What actually matters in relationships is not who someone may have been, but how they show up in the present. How do they communicate during conflict? Do they respect boundaries? Are they consistent in words and actions? Can they listen without defensiveness? Do their values align with yours? These are the questions that determine compatibility and trust.
Moving away from assumption-based thinking requires humility. It requires accepting that you do not know someone’s story simply by watching how they speak, dress, travel, or express emotion. It requires curiosity instead of judgment and dialogue instead of deduction.
