5 Hard Lessons Khloe Kardashian Taught Us About Love

There's no denying that Khloe Kardashian has learned some tough lessons when it comes to relationships. We've seen it all play out on her famous family's various reality TV shows. From her marriage to Lamar Odom (which we saw begin and end on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and the spin-off "Khloe & Lamar"), to her rocky romance and subsequent split with the father of her children, Tristan Thompson (that spilled over into "The Kardashians"), Kardashian certainly hasn't had it easy in the romance department. And that's without even mentioning her other public romances with the likes of French Montana and James Harden, which sadly didn't go the distance either.

But if there's one thing we adore about Kardashian, it's is her candor. As one of the world's most famous reality TV stars, she's not afraid to share certain parts of her life with the world that a lot of celebrities (and people in general) don't feel comfortable putting out there — including opening up about freezing her eggs. Her dedication to showing off all parts of her life has allowed us to learn a whole lot of hard lessons about love, from why it's so important to take time to heal after breakup to the importance of not getting back with an ex despite the temptation.

Following Khloe Kardashian's high-profile breakup with Tristan Thompson, she had to learn the importance of setting boundaries. After six years of dating and two children, Thompson's multiple infidelities have been very much public news. However, although Kardashian made the decision to reconcile with him, she's shared how vital it has been to ensure she adjusts her demeanor toward her ex in a way that lets him know there's no chance of them getting back together again.

"These boundaries are so important to put into place with Tristan because we've done this song and dance a handful of times already," she explained on "The Kardashians" in June 2023 (via People). During a piece to camera, Kardashian explained she could understand why Thompson might think a second reconciliation could be on the cards, but noted, "It's my job to set boundaries that my actions show otherwise. I keep it very short and sweet and make sure he knows it's always about the kids because it's so easy to fall back into [habits]. I can't let those old habits easily come into my life. It's just not what I want." And that's more important than some people may realize. It's all too easy to fall into bad cycles with an ex, especially when children are involved, but we love how Kardashian is taking care of herself and not letting herself slip back into what's comfortable if it's not what's best for her.

We've certainly seen Khloe Kardashian in some touch situations when it comes to love, repeatedly giving totally loyalty, care, and respect to guys who just aren't giving the same back. We saw it with Lamar Odom, who has openly admitted he didn't treat his former wife well during their relationship, having cheated on her multiple times. In fact, when asked what he would like to say to Kardashian if they weren't estranged during an appearance on "Celebrity Big Brother" in 2022, Odom shared (via Hola!), "[I'd] just tell her I'm sorry and what a fool I was. She has the right to never see me again for the things I put her through, but time moves on and people change. I would say I'm a lot more loyal now."

But it seemed like Kardashian learned her lesson, even if it was the hard way. In 2016, the Good American businesswoman posted a candid quote about one-sided relationships to Instagram. "Never compromise the way you desire to be loved. We all should require and demand a certain type of love and that's for us to choose in any realm," she wrote, in part. "Don't lose yourself in lowering your standards to make someone else comfortable in love. Search for a love that's equal." The caption was written alongside a picture of a quote that read, "Stay away from people who make you feel like you are hard to love."

As anyone who's experienced a bad breakup will know, moving on is a lot more difficult than it looks — especially when you've been with someone for a very long time. Khloe Kardashian struggled to instantly close herself off from her on/off boyfriend Tristan Thompson, even after reports of his cheating surfaced online. She later admitted that even though their breakup was for good reason, it still wasn't easy for her.

She got candid about that hard time in her life during an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in 2022, revealing she had to really put in work to emotionally overcome the breakup, despite many assuming she could switch off her feelings after Thompson's wrongdoing was revealed. "I think people, whether it be family or friends, or anyone you're telling your story to, they're like 'Okay, so move on,'" Kardashian explained, but admitted it wasn't as simple as just deciding she didn't like the basketball star anymore. "It's learning to reprogram myself. I know that this isn't the right thing for me and I need to slowly heal and move on, but it doesn't happen overnight," she added. That's so important to hear, because we see suggestions in the likes of movies and in social media that suggest we shouldn't feel sad about being dumped and forget about it. However, Kardashian's vulnerable admission reminds us that a vital part of healing is letting yourself feel and process every emotion. 

Another hard, but necessary lesson Khloe Kardashian has taught us when it comes to love is that there's no need to rush into a new romance after a breakup. Speaking on the "SHE MD" podcast in May 2024, the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star admitted that she purposefully didn't rush back into dating after Tristan Thompson because she needed time to heal. In a world where heterosexual women above 35 face pressures to settle down, hearing a statement like this straight from the mouth of a Kardashian (who was 39-years-old at the time of the interview) is refreshing, as it reminds us that women have a right to decide their own timeline for love.

Referring to her split from Thompson, Kardashian, who has also shared a great communication sex tip, explained, "I needed a lot of time to heal and to do my own internal work." She said she'd only just felt open to dating again (more than two years after Thompson publicly apologized for fathering a child outside of their relationship), and also spoke about how important it was to reflect inwards and work out why her relationships haven't worked. "I want to feel my feelings I want to figure out why I'm like doing the same things over and over again. How do I fix myself? How do I make myself a better person? So, I've been really working on myself and just getting stronger," she shared.

Sure, there are some cases where getting back together with an ex after a breakup is a good idea (Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos once briefly split, for example) but, for a lot of people, like Khloe Kardashian, it hasn't been the best idea. She (in)famously reunited with ex Tristan Thompson following a cheating scandal, as well as former flame French Montana in 2019; neither of which lasted. For anyone whose gotten back with ex, this likely isn't surprising. After all, most breakups happen for a reason, and that reason is often very much present after the reconciliation-tinted glasses come off.

But while things didn't work out with her exes more than once, we do commend Kardashian for her loyalty and the way she gives herself 100% in her relationships. She's proven she doesn't take the decision to get into a relationship lightly. "I'm really proud for how I tried for [my daughter] True and the rest is the rest," she even said on "The Kardashians" in 2022 when asked by Kendall Jenner if she had regrets about getting back together with Tristan Thompson (via Entertainment Tonight). But Kardashian did heartbreakingly add, "I want someone to give me the same grace I'm giving them." And we're sure, someday, someone will.