Although I loved Disney princesses growing up, I’m not a very romantic person. I’m sure I dreamed of a Prince Charming (although Jasmine always was my favorite, and she’s pretty badass). But now as my 20-something self, the romantic culture that I associated with relationships doesn’t interest me. It’s not that I don’t want a relationship. It’s that the idea of mushy, lovey dovey relationship that I see all over the Internet makes me want to run the other direction 😱.

“You just haven’t met the right guy yet,” you might say. But if I have to melt at the knees for a guy, then I think I’ll pass.  I’m not looking for a Prince Charming. I’m not waiting for someone to sweep me off my feet. And I’m definitely not looking for someone to “win” my heart.

I’ll love who I want, not whoever tries to kill my dragons for me, thank you very much. I’m going to take on my own dragons (and if that’s too much to handle, you can show yourself to the door 😉 ).  

You may have picked up on the fact that I am not a big fan of the language we use around romance. Maybe it’s my feminist side coming out, but I don’t like the idea of my heart being a prize for a guy to win.

I don’t need a guy to complete me. And if I ever get into that mindset, then I know that I shouldn’t be getting into a serious relationship and that I’ve got some soul searching to do. After getting lost in a long-term relationship, I learned that a boy can’t make you happy if you aren’t happy in yourself already. You’ll just end up making both of you unhappy.

Now that it’s been a few years since I’ve been in a serious relationship, it’s tempting to get too comfortable being single. Being single has got a lot of perks! But singleness has taught me a lot about what I actually do want in a potential partner. Opening car doors and going on romantic dinners can be cool, but that’s not what I’m looking for.

I want someone to partner with, to do life with, to go on adventures and to watch Netflix with. I’m pursuing my own dreams, and I want whoever I end up with (if that’s in the cards for me) to be doing the same. I don’t want my happiness to be dependent on someone else. I need someone who run alongside and can keep up 😉.

I don’t need Prince Charming to complete my story. I’m not waiting in a tower to be rescued. I’ll fight (or ride) my own dragons, thank you.