It can be Easy, if you want it to.

My boyfriend is one of the most blunt and honest men I’ve ever met. Just a few days after we officially started dating, he told me we needed to sit down and talk so we wouldn’t waste each other’s time. In a world where people often play games or hide their expectations behind "vibes," his directness was both jarring and deeply refreshing.

When we met for that conversation, he said he had a few core principles to share. One of them has stayed with me ever since:“I take care of my woman very well, if she takes care of...