Last night on The Bachelor, we were able to look back at every “Can I steal him for a second?” and “at the end of the day”. Of course, there were confrontations and tears. But we learned a lot of lessons about life and ourselves last night other than to never mess with the twins (those facial expressions could kill).
1. Be honest.
We all watched Leah get called out for throwing Lauren B. under the bus and then lying to the other girls about it. She tried to wiggle out of it in the most cringe-worthy way, but we all saw the video evidence.
Even if your lives aren’t constantly being filmed, your lies can catch up to you. When it comes to maintaining healthy relationships with the people around you, honesty really is the best policy.
2. Don’t overthink.
Jubilee said it best. Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy. Get out of your head every once in a while. When you are in a relationship and you have doubts or are questioning something, try communicating rather than stewing in your own head. Don’t pull an Olivia; make sure you two are on the same page.
3. Be kind.
The women on The Bachelor who are kind may not have received as much attention, but they stay drama-free and tend to go further in the competition.
Lauren obviously agrees. Being kind benefits those around you as well as yourself.
4. Don’t tear other women down.
Women can be intimidating, especially pretty women. But don’t pull a Lace or Olivia and start being mean. Shows like The Bachelor tend to glorify girl fights, but female friendships are some of the most beautiful, fulfilling relationships in the world.
Sometimes we, as women, feel like we are in constant competition with one another. But it doesn’t have to be that way. They next time you want to tear another woman down, ask yourself why. Maybe you just need to practice a little self-love.
5. Contestants are people too.
Whether or not you thought Olivia’s apologies and excuses were real, it was sad hearing about her being attacked on social media.
It’s so easy for us to hide behind a computer screen and say downright cruel things to another human being because we don’t know them or see the effects. I’m not asking anyone to refrain from tweeting about the Bachelor, but before you press send, ask yourself if what you’re about to say crosses the line between funny and mean.
6. Falling in love is brave. Falling in love after heartbreak is even braver.
Opening your heart up to another person is terrifying. Case in point: Caila
Caila fell in love with Ben and had her heart broken. Those of us who have been through a breakup know the pain she’s in. With time, the pain will heal and she will be able to open her heart to someone else (hopefully on The Bachelorette). It will take a lot of courage, but in the end, it will be worth it.
7. You are capable of being loved.
I swear, we must have heard the phrase “great guy” used about a thousand times this season. And yes, Ben does seem like a good person, but there are a lot of great guys (and girls) out there. Your Ben is going to love you and all of your weird quirk and your baggage, even if your name is Olivia.