I am not young anymore. I have been in a number of relationships; some were great, others were not so much. Now that I am older and a little wiser, I have come to realize that I deserve nothing short of the best that there is out there.

I refuse to settle for anything less in my relationships. I refuse to put up with these 8 things:

1. A Man Who Does Not Respect Our Relationship

If you are going to shamelessly flirt with the waitress every time we go out to our favorite restaurant, then you are just not the man for me. If you are going to risk breaking your neck just so you can get a better look at every girl that passes by you, I'm better off without you.

I want a man who will respect me and the relationship we share. I will not stand for emotional and/or physical cheating and other displays of disrespect.

2. A Partner Who Won't Share His Feelings

I crave intimacy; the kind that comes from sharing feelings and being completely honest about everything. I want someone who is not afraid of baring his very soul and letting me do the same.

I could never imagine myself with a man who will not share his true feelings and thoughts with me. That kind of superficial relationship does not excite me at all.

3. A Partner Who Won't Invest In The Relationship And Commit

If you are not going to put in the time and effort to make our relationship mutually fulfilling, then I'm better off on my own. I want a man who knows what he wants and is ready to work for it. If that weren't the case, I would be in a Friends with benefits arrangement or just casually hooking up.

4. A Partner Who Puts Me Down And Discourages Me

I need a strong man who is not threatened by the thought of having a strong woman at his side. A strong man that will not feel the need to put me down or discourage me constantly.

Be it body image issues or career goals. I want a man who will always encourage me and push me to be the best version of myself. If you can't be that man, just walk away, because there's no room for such negativity in my life.

5. A Gas-lighting Master Manipulator

If you think you can manipulate me into self-doubt, then you have another thing coming. I am very self-aware and know my weaknesses and flaws. I would rather remain alone than be with a man who thinks he can manipulate me into thinking any lesser of myself and my abilities.

6. A Man Who Tries To Control Me

I am my own self and refuse to let anyone try to tell me what I can and cannot do. Relationships are about compromise, not control. I will not let someone else play a lead in my life while I settle into the background.

7. An Immature And Selfish Partner Who Won't Own Up To His Mistakes

We all make mistakes, but if you want to be in my life, be man enough to own up when you make a mistake. I don't want a man who will try to shift blame for his actions. I don't want a man who will try to guilt me into apologizing for his mistakes.

8. A Partner With Double Standards

I want a relationship where I am equal. I will not let myself be with a man who thinks double standards are acceptable. If you are going to get mad at me for doing something, don't try to spin things around when I call you out for doing the same thing.

I refuse to settle for less when there's more out there. I would much rather be single than have to put up with some things in the name of trying to make a relationship work.