IT’S A LOOP: The Trap of “Maybe This Time They’ll Change”

It’s not always the big betrayals that break you down. Sometimes, it’s the slow, repetitive cycle of almost changing that drains you the most.

It starts the same way every time:

You bring up a real issue.

They apologize. You feel seen. Maybe even heard.

Things feel better for a couple of weeks or more.

But the exact behavior you brought up before starts creeping back in.

You bring it up again. They give an excuse. They get it... again.

You forgive them. Again.

Because you see who they could be. And they keep promising they’ll become that version.

But here’s the truth: potential isn’t love.

If you’re in a loop, it’s not your job to wait for them to grow.

This is how time slips by, not because they won’t change,

but because you’re waiting for them to want to.

Journal Prompt:

“What would I do differently if I stopped waiting on their potential and started honoring their patterns?”