10 Best Romance Movies That Reflect the Harsh Reality of Relationships

Psychology10 Best Romance Movies That Reflect the Harsh Reality of Relationships Share: Psychology 10 Best Romance Movies That Reflect the Harsh Reality of Relationships J.S. von Dacre J.S. von Dacre is an agency-represented British writer, wanderluster, and advocate. Full Bio A lot of people love romantic movies. They provide the ultimate escapism and feel-good factor when the forces of love triumphs. Most of the times, the reason why it has such an impact on us is because of the message it brings–a message of hope. Many can relate to sitting in front of a screen with loved ones–whether at home or in the cinema, and feeling teary eyed when that moment comes up which has the power to tug on heartstrings. The best romantic movies do not just act as entertainment, but in fact, can actually teach us important lessons of life, love and relationships. Here are 10 romantic movies and what they taught us 1. Silver Linings Playbook (2012) Life is sometimes difficult and we can feel like we are trapped in a situation where there is no escape. But the beauty is its unpredictability as well as the people who can come into our lives when we least expect it. Be open to the unexpected happening. Even though you may be struggling with demons of your own, you never know who may wander into your life when you are least expecting it. Stop looking for love and let love find you. 2. One Day (2011) This is one of those romantic movies that teaches us about the importance of friendship in a relationship. Your significant other should also be your friend. And like any good friend, they should know all your good and bad points but still love you any way. Even if you do not end up dating your best friend, be with someone who will ultimately be one of your closest companions and someone you can rely on–no matter what. 3. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) Love sometimes catches us off-guard and we fall in love with the person we may least expect. Don’t judge a book by its cover. There are sometimes connections we have with people that we may never have envisioned. Physical chemistry is important, but it is even more important that they can connect with you on other levels. 4. What’s Your Number? (2011) Stop focusing on the past. There is a reason why people didn’t make to your present. If you are single (and single for a while) you may feel nostalgic and wonder “what if” about failed relationships. But remember, if those relationships were right, they would have worked out. So the fact is, one of you was a wrong match for the other person. Open yourself to welcoming new people and opportunities into your life. 5. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Don’t change who you are. If the person is right for you, they will appreciate all those things that make you different–even the things that make you uncool to everyone else. The right one will love you just the way you are–and they will love you even more for your flaws and quirky bits. 6. He’s Just Not That Into You (2009) Don’t wait around for someone who doesn’t behave like they want to be with you. If you find yourself always making excuses or justifying someone’s absence or lack of attention, the reality is that they are probably just not that into you. It may hurt to accept this, but taking the first step to recognizing this will be the first step to breaking free from that hurt. Don’t allow yourself to be nothing more than an option for someone who doesn’t see you as a priority. 7. Love Actually (2003) This is one of those romantic movies that follows the lives of a few people. We are reminded that everyone has the same chance of finding love–it doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from or what your circumstances may be. It’s all about being in the right place and the right time. Everyone deserves love and everyone has the possibility to find it. 8. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) If someone is more interested in the other person’s status or money, it’s not real love. This has sadly become far too common with many people more in pursuit of what they can gain from a partner, as opposed to how that person makes them feel. If someone truly loves you for you, the size of your bank balance, who you know or the material things they can benefit from being with you, will not matter. 9. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) There is sometimes no greater pain than a heartbreak, and to some people, it may feel impossible to find a way out of that anguish. Don’t force healing or deny yourself the grieving process. It is important to you give yourself the time that you need. Don’t try to find quick solutions such as partying or finding someone else immediately, as ultimately, these are just misguided ways to numb the pain. Pushing yourself too hard to get over someone often makes things worse. It should not be rushed–take as long as you need. 10. The Notebook (2004) True love never forgets and will stand the test of time. And no matter what, it will keep fighting and being loyal till the end, irrespective of the circumstances. There are no obstacles that are too big or small when it comes to real love. If you want to be further inspired by some REAL life love stories to remind you that true love does still exist, check out my other article here. About Lifehack Lifehack is about helping you improve your life through efficient and comprehensive learning. By leveraging the vast amount of knowledge available to us, we explore and present a wide variety of content catered to encouraging individual growth and solving problems. Learn more about our mission Advertising Recommended for You If You Understand These 5 Rules In Psychology, You Can Live A Much Easier Life 50 Soft Skills for Lifelong Happiness and Success The Only Effective Way to Talk With Children When They Are Acting Out 25 Tiny Habits That Could Totally Change Your Life Learn More About Psychology 50% of Marriages Ends up in Divorce, Is It That Hard to Save a Marriage? How to Stay Motivated Even Though You Can't See Yourself Moving Forward The Scientific Explanation on Why We Attract What We Are Self-Defeating Habits That Make Talented People Become Average Love what you're reading? You're now one click away from getting all the best ideas on Lifehack for free! Subscribe to Lifehack Newsletter to end negativity and get things done fast. Scroll down for the next article Why Pursuing Happiness Will Make You End up Being Unhappy Psychology Why Pursuing Happiness Will Make You End up Being Unhappy Leon Ho Leon Ho is the Founder and CEO of Lifehack, which he started in 2005 as a way to share his personal productivity hacks to make life easier. Full Bio When we talk about happiness, we think about staying happy all the time – every single day, every single minute with zero negativity. We try to pursue this constant state of “happiness” as our goal, and avoid anything that may take it away from us. But what is the meaning of this type of “happiness”? It’s like your favorite food. The more you have of it doesn’t always mean the better. On the contrary, when you only have a chance to eat it sparingly, that’s when you really savor every bite of it. So is it the food itself that makes you happy, or is it how valuable it is to you when you are eating it? We should always remember that only by experiencing sadness do we understand what it is to be happy. Assuming others are always happy is the biggest misunderstanding of happiness. Most people see those who have seemingly perfect lives and assume they are happy all the time. Since childhood, we are conditioned to chase the idea of “happily-ever-after” that we see in fairytales. On social media, everyone tends to share only the best looking aspects of their lives (including ourselves). So it’s very easy to have a distorted view of what “happiness” is around us. In reality, there is always something missing, something lacking, or something unpleasant. No one has a perfect life. Even the most glamorous celebrities or the richest billionaires, everyone has their own set of challenges and problems. When we feel negative, we’re only focusing on a small fluctuating curve. As CEO of Lifehack, I’ve had to deal with countless problems, and some of them felt like real setbacks at the time. During those moments, it really seemed like these problems would be the life or death of my company and my life goals. But I got through them, and weeks, months and eventually years passed with many more ups and downs. You need to keep your sights on the extended curve. Looking back now, a lot of those “really big” problems at the time seem like only small blips in a long line of experiences. Recalling them in my mind now makes me smile! Stop trying to be happy. Just be. It’s natural to want to be happy as often as possible. So what can we do? First, throw away the belief that a perfect life means happiness. Personally, I would be miserable if everything was perfect. It’s from experiencing the pains of lifelong challenges that drives us to care for others when they are experiencing the same trials. If life was perfect, you wouldn’t be able to empathize. If life was perfect, you wouldn’t grow. To be truly happy, stop chasing permanent happiness. It sounds like a paradox. What I mean is, accept that there will be ups and downs throughout life. Gracefully understand that happiness is a fluctuation of positive and negative events. Understand the importance of gratitude. Instead of focusing on the unpleasant moment right now, flash back your memory to when you had or didn’t have something. I like to think about my career, for example. When I didn’t have a career I was passionate about, I felt lost and demotivated. I felt like everyone was figuring out their lives but me. But when I found my purpose and started Lifehack, I was deeply happy, even before I realized I would be successful! This memory keeps me going when there are tough spots. It takes the darkness to make us grateful for the light. Happiness and sadness exist together What it all comes down to is this: your life will be filled with beautiful, happy and incredible moments. Happy tears and joyous shouts and funny stories. But your life will also be filled with rain and storms that don’t ever seem to pass when you’re going through them. But whether your face is warmed by the sunshine, or your heart is dampened by the rain, know that it’s all part of the ebb and flow of life. Treasure the happy moments and power through the sad ones. Don’t try to avoid “sad” or “negative” experiences, and blindly chase being “happy”. In the end you will achieve a true level of contentment in your life, based on meaningful experiences and achievements. Being able to create growth and meaning out of both positive and negative events — that is the true meaning of “happiness”. References Featured photo credit: InsideOut via facebook.com About Lifehack Lifehack is about helping you improve your life through efficient and comprehensive learning. By leveraging the vast amount of knowledge available to us, we explore and present a wide variety of content catered to encouraging individual growth and solving problems. Learn more about our mission Advertising Recommended for You 50 Soft Skills for Lifelong Happiness and Success 100 Inspirational Quotes That Will Make You Love Life Again Shortcut to Happiness Happiness: The Thing We All Look For But Never Really Understand Learn More About Psychology 50 Soft Skills for Lifelong Happiness and Success What Is Love and What Is Not How to Stay Motivated Even Though You Can't See Yourself Moving Forward How to Make Someone Who's Angry at You Suddenly Become Nice (Even If He's a Stranger!) Love what you're reading? You're now one click away from getting all the best ideas on Lifehack for free! Subscribe to Lifehack Newsletter to end negativity and get things done fast. Feedback