How to Avoid Fake Love

I once dated a guy who asked me if I wanted to "say fake I love yous". I had never heard of this before and requested he clarify what he meant. He explained that even though we weren't in love yet, perhaps we would soon be; that it might feel good to say "I love you" to each other even though we didn't quite mean it yet. 
 
Ummmm, no. I quickly declined. When I say "I love you", I want it to be real. Because I want real love, of course. My ex, however, liked the comfort of "fake love". He wasn't entirely alone with his seemingly strange preference--that immediately felt so wrong, foreign, and unappealing to me.
 
In retrospect, I realized I have met a lot of people in my years as a matchmaker & dating/relationship coach who actually prefer the artificial variety to no love at all. It keeps them from feeling lonely and isolated--a feeling that is all too familiar to many of us during this pandemic. Some even prefer fake love to the real thing, so they don't have to deal with the the ups and downs or pain of loss it can bring into their life.
 
Some people can’t love. They can’t love themselves. They can’t love you. They can’t love anyone.
 
Getting emotionally involved with people incapable of loving is a big mistake. Have you been in fake love? Well, you probably know this.
 
Maybe you or someone you know can use a heads up or an important reminder about how to avoid those who are lacking that love chip.
 
If you want to protect your heart, look out for the red flags that will be obvious in a relationship. If people who can only offer fake love had a personal brand, it would be this:
 
-They have a lack of accountability which leads to blaming you for anything and everything.
 
-They behave selfishly and do not take your feelings into account.
 
-They are unhappy. It is not a bout of depression, but they are generally miserable people at their core.
 
If you see these tell-tale signs, my advice is to remove yourself from the relationship and find a way to attract the love you deserve. There are more signs, indeed, but this is the basic information you need to know to avoid a counterfeit relationship. Cheers to real love for all!

 
Need help determining if you are in fake love? Could use some guidance in healing from its aftermath? Get some professional advice through email coaching or a strategy session here.  
 
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