According to my mom, I’d struggle to find a man because I have strong opinions and high standards. She never meant it as an insult—more like a warning. She’d tell me that relationships require compromise, that being too particular might leave me alone in the end. But to me, love has never been about just having someone—it’s about having the right someone.

I’ve watched people settle for relationships that only half-fulfilled them, choosing companionship over true connection. I’ve seen women silence their voices, soften their edges, and shrink themselves to fit into the idea of what a man wants. And every time I saw that, I promised myself I wouldn’t do the same.

That doesn’t mean I don’t want love. Of course, I do. I want the kind of love that feels like deep understanding, like two people who choose each other not out of desperation, but out of admiration and respect. I want a love where my strong opinions aren’t seen as difficult, but as something to be valued. I want someone who sees my high standards not as impossible, but as proof that I know my worth.

So yes, maybe I will struggle to find love, but I would rather wait for something real than settle for something that leaves me feeling empty. Because at the end of the day, being alone with my happiness is far better than being with someone who dims my light.