If you keep choosing walking disasters in jeans, it’s time to pause. Because how you love yourself sets the blueprint for how you’ll let others love you.

Self-love isn’t bubble baths and Pinterest quotes — it’s doing the hard, boring, daily work.

So your toxic ex didn’t kill your dating life completely? Good. But let’s be real: you can’t just jump back in with the same mindset that chose a walking red flag last time.

Here’s how to date again without replaying your own personal horror story.

Let’s not pretend we haven’t all been there.

It’s late. You’re alone. You’ve had a drink—or a memory. And suddenly your thumb hovers over their name in your contacts. Maybe it’s “just to check in.” Maybe you want closure. Maybe you miss the sex, the laughs, or the person you thought they were.

So should you text your ex?

Well… maybe. But probably not.

Before you fire off that “hey…” — ask yourself these five questions. Real questions. The kind that save you from emotional whiplash and regret with a side of tequila shame.