Love is awesome, right? It’s all about feeling good, being close, and having someone who’s got your back.
But love isn’t just the good stuff like hugs and late-night talks. It’s also about not doing certain things that can hurt each other.
In this article, we’re going to talk about 8 things that people who really love each other should never do.
These are like the big “no-nos” in a relationship.
So, if you’re in love or hope to be, keep reading. We’re about to get real about what love should not look like.
1. Lie to Each Other
In a truly loving relationship, honesty is the name of the game.
Now, we’re not saying you have to share every tiny thought that pops into your head, but big lies?
Those are a major no-go.
Whether it’s lying about how you feel, what you’re doing, or hiding things that should be out in the open, lying breaks trust.
And guess what? Trust is like the glue that keeps love strong.
If you find yourself lying to your partner, or catch them lying to you, it’s a red flag that something’s off.
A relationship built on lies is like building a house on sand—sooner or later, things are going to fall apart.
So, let’s keep it real. Honesty might be tough sometimes, but it’s the only way to build a love that lasts.
2. Tear Each Other Down
Look, we’ve all got our insecurities and flaws—nobody’s perfect.
But in a love that’s real and true, your partner should be your biggest cheerleader, not the one leading the “boo” chorus.
If you’re in a relationship where you or your partner consistently belittles the other, mocks their dreams, or basically makes them feel like crap, then that’s not love.
That’s emotional abuse, plain and simple.
You shouldn’t walk around on eggshells, wondering if your partner’s going to mock you for your choices or interests.
Nor should you feel like you have the right to shred their self-esteem.
Love should make you feel empowered, not diminished.
In a healthy relationship, you lift each other up; you don’t tear each other down.
If this rings a bell, it’s time for a serious chat, maybe even some soul-searching about whether the relationship is truly worth it.
3. Solve All of Each Other’s Problems
There’s a fine line between being supportive and becoming your partner’s personal problem-solver.
In a truly loving relationship, you don’t jump in to fix every issue your partner faces.
Sometimes, you need to step back and let them handle it themselves.
Love means having enough trust and respect to let your partner make mistakes and learn from them.
It means letting them fight their own battles, even if it’s painful to watch.
Because if you’re always swooping in like a superhero, you’re sending the message that you don’t think they’re capable.
And that’s not love—that’s control.
It might sound tough, but the best thing you can do sometimes is to offer a listening ear and then step back.
Let your partner know you believe in them, and then allow them the space to believe in themselves.
4. Keep Score
In a genuine love connection, you’re not tallying up points like you’re in some never-ending game. “Well, I did the dishes last night, so you have to take out the trash,” or “I paid for dinner, so now you owe me.”
Sound familiar?
Keeping score turns love into a transaction, and guess what?
Love shouldn’t feel like a business deal.
Yep, something that might seem as trivial as “who did what” can actually be a red flag that your relationship is on shaky ground.
Why?
Because it fosters resentment and kills generosity.
In a healthy relationship, kindness and favors aren’t debts to be paid back but are freely given.
Love means not worrying about evening the score but focusing on making each other’s lives better, simply because you want to.
5. Invalidate Each Other’s Feelings
Ever hear the phrase “You’re being too sensitive” or “You’re overreacting”?
If that’s a common refrain in your relationship, you might be onto something not-so-great.
One thing truly loving partners never do is invalidate each other’s feelings.
In a healthy relationship, both partners have the right to feel their feelings.
No one gets to decide if what you’re feeling is “right” or “wrong.”
Dismissing your partner’s emotions as irrelevant or silly is a form of emotional neglect.
And let’s be clear, it hurts.
Instead of undermining each other’s feelings, aim for understanding.
Try to get where your partner is coming from, even if it’s different from your own perspective.
You don’t have to agree on everything, but you do have to respect each other’s right to feel the way they do.
So the next time your partner is sharing how they feel, listen up.
Your willingness to validate their feelings could be the glue that keeps your relationship strong.
6. Be Together 24/7
Hang on, isn’t love all about wanting to spend every waking moment together? Well, not exactly.
One of the things that truly loving partners never do is insist on being joined at the hip 24/7.
Yep, you read that right. Real love doesn’t mean you have to—or should—be in each other’s space all the time.
Love grows in spaces. Just like a plant needs room to grow, your relationship needs space to flourish.
Each person should have the freedom to pursue their own interests, spend time with their own friends, and enjoy some alone time.
In doing so, you’ll have new experiences to share, making your time together even more enriching.
A relationship where you’re constantly together is not only stifling, it’s also a breeding ground for co-dependency.
Healthy love means recognizing that you’re two individual people who choose to be together, not two halves that can’t exist without the other.
So go ahead, take that solo hike or have a night out with friends.
It’s not a sign that your love is weak; it’s a sign that it’s strong enough to endure some time apart.
7. Ignore Red Flags
Listen, nobody wants to admit that their relationship has serious problems.
But let’s get raw for a moment. Truly loving partners never ignore red flags, whether those are issues like abuse, addiction, or persistent unhappiness.
Turning a blind eye and hoping things will magically get better? That’s not love—that’s denial.
In a real, honest relationship, you don’t just shove these kinds of issues under the rug.
You confront them, even if that’s super uncomfortable or even heartbreaking.
Why?
Because love isn’t about pretending everything’s perfect; it’s about facing reality together.
Ignoring red flags means you’re not just lying to yourself, you’re short-changing both you and your partner out of a chance for genuine happiness—either together or apart.
If something feels off, it probably is.
And it might be time for a hard, brutally honest conversation about what both of you want and need.
8. Take Each Other for Granted
This one’s simple but so easy to overlook: Don’t take each other for granted.
Love isn’t a one-time deal that you win and then put on a shelf; it’s a continuous effort from both sides.
The moment you start thinking your partner will always be there, no matter how you treat them, is the moment the relationship starts to crumble.
It can happen easily. Life gets busy, you get comfortable, and before you know it, ‘thank yous’ become rare, and ‘I love yous’ sound automatic.
The small acts of kindness and respect that built your love can easily erode under the weight of familiarity and routine.
So make the effort. Keep dating each other, keep surprising each other, and most importantly, keep appreciating each other.
It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture; often, it’s the small, everyday things that show you’re not taking your partner for granted.
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