Aaron Doughty argues that loving someone means accepting them as they are, not trying to fix them. When you stop trying to change people, they feel seen and free to grow on their own terms. The fixer mindset backfires; real support means letting them navigate their own journey.
Chapters
The most powerful way to love someone else is to let them be as they are, whether it's a family member, a friend, significant other. By accepting them as they are and not trying to change them, not only will they not feel alone, they'll feel more seen, but they'll also— you're allowing them to go through their own journey and to learn their own lessons in an empowering way rather than thinking there needs to be some type of fixing energy to it. So often in relationships, it's like, there may be a tendency to try to fix someone else, to try to help them become the best they can be, or seeing their true potential come out. But the best way to actually support them is to empower them on their journey and to let them be who they naturally are and to come to their own conclusions. It's a very powerful way of giving the space for someone to transform without trying to do it for them.