, including safety, finances, logistics, and love.  While we may not understand or agree, the goal is to let our friend know we care and are available when they need to talk.

The post How To Talk To A Friend In An Unhealthy Relationship appeared first on One Love Foundation.

I was in love before Orientation Week even wrapped.

I thought him wanting to be with only me was love (now I know it’s Isolation). I assumed him wanting to know who I was with, where I was going and what I was doing every second of every day was love (now I recognize it’s Possessiveness). I figured his over-the-top reactions to situations most people wouldn’t bat an eye at were because it was normal for people to act extreme when they are so in love (now I get that it’s Volatility), and on and on.

None of my friends or family had the knowledge or skills to see what I was going through, nor did I have the courage to tell them – this was what TV and all the magazines had told me was love, right? I felt shame that I had let it get to this point – my family and friends were all these incredibly smart, strong women and I felt I would be a letdown to them all if they were to find out. Besides, I believed that even if I had told them what was going on, they didn’t have the tools to help me.

That relationship had life-long implications – I found myself pregnant at just 18. I was so anxious at how my partner would react to every little thing that I couldn’t sleep, then I couldn’t focus in class, then I couldn’t get out of bed to attend class. In a matter of months, my grades plummeted and I flunked out of my freshman year. Eventually, things escalated to where the University Police had intervened, and I was finally able to feel free from living my life according to my ex’s demands; but, unfortunately, the life I had hoped for myself didn’t feel possible anymore.

Regardless of whether the unhealthy behaviors are physical, emotional, verbal or all of the above, we know those who have been on the receiving end of unhealthy behaviors can feel shame about what happened to them and around not being able to stop it from happening in the first place.  Being in an unhealthy relationship can slowly chip away your self-worth and self-confidence. It can make you feel incredibly alone – it did for me.  Throughout my situation, I was too ashamed to reach out to anyone in my circle about it.  I felt that there was no way my friends would have let this happen to them; that there was no way my family members, fellow students, or teammates would become a victim of unhealthy or abusive behavior. But, we know it can happen to absolutely anyone – nearly 1 in 5 college students in the U.S. report being physically or sexually hurt by a dating partner while in school.

RELATED ARTICLE: Lethal Behaviors to Look Out for in an Abusive Relationship

That’s why I decided to outsource some of this article. I want you to know you’re not alone in having skewed expectations of relationships thanks to pop culture and antiquated ideals, and that those skewed expectations can make it incredibly easy to experience an unhealthy or abusive relationship. The responses below come from a variety of individuals – male,  female , non-binary, straight, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with vastly different careers, nationalities, upbringings and ages. What they have in common is that they were not taught anything regarding relationship health education before they entered their late teens and early 20’s.

Hopefully, from reading all of this, you can learn from our misconceptions, recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship, and surround yourself with positive, uplifting relationships.

“What do you know about relationships now that you wish you had known when you were younger?”:

• “A relationship should be a positive ADDITION to your life, not consume you to the point where you don’t have your own identity anymore.” See: Intensity

• “You’re going to grow out of some relationships and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that anyone gave up or didn’t try hard enough.” See: Independence

• “It’s not sunshine and rainbows all the time. Relationships have seasons – some are harder than others, but everything can be overcome with honest, open communication and mutual respect of the other person.” See: Respect and Honesty

• “You are not responsible for ‘fixing’ another person, ESPECIALLY when they make you feel like you are.” See: Guilting and Manipulation

• “If they refuse to ever spend time with your friends or family, get outta there!” See: Isolation

• “If someone tells you that you’ll never find someone else to love you, I promise you will and it’s not the person saying that.” See: Belittling

• “I wish I had known that it was supposed to be more carefree at that age! I was so serious and constantly looking for ‘The One’ that I really missed out on meeting a lot of new people, traveling and new experiences. I was the one doing the unhealthy things!” See: Fun

• “You are never, and I cannot emphasize this enough, ever responsible for someone else’s reaction or response to a situation.” See: Deflecting Responsibility

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Spot the Signs of Abusive Texts

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If you read any of these statements and recognize these behaviors in your own relationship, reach out to a friend or a trusted adult to talk through what you’re feeling and what a safe next step would be to ensure these unhealthy behaviors do not escalate to abuse.

At 19, I felt that my unhealthy relationship defined me. If you had told me that experience would be just a blip on the radar of my life, I would not have been able to believe you.  My anxiety from that experience ruled my life, but I promise there is hope after experiencing abuse. You are not your relationship and you are not weak. The strength it takes to pick yourself up from that experience is what defines you, and I guarantee you have more people than you can imagine who are rooting for you, as I realized when I was finally able to share my story, one person at a time.

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Chelsea Leonard is One Love’s Director of Development for the California Region.  Her “why One Love” – Relationship education is the information everyone needs but few have – it’s a no-brainer for me to be involved in expanding these resources to as many people as possible. 

Chelsea’s favorite Healthy Sign is “Healthy Conflict.”

The post Hope After Abuse: What I Wish I Knew About Relationships In College appeared first on One Love Foundation.

You’re not going to want to hear this, but if you’re thinking of shooting your shot, it might be time to think about your rejection contingency plan. Rejection happens to all of us—it’s a fact of life. And I think we can all agree that romantic rejection hits just a little different than other types. You didn’t ask, but here it is: your crash course in handling rejection with care.   

POV: You’ve been crushing on a friend for most of the school year and eagerly awaiting the chance to reveal your feelings. What better time than prom? You’ve enlisted your friends, you’ve spent hours painstakingly choreographing a flash mob and crafting a homemade sign reading: “Prom?”  

The big moment arrives. The prom-posal’s a blur but what you do remember is them shaking their head, deer-in-the-headlights look on their face as they stammer, “I’m going with someone else.” 

(Quick sidebar: A public prom-posal puts a lot of pressure on both you and your crush. Consider asking them privately to get consent before breaking out the theatrics.) 

*

Someone saying no can mean a lot of things—related and unrelated to you—but what it doesn’t mean is that something’s wrong with who you are. So, be kind to yourself. Recognize that you’re awesome and do things to boost yourself up, like hanging with friends or binging your comfort show. 

Be kind to the other person, too. Even if you’re feeling hurt, angry, embarrassed, or confused, don’t let this be the beginning of your villain arc; respect the other person enough not to send all those negative emotions their way. You wanted to go to prom with them a second ago, remember? Try to keep in mind that they’re not the bad guy, either—they’re a person with feelings and desires that just may not align with yours. 

*

POV: You’ve been dreaming of the day when school is out and you finally get to spend long summer days with your partner. Your post-graduation plans will find you at opposite ends of the country next year, so you’re looking forward to spending as much time with them as possible before you move away. You know long distance will be hard, but you know the two of you can handle it…until they sit you down and confess that they don’t want to stay together after graduation. 

RELATED: HOW TO HELP A FRIEND GOING THROUGH A BREAKUP

We’re not saying you have to like their choice—but a true sign of respect is honoring someone’s wishes or feelings, even when they don’t match your own. This means listening and sticking to the boundaries they express. 

Your first instinct may be to cling to your ex and the relationship (i.e. “let’s stay friends”), but taking it slow and spending time apart can be a healthy thing. Try to set a comfortable pace post-breakup and prioritize your needs. If you need space, take it. If you don’t want to talk, you can decline their call. It can be helpful to take a break from social media or unfollow your ex until you feel ready to know what they’re up to without you.  

But what about closure?! Closure is real, but it’s not what we’ve learned about in rom-coms. Closure is a process that challenges us to reflect, process, and accept the lessons a relationship or break-up taught us (with or without the other person’s help). It may be excruciating not to have your ex’s input as you sort through your emotions and come to terms with your situation; there may be questions you feel only they can or should answer, or you may just want to know they’re hurting too.  

When you’re going through it, it’s totally normal to feel like you can’t find closure without them, but try to take responsibility for your own feelings and make sense of the experience from your own perspective. Your ex may be a resource for those unanswered questions at first but, eventually, YOU are the only person who can turn the page on this chapter and move on. Combine reflection (journaling, meditation, talking with a mental health professional, processing with a trusted friend or adult) with activities that bring you comfort or release (exercising, playing video games, watching movies, eating a favorite snack, or snuggling your pet). Lean on your support system for venting, advice, or maybe just some good old-fashioned fun.  

Rejection sucks—no contingency plan can change that. But being better prepared can soften the blow, and over time you’ll gain perspective and begin to heal. You’ve got this (and One Love’s got you)! 

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Sheridan Riolo is an Engagement Manager in One Love’s California Region.  Her “why One Love?” — I do this work because I’m fascinated by so many aspects of relationships, and being at One Love allows me to talk about relationships day in and day out.

Sheridan’s favorite healthy sign is Comfortable Pace.

The post A Crash Course In Handling Rejection appeared first on One Love Foundation.

Losing yourself in a relationship can creep up on you without you noticing – especially in the beginning phases.  The intensity of your relationship is at an all-time high and you always want to see your partner!   This excitement can lead you to want to make this person happy at all costs, even at the cost of your independence.  Sometimes your own intensity towards your relationship makes it difficult for you to recognize that your feelings and opinions have dissolved into the background, because what matters most to you is what your partner wants.

RELATED: 5 Ways To Tell If Your Relationship Is Healthy

If this describes how you feel in your relationship, we want to make sure you have the tools necessary to help you find your way back to YOU!

Here is a list of 6 activities that can help you reconnect with yourself:

1. Create a list of the top five things that made you happy prior to being in a relationship! Look through and reflect on why these things made you happy. From there, start by adding one of these five things back into your life. Changes don’t need to happen all at once.

2.  Make sure to spend some time with your family and friends. In a healthy relationship, both partners spend time with people outside the relationship. Try to schedule some time to see your loved ones outside of the relationship, as well!

3.  Check-in with yourself by taking 10 to 15 minutes daily to journal and self-reflect. One reflection question you could start with is, “What are my strengths in my relationship?” This question will remind you of all that you are bring to your relationship and how you deserve a partnership that is based on equality.

4.  Take note of the number of times you did not express yourself in your relationship and try to understand the reason for this. When you are more aware of these instances, you are more likely to speak up the next time you do have something to say.

5.  Are there activities you would like to do with your partner, but haven’t suggested? Create a list of these activities and try to incorporate more of what you want to do when you spend time with your partner.

6.  Spend time working on your goals and your happiness! Continuing to pursue your life goals is important because it gives you things to fulfill you that sit outside of your relationship.

It takes courage to admit that you lose yourself when you’e in a relationship, but remember it is never too late to start doing the things and hanging out with the people that were important to you before you started dating.  In a healthy relationship, your partner has your best interest at heart and wants to make room for the people and activities that make you happy – so don’t lose sight of them. After all, if you are not taking care of yourself, then who will?

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By Manisha Sareen

Manisha Sareen is One Love’s Operations/Advancement Manager

The post 6 Ways to Reconnect with Yourself When You Feel Lost in Your Relationship appeared first on One Love Foundation.

This year, I’ve decided to clean out more than my overstuffed drawers and dusty warm weather wardrobe – I’m going to take a fresh look at my relationships. Whether romantic or a friendship, brand new or long standing, any relationship can benefit from a fresh look because we all do unhealthy things and, if they’re anything like my desk junk drawer, it can get out of control overnight.

Step 1: Open up the door that’s been closed for too long.

Like that closet we don’t open for fear we’ll get buried under an avalanche of thrifted cardigans and SAT practice exams, the relationships we are most hesitant to take a deeper look at are the ones that need it the most. Situations, words and actions in our relationships that make us feel inadequate or anxious are better off brought into the light by having a conversation with our partner or friend. There is no doubt that it can be extremely uncomfortable to talk about these feelings, but I promise you – you will feel much better leaving unhealthy relationship patterns in last season.

Step 2: Polish Your Knowledge

It’s important to ask yourself questions about how you FEEL in a relationship. Using the 10 signs of an Unhealthy Relationship to form these questions is a great place to start:

• • Isolation: Do they make the effort to spend time with my friends or family? Do they talk me out of meeting up with old friends or get upset when I do? How do I feel about that?
  • Intensity: How do I feel when I check my phone and I see 3 missed calls from them? Does a barrage of texts from them excite me or make me feel anxious to read them?
  • Manipulation: Do they ask me to do things like share my passwords or my location as a test to prove I don’t have anything to hide? How does that sit with me?

If you asked yourself any of the above questions and got an uneasy feeling – both what you thought in your head and how you felt in your body – it may be time to think about cutting ties with that individual safely because these unhealthy behaviors in a relationship can be a precursor to more abusive behaviors.

Step 3: Toss what doesn’t bring you Joy (trademark to Marie Kondo…?)

Our society can easily socialize us NOT to trust our gut – but if you do not like the way your relationship makes you feel, don’t talk yourself out of it. Trust that your gut is telling you what is best for you. Confide in a friend or an adult you trust and create a safety plan – a plan specific to your relationship that helps you avoid potentially dangerous situations that can arise during a breakup. Most importantly, know that you are not alone and feeling angst about any of the situations above (or any of the other Unhealthy Signs) is not the way your relationships have to stay.

*

Spring Cleaning is something that can easily be put off – it feels too daunting of a task, you wouldn’t even know where to start, you’ve been fine for this long so why change, or what if you just make a bigger mess out of things – but the possibly arduous task of cleaning out your relationships, or that closet, will undoubtedly create space in your life for happier days and relationships that lift you up, not bring you down.

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Chelsea Leonard is One Love’s Director of Development for the California Region.  Her “why One Love” – Relationship education is the information everyone needs but few have – it’s a no-brainer for me to be involved in expanding these resources to as many people as possible. 

Chelsea’s favorite Healthy Sign is “Healthy Conflict.”

The post 3 Steps to Spring Clean Your Relationships appeared first on One Love Foundation.

While butterflies may take flight during all stages of a relationship, we most often associate them with the beginning. It’s fun to feel excited about a new romantic prospect, but because of the way relationships unfold in modern times — via text, DM, Snapchat, and other indirect communication methods — and because many people are preoccupied with keeping their options open, sometimes that harmless, delighted feeling can metamorphize into something else: anxiety.

A quick Google search will give you the definition of anxiety: “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know – the talking or dating stage can be a super uncertain time. BUT uncertainty can deepen if someone is exhibiting unhealthy behaviors early on. The way the other person acts in this situationship has a lot of influence on whether you experience butterflies or anxiety.

So get curious about how the other person is showing up. How do their actions make you feel? Optimistic or pessimistic? Confident or insecure? Confused? Be brave and ask for clarity where you need it — their response can tell you a lot.

Look out for people who seem to be intentionally withholding their feelings, affection, or time right off the bat, as this can establish an unequal power dynamic. This person won’t meet you in the middle – they’ll wait for you to text first, be difficult to schedule with, and be evasive when it comes to talking about what they’re looking for or how they think things are going. It might feel like a roller coaster ride, or like you have to tread lightly for fear they’ll move on. This hot and cold, power-grab behavior is textbook volatility and it will give you the unpleasant, squirmy feeling of anxiety.

For a healthier option, try looking for signs of equality. Notice if you are both putting in the same effort and are similarly invested in the relationship. Feeling a sense of security may seem impossible as you’re just getting to know someone, but it’s not! You can (and should) communicate at all stages of a relationship, even early days. That doesn’t mean sharing everything upfront, but being open and honest when you feel things in the moment. You don’t have to know exactly what someone is feeling and thinking in each moment to trust their character and intentions — or to feel the flutter of wings when you think of them.

Still unsure? Try to identify yourself in these scenarios:

They text you and ask if you can hang out, but you already have plans.

If you’re feeling butterflies, you’ll feel happy (maybe even giddy) that they asked. You’ll text back to figure out a time that works for both of you.

If you’re feeling anxiety, you will drop everything and rearrange all your plans to make the hangout possible because you’re worried they’ll lose interest.

You want to define the relationship.

If you’re feeling butterflies, you may be a little nervous to ask for what you want, but you trust they’ll be honest with you (and tbh, you have a hunch they feel the same).

If you’re feeling anxiety, you’ll be worried about how they’ll react because you have no idea where their head’s at.

The beginning of a relationship comes with lots of emotions and it’s easy to confuse anxiety for butterflies when they’re in the mix. It’s important to learn to discern between the two, otherwise you could be ignoring signs a situation isn’t quite right. Don’t be afraid to let go of a relationship that is causing you more distress than joy and remember that you deserve someone who is just as excited about you as you are about them.

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Sheridan Riolo is an Engagement Manager in One Love’s California Region.  Her “why One Love?” — I do this work because I’m fascinated by so many aspects of relationships, and being at One Love allows me to talk about relationships day in and day out.

Sheridan’s favorite healthy sign is Comfortable Pace.

The post Anxiety or Butterflies? How to tell what you’re feeling when you first start talking to someone appeared first on One Love Foundation.