We've been sold an incomplete story about relationships: that healthy ones are characterized by constant harmony, and that if we're doing it "right," there won't be friction, disappointment, or moments where we wonder if we've made a mistake in letting this person close. While unconditional acceptance is possible—there have been rare individuals who've embodied it fully—for most of us still navigating our ego-driven patterns, this ideal becomes a trap. We use it as evidence t