People Show You Who They Are -- Believe Them the First Time

When someone repeatedly cancels on you, talks over you, or dismisses your feelings, that is not a rough patch -- that is information. We spend enormous energy inventing excuses for people: they're stressed, they didn't mean it, they'll come around. But patterns don't lie. The first time someone shows you a pattern, take note. The second time, take it seriously.

This doesn't mean people can't grow. But you're not obligated to wait around while they figure it out, especially at the cost of your own peace. Trusting what you see rather than what you hope saves you years of trying to make something work that was never going to.