Take a moment to reflect on your romantic history. How many times have you said, “This is it. I’ve finally found my one true love”? And how many times has the reality turned out differently? Paperback romances and fairy tales promote an ideal of a first and only love, but few of us can claim to have had such uncomplicated good fortune. For most people, the process of finding the perfect partner is one of trial and error: breakups, makeups, missed opportunities, and misunderstandings. Human love is a fragile creation, and sometimes the smallest thing—the wrong choice of words or a single clumsy gesture—can make love shatter, stall, or fade away.
Think of the last three people you have loved in your life, and write down the reasons each of those relationships ended (or failed to begin). Try to be as specific as possible in giving the reasons. For example, in a case of unrequited love, state whether it didn’t work out because the other person didn’t notice your signals or just wasn’t interested, or whether it was because you lacked the courage to say how you felt. In completing this exercise, avoid vague, noncommittal statements like “It just wasn’t meant to be,” “It wasn’t really anybody’s fault,” or “We were both a little bit at fault.” Take as long as you need to answer, but assign the blame to one side or the other in each case.
Source: Kokology - The Game of Self-Discovery