The idea that marriage children, and the nuclear family are the only true form of love is toxic and harmful. This notion is based upon cis-heteronormative values with a longstanding history of homophobia and transphobia. Unsubscribe! ⁣ ⁣ But. Easier said than done. ⁣ ⁣ We’ve all internalized values around a traditional path towards and demographics that define relationships. Meet, spark, date, monogamous relationship, move-in together, marriage, children, and together forever. Most understand these relational milestones as the correct way to enact intimacy and many even choose to end relationships when they don't meet these deadlines. But there is no such thing as the correct way to do relationships. ⁣ ⁣ Believe it or not most of the relational structures you learned about throughout your life don’t actually contribute to any type of relationship satisfaction. If anything research suggests that relational experiences like marriage or having children negatively impact relational satisfaction. I’m not discouraging any of this - I still want to get married and have kids. But I know that the key to creating a satisfying relationship that is deep and meaningful doesn’t come from meeting certain milestones. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣