We’ve all heard the phrase “I’m only doing this because I care about you.” It sounds loving, doesn’t it? But sometimes, beneath those caring words lies something else entirely: control masquerading as help.

Let me paint you a picture that might feel painfully familiar. You’re dating someone who seems to have a PhD in creating their own problems, followed immediately by a master’s degree in acting shocked when those problems blow up in their face.

Growing up, my grandmother had a saying for everything. Her words were like little lanterns, lighting the way through life's twists and turns.