@nicolecolantoni: This is another question that comes up all the time with my clients after heartbreak: ”How do I know I’m not going to choose the wrong person again?” Because once you’ve been badly hurt, dating can feel very different. You notice everything. You question your judgment. And sometimes you’re so focused on protecting yourself that you forget dating isn’t about guaranteeing you’ll never get hurt again. It’s about learning what to pay attention to. How do they talk about their past relationships? Do their actions match their words? Can they communicate when something feels uncomfortable? Do they respect your boundaries? Do they have a full life of their own, or are they looking for you to fill something that’s missing? And perhaps most importantly: How do you feel around them? You can’t know exactly how a relationship will unfold from the first few dates. But you can stop ignoring the information that’s already in front of you. The goal isn’t to become better at predicting people. It’s to become better at paying attention.