As the year comes to a close, there’s often an unspoken expectation to reflect, to tally accomplishments, measure growth, and imagine a cleaner, brighter version of ourselves waiting on the other side of midnight. But real reflection doesn’t always look neat. Sometimes it’s quiet. Sometimes it’s emotional. Sometimes it’s simply noticing what felt heavy and what didn’t.

Social media touches nearly every part of modern relationships — how they start, how they’re displayed, how they’re compared, and sometimes how they unravel. For teenagers and young adults especially, platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and BeReal shape expectations about what love “should” look like. But behind the curated moments and trending sounds, harmful patterns can quietly take root.

There’s a common misconception that safety planning is just for people in crisis, but that isn’t the case. This process is a proactive tool that helps individuals protect themselves, stay prepared, and make intentional decisions when it matters most, regardless of their current circumstances. Whether someone is navigating a difficult relationship, concerned about control or monitoring, or simply wants to be ready for unexpected situations, a thoughtful safety plan increases confidence and security.

It’s never been easier to start a relationship or easier to misunderstand what a healthy relationship looks like. Young adults often navigate love and dating at the intersection of social media culture, fast-moving communication, and constant digital connection. Because of this, early warning signs of unhealthy behavior can be harder to spot, easier to explain away, and sometimes even mislabeled as “romantic.”

Technology has made it easier than ever to stay connected, find lost items, and share our locations with people we trust. But those same tools can be misused to monitor, control, and silently follow someone without their consent. This kind of behavior is often called digital stalking or technology-facilitated abuse, and it can be deeply frightening and disorienting.

Young adults today live in a world where relationships unfold across text messages, social media, apps, and shared locations. Technology connects us, but it can also create new pathways for control, manipulation, and harm.