Blog Title: When the Red Flags Were Waving, But I Chose Blindness

We always think we’ll see the signs.

We tell ourselves we’re smart, intuitive, experienced. That we’ll never fall for the games or get caught in the same cycle again. But the truth is, sometimes we don’t want to see the red flags—because acknowledging them means letting go of something we desperately want to believe in.

I ignored the red flags. All of them. Bright as they were, waving furiously in the wind, warning me of what was to come—I looked the other way.

I saw the inconsistencies in his stories. I noticed how he avoided accountability. How his compliments came laced with control. How his silence could punish louder than words ever could. I felt the pit in my stomach every time something felt off, but I convinced myself I was overthinking. Dramatic. Too sensitive.

I excused his behavior because I wanted the fantasy more than I wanted the truth. I was holding onto potential—a version of him that existed only in moments and promises. And I told myself, he’s just stressed, he’ll change, we’re just going through a rough patch.

But here’s the hard truth: red flags don’t disappear. They don’t fade with time. They usually grow louder until they’re screaming at you, until they finally break through the illusion you’ve been clinging to.

I learned the hard way that love—real love—isn’t built on ignoring your instincts. It doesn’t require you to silence your voice to keep the peace or walk on eggshells to keep someone comfortable.

If you’re seeing red flags, don’t talk yourself out of what you already know deep down. The earlier you listen, the sooner you can save your heart from what it’s not meant to carry.

It’s not weakness to walk away. It’s strength to say, I deserve better, even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

Because next time, I won’t need the flags to wave quite so high—I’ll recognize them for what they are. And this time, I’ll choose myself.

Copyright 2025

Crystal Amon