HOW SOON IS TOO SOON TO HAVE “THE TALK?”

This concerns people that are actually interested in having “the talk,” as in discussing what exactly it is that you and your date are “doing.” Why are you hanging out exactly? Whether you’ve been introduced by a friend, met on the metro, or online, the question sits and uncomfortably lingers for most people at some point, no matter what their intentions are.

OH SO "SCARY" WOMEN

There’s a serious stigma for many women (it’s not easy for men either though) who are dating and are looking for something more than a casual encounter or hook-up. It’s almost taboo to bring up the topic of “what exactly is this?” because it can seem like you’re being too eager, needy, even desperate. In response to this stereotype of women being more interested in commitment than men, women are sometimes afraid to “scare the man away” with talks of the status of things. My advice – Fear not.

TALKING ABOUT ELEPHANTS ON DATES

One of the easiest ways to avoid this situation all together is being upfront in a warm and confident way from the get-go. If you’re interested in casually dating with the mindset that you’re open to connecting with someone who is relationship material, then say it. It makes future talks way easier and less intense. Most people rely way too much on their intuition and belief that they can “read” another person and be able to basically tell if the other person is really looking for things to move towards a relationship or to just be in a plateau of casualty indefinitely. Unfortunately, people aren’t that accurate and a lot of time is wasted by not being upfront. No worries if you weren’t though. If you missed the boat at the start of your series of dates with someone there are a couple of opportunities you can take:

1. Nonchalant , oh by the way…. Remember, talking in general is as casual as you make it. If you you’re comfortable then it really doesn’t have to be a big awkward mess. The basic hey, I’m having a good time hanging out and it occurred to me that we don’t even know what we are hoping (or not hoping) to get or not get from dating. Always providing an “out” at the start of the conversation can help the other person feel casual about the conversation too and keep everyone non-defensive. Generally, this is best after at least a few dates. 2.) Prior to physical intimacy. This can be a sort of natural and easy way to bring up the topic. Combining “the talk” around this time can be a great opportunity. 3.) Referencing how you got together in the first place. Mentioning something about how you first met can be an easy way to bring up the topic of what exactly it is that you’re doing with one another. It can be as simple as inquiring about how open or not open they were to getting to know you and why that is. If you consider yourself in a “dating” phase of your life than you’re basically trying on lots of personalities (and whatever other criteria you have) to see if they are a good fit. The only way to tell is if you don’t run from being genuine about what you’re looking for.

ARE YOU "MS. OVER-ATTACHED?"

Whether or not it’s completely untrue, people seem to be pretty concerned about potentially being “too attached” to their partner. If you’re like most people, it doesn’t seem like a particularly attractive or admirable trait to be “clingy,” “needy,” or “dependent.” Not in the same society where gold stars are given out to those that are independent and self-sustaining. Perhaps it’s one gender in particular that may experience a super negative visceral reaction to being labeled any of these terms, but I’ll leave that up to you to decide. IS IT YOU OR YOUR MIND?

For some people, the idea of being “needy” is so appalling that the second they notice any remote signs of dependency in themselves, they cringe and wonder, “Am I being needy?” This snowballs into over-thinking about whether or not one is needy or not. This preoccupation can be more harmful than the actual preoccupation with another person. This is because there is such shame involved in “needing” another person.

Endings and beginnings are tough in life in general. In relationships, people can be super attuned to any time of transition on the spectrum of beginnings-endings. For example, if you normally spend every other day with your boyfriend and then he is out of town for a conference for a week. You have a feeling of loneliness in the pit of your stomach when he leaves and an existential sort of anxiety the first night he’s gone. It can be tough. But is it significant and does it matter? Sometimes people have a heightened sense of feeling needy just because there is some type of contrast.

A significant change of behavior (spending most days together to not spending time together) can trigger feelings of neediness. Now, to determine if this is significant or not, notice if this feeling goes away after a couple of days. After the contrast isn’t so strong. Thankfully humans adapt and you may adapt fairly well to your boyfriend’s absence (start hanging out with more friends, doing fun things, being “productive” …. hmmm….maybe a more balanced life in general!), if you would only consider your behavior and adjustment after a couple of hours or days from the contrast.

Time helps most people with transitions and one way to know if being super needy is of real concern is to track your behavior and feelings over time. Not just when things changed. Another indicator of being too attached is anticipatory endings. If you find that you are already anticipating your boyfriend leaving (temporarily or permanently) so much so that it is ruining your time with him, then this is a sign that you may need to throw yourself into other enjoyable aspects of life!

SO, WHAT’S NORMAL?

It’s normal to love being with someone you, well, love. If over the course of a month your mood is only positive when you’re with the other person, then you need to make finding joy in other ways a top priority. If for no other reason (and there are many!), then for the fact that you will convince yourself that that person is the only way to experience happiness, and an unhealthy dependence will likely result. Take this is as an exciting opportunity and challenge – to find all the different ways to experience joy. Chances are, your relationship will thrive even more.

HAVING THE SAME ARGUMENT ON REPEAT? WHAT TO DO IF IT FEELS LIKE GROUNDHOG DAY

Most couples have the same short list of arguments that come up time and time again. They may be packaged differently but the underlining issue is the same. This isn’t surprising given that many people just have a few reoccurring insecurities and fears. For example, the oh so classic “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not lovable.” This type of internal battle can manifest in arguments related to insecurity in the relationship. Related, trust issues continuing to pop up. Perhaps it’s continued arguments about household chores or spending time with friends. Whatever it is, it can feel like groundhog day when it comes to arguing.

SO WHY SO LITTLE PROGRESS? 

Why is it that some couples can just address things and move on and others make so little progress when it comes to resolving conflict? Yes, it’s a unique combination of personalities and the content of the actual argument. But there are other key players here. If you’re the one initiating the argument and it is playing on repeat, ask yourself the following.

LIKE, WHY IS THIS SUCH A BIG DAMN DEAL?!

The underlining issue is something far deeper than the superficial stuff that comes up in arguments. It’s usually a much more vulnerable place that you are going to need to go and yes, chances are it has something to do with YOU, not the other person. This is not saying that your partner isn’t selfish or wrong, or whatever it is the label you may be assigning them. It does mean that your loyalty to your argument has to do with you not looking at your concern deeply enough. You’re arguing about some behavior of your partner but you are not addressing the underlining issue. And yes, it is possible that this is NOT your partner’s issue. Why don’t you spend more time with me may be more related to your underlining fear that they don’t care/love you and will ultimately leave you. Who knows…but if you sit with it, I think you do know. Start asking questions related to the underlining issue (when calm….not in the heat of the moment when you’re upset about one of the “surface level” arguments). If your partner gives a comforting response to your real issue, hopefully that will help. If it doesn’t, then this is an indicator that the argument may be covering up real internal work that you have to do.

 BRAIN HABITS

Our brains have an impressive ability to think on repeat and it almost becomes habitual. If you’re used to arguing about the exact same household chores over and over again, it’s difficult to suddenly walk into the kitchen and not get upset about the dishes in the sink. Well, try. Try to just turn your mind away from the very thing that is annoying you for about a week. You’ve been arguing about it for a while now and certainly you’ll have opportunities to argue about it again. Just give your mind a break, and give your partner a break. This frees up space for you to feel more of what’s going on, and for real issues to be worked out.

WHAT IF YOU’RE THE ONE “GETTING IN TROUBLE?”

If you’re the one on the receiving end of the argument (and yes, often times it’s two sided…but for many arguments there is one person that ends up arguing by attack and the other by defense…and yes that can turn into attack). You don’t want to get in the routine of creating arguments that are eerily similar to the arguments you had as kid or teen with your parents. In a compassionate way, like a detective try look at your partner and see, “What’s REALLY going on here?” Ask for help in understanding why it is that “this thing” is bothering your partner so much. It may not be the first thing that they say if you ask something along those lines, but uncovering the layers of responses to this could give you something to work with. Try to work with your partner by finding ways to address the underlining issue in addition to doing the one thing that they want you to do that you can’t stand to do. Also, own what is yours. Be able to tell the difference between your not wanting to do the thing they want you to do….or if you are genuinely protecting your own fundamental needs which would not be met if you did compromise.  

CAN YOU REALLY CHANGE HIM?

You may be in the small pool of individuals who find someone who is essentially perfect. If so, let’s face it – that’s quite a nice combo of love and lust you’re experiencing because, well, no one is perfect. What starts out as acceptance of every behavior can sometimes turn into feeling like you have a microscope focused on every little irritating move he makes from morning until night. You may even acknowledge to yourself that your heightened awareness of things you want to change about him is just due to your mood at the moment, or some other fleeting feeling. Other times, there are things that just seem like they are non-negotiable. You like/love him. But he’s got to change. So can you really change him?

Before you try to change someone, ask yourself the question: Why is this so important to me? Once you really get in touch with your answer, consider the following qualities in your partner. Are they someone who changes and evolves in life in general? Or do they hang out with the same people, watch the same TV, and work at the same unsatisfying job…year after year?  Do they try to understand why you want them to change and why this thing is bothering you? If so, that’s good. That means they probably have some empathy and if they can make an easy compromise or adjustment to make your life a little better, no big deal. What’s their level of defensiveness? Do they fire back easily with something that is wrong with you (the fact that you’re asking them to change) or move quickly into focusing on a behavior that THEY want to change about YOU (this is a poor indication of someone who would change for another person)?  People (women and men) do change. If you find that there are really big things that need to change (those associated with the basic values of what is “right” or “wrong” to you both) in the relationship, it’s going to be pretty difficult to change that about your partner on your own (without a good couples therapist). If there are many little things that you’re trying to change, think about this next idea. 

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING MISGUIDED PERSPECTIVE TAKING?

You may use some logic like the following: “If he REALLY loved/liked me he would just do this thing for me. I would totally do it for him. Aren’t I worth it?”

You’ve created some formula in your mind that makes sense. A + B = C. He will stop being friends with his ex on Facebook (A) and will introduce me to his best friend (B) to prove he really likes me (C). The meaning you attribute to A and B (whatever they are) is not necessarily the same meaning he attributes to them. In fact, there’s a pretty good chance that he does not attribute the same meaning. The formulas we have in our minds that determine what we think is “normal” seem so believably logical. They are just truth!

Trying to take your partner’s perspective (imagining being in their shoes) is a great practice if you’re in a relationship. It helps create empathy and understanding much of the time. When it comes to changing behavior though, trying to see from his perspective may actually do nothing for your ability to see what he is experiencing. It may just be a great opportunity to imagine what you would do, and be more annoyed that they aren’t doing the same thing.

If you’re finding yourself annoyed by your guy’s inability to change some behavior find out his formula. Does A + B = C? More importantly, focus on C (the meaning you attribute to the behavior). The first part of the formula only matters because of the meaning you attribute (or assign) to it. Are there other ways that you know that C is true? Is this really about A and B, or are you just preoccupied with A and B because the real problem is C?

HOW TO TELL IF YOU’RE READY TO TAKE THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Knowing when to take that next step in a relationship can be less than clear cut and obvious. Whether it’s calling him your boyfriend, moving in together, getting engaged, or sharing a bank account. Whatever the next step is, there are things you can do to make sure you’re ready.

WHAT’S HE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

Your knowledge of your own readiness can be influenced by your assumption about what your partner’s readiness to take the next step is. For example, if you’re preoccupied with whether or not your boyfriend thinks it’s too soon to move in or not, this makes it less likely that you are able to acknowledge to yourself what your needs and wants are. People have a tendency to dismiss their own desires when they feel like there would be vulnerability in expressing then. If there’s real concern about being the first one to bring up a next step, think about why that is. Is it because that is what you believe your partner is the only one who has the right to steer the relationship in a certain direction? Or because you label yourself as either too needy or too uncomfortable with commitment? Allowing things to “unfold naturally” does not need to mean that you need to wait for the other person to make the decisions about the relationship. Communicating one’s perspective is a mature and healthy way of relating.

 DIFFERENT TIMELINES

So, what if after you express your needs you’re on a completely different timeline than your partner? He assumes that moving in after a year is normal and you’re a little more cautious and want to wait two years. Does it mean that your relationship is destined to fail because of timing? Not necessarily. If both partners can openly discuss the meaning behind the their partner’s time line (after all, everyone comes up with their own one based on past relationships, values, and the models of relationships they’ve had in their lives), and not get freaked out by what they think that means, having differences doesn’t have to determine if the relationship sinks or swims. The first step though is getting real with yourself and looking at why you would not be open to discussing the next step when you feel it’s time to take it. Is it because you fear that it will push the other person away? If so, isn’t that something you would want to know? That your relationship is so fragile that a little communication will determine its failure?

JUST MAKE ANOTHER DECISION!

Usually when making decisions, there’s not complete certainty that it is the “right” decision. It’s normal to have some hesitation with any big decision. Ideally, you can be open with your partner about concerns and hesitations. Chances are they have had some of them as well. That doesn’t necessarily mean anything of concern. Hold in your mind that there are not perfect decisions, and there are risks involved with every decision. Also, know that if make a decision and it doesn’t work out, you can make another decision. You have to make choices based on the information you have. You can’t predict the future but you can honor where you’re at by listening to your wants and needs and expressing them.

“THE ONE” VERUS “THERE’S ALWAYS ANOTHER ONE”

There are risks involved with having either one of these perspectives. Certainly there is a continuum of where you may fall but many people tend to lean towards one view or the other. Being extreme in either viewpoint has its challenges.

THE FALLACY OF “THE ONE”

I call it a fallacy because there is not just one person, or even five. The fallacy that being with the person you're with is the only shot you have at a happy life involving a successful, fulfilling relationship is frankly, completely inaccurate. Holding the belief in “the one” is mainly problematic to those of you that find yourselves in relationships that are no longer mentally and emotionally desirable. Yes, holding this belief can occasionally help you feel grateful and appreciative of the romantic relationship you’re in that is going really well. More often though, it can be harmful by creating a lot of unnecessary fear and pressure around the relationship working out. Further, if a relationship has ended, you may feel that you lost your only chance at love. That's about as high stakes as it comes.  

WHAT IF I’M MISSING OUT ON SOMETHING BETTER?

On the other end of the continuum, you may think “there’s always a better option around the corner.” The belief that “there’s always another one” can be a helpful viewpoint if it helps you to remain hopeful about your love life, no matter what. If things don’t work out with one person, there will be other options. This idea is most useful if you can manage to have it after a relationship ends. It can even be useful during a relationship if it keeps you from having a sense of desperation about your relationship working out.  The problem arises when you think of this a little too often you’re actually in a good relationship. It keeps you from being totally in the relationship and wondering if you could “do better” when in fact you’re missing the opportunity to be grateful for a relationship that you entered for a reason (or hopefully multiple reasons). Each of these two errors (in the extreme) can be directly related to the next concept.

 YOUR BREAK-UP RESILIENCY

The fear of endings (or lack there of) is related to your break-up resiliency, an important factor to consider when you’re entering a relationship, in a relationship, or considering leaving a relationship. I define your break-up resiliency as your ability to recover from the ending of a relationship and bring your attention into the present moment in such a way that when you meet new people, your past isn’t haunting you with a gray cloud of fears. Determining the factors that increase your break-up resiliency are just as important when you’re in a relationship as when you’re starting to date after being single. This gives you the confidence to make more accurate decisions and see the strengths and weaknesses of your relationship more clearly. Simply look at what has helped you in the past when things ended and appreciate how difficult experiences have already helped you deal with loss. Remember that you do have coping skills and you will always be okay not matter what.

LOVE AND SELF-CARE NO MORE?

Unless you’re a part of one of these super human couples that does triathlons and meditation retreats together, you may have experienced the common demise of self-care when you find yourself in a relationship. Even in relationships that are secure and supportive, why is it that-self care often goes out the window? YEA, I TOTALLY RUN LIKE ALLLL THE TIME

Ever remember entering a relationship explaining all the ways you’re “succeeding at life” to your potential partner? Whether it’s running, yoga, book club, phone chats with your friends, the things that feed your soul (sorry, I have no other way to put it) as a single person gradually give way to other fun things….Sleeping in on weekends until bottomless mimosa brunches get you up, or the oh so popular “stay in on the sofa movie night.” Sure, it used to feel great to take care of yourself but now…well now instant gratification and relaxation are found exclusively in the simplicity of your ever present partner.

THEN THE DAY COMES…..

When you wake up and realize that you’re a little annoyed with your partner. I don’t know…Maybe it was their lack of domestic abilities and the dishes have piled up one too many times. You’re jolted into feeling motivated to focus on “you.” However, this may be fleeting once you realize that the effortlessness it used to take to make plans with your girlfriends or go for a morning hike now appears to have every planetary obstacle in it’s way. Low motivation included. The point is, by the time you reach adulthood you know what’s good for you. One of the gifts of being single is finding how to cope with life and THRIVE independently of a romantic partner. What a gift, right?! Whatever it is that makes you thrive on your own, be sure to prioritize these parts of your life. It’s a sure way to honor your relationship and your SELF.

LOVE AMNESIA - FORGOTTEN LESSONS IN LOVE

 WHEN YOU KNOW YOU KNOW….AND THEN YOU FORGET I remember a friend calling me years ago and saying “I met the woman I’m going to marry. She’s THE ONE. I can’t explain it. It’s just like, when you know you know!” He wasn’t the first to say this and I’d certainly seen some degree of this certainty phenomena. If you haven’t figured out where this is going, he did marry her and divorced her a couple years later. This brings me to the theme of having a clear understanding of what you want in a relationship and forgetting your pre-relationship established truths.

 WHERE IS YOUR LINE IN THE SAND?

People often get stuck when they can’t decide if they are “settling” in a relationship or having “too high of standards.” Most people tend to lean towards one end of the continuum but seeing a relationship clearly can be really difficult if you feel like you’re stuck finding this balance point.

For most people some degree of self-sacrifice and compromise is essential in a long term committed relationship. Hopefully not to give up one’s values or engage in unnecessary suffering. But in the case of love or at least commitment, one is usually okay with a little compromise and putting another person’s needs first. No big deal, right? It is when we forget our pre-determined relationship standards based on previous experiences, and compromise by being with people who don’t meet those standards. This isn’t about shopping around for the perfect match. This is about knowing what your bottom line is. What your needs are. These come from the few bullet points we all have based on the lessons we’ve learned in previous relationships.

Recall how you would finish this next sentence about 6 months after you ended a relationship a couple of years ago: I will never be in a relationship with __________ (fill in the blank) problem/issue again. Could be “a guy who is selfish,” “a guy who chooses work or football over me.” Whatever it is. Most people commit many of the same mistakes in relationships, go for the same guys, experience the same types of disappointments. Use your history and your MEMORY to keep you on track! You don’t have to worry about gaining more insight into why you or he (some ex) did the thing he did. Trust me, you know enough. You know the take home points, the final conclusions. Honor yourself by remembering them in the next relationship!

THE SHIELD VERSUS VULNERABILITY DILEMMA

It’s a difficult balance to strike. When should you show your true self, including vulnerabilities with a partner and when should you remain behind a romantic shield? One that keeps the other person from getting to know the real you- the good and the bad.

THE SELF PROMOTION SHIELD

This one is particularly common in the early stages in a relationship, but also is used when one is feeling a little unsafe or insecure in a relationship. It’s not always a bad thing but people…I suggest you’re subtle if you use it. Using the self promotion shield includes selectively choosing to discuss topics that will assumingly will make you look “good” or “desirable.” It’s a difficult game to play because particularly early on, you can’t be sure what is going to be good or desirable to another person. At the same time, people can be a little more judgmental early on. Things that someone would normally be forgiving of when they are already attached may be totally appalling and out of the question when they are just getting to know you. The down side of course is that while attempting to protect yourself you ultimately may remain in a cloud of doubt and insecurity about the feelings the other person has for you. After all, they’ve only seen parts and who is to say if they really like/love the REAL you.

SCREW IT – YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THE REAL ME EVENTUALLY

At the other end of the continuum there is this “show all my cards” approach. It can be a wonderful way to get to know someone and develop a genuine lasting connection. Unfortunately, again – people are not necessarily as forgiving of all qualities or as understanding of “flaws” in people they don’t know. Still, if you happen to be two very empathetic and open individuals this approach can send you both into a wonderful sense of genuine connection. The balance to strike between these two approaches will be for you to determine. It will be a unique set of risk and benefits analysis you develop from your history of experiences, and the relationship you are seeking. Good luck!

RETRO LOVE

Have you ever noticed that you spend a little more time thinking about the flaws (as opposed to the strengths) in your partner or in your relationship? It’s no secret that many people tend to hold their partner to some standard that they would not hold their friends or other close people in their lives. Whether or not this is verbalized or just tucked deep away to slowly negatively influence your relationship, it can have a big impact. For some, this tendency to focus on the negative occurs most frequently in the early phases of the relationship, when trust is being established. For others, it only creeps up after trust is established and things are going well.

MIND TRICKS

A similar type of mind trick that can be equally harmful to your well-being is the tendency to bring focused attention to the “good memories” of a relationship that no longer exists. For example, a relationship is over (that you felt disappointed about) and your memories of your ex become further and further from the truth. Your tendency to dwell on memories of the things you miss about your ex become more and more false. This new image of your ex basically becomes one of your mental creation. The mind is a powerful tool! This seems illogical and can be difficult to spot in yourself.

REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST GOT TOGETHER?

If you have been in a relationship for awhile you may be torturing yourself with a similar type of selective attention. You may remember all the good memories that occurred at some time in the distant (or even not so distant) past. This search for the contrast between how things were and how things are can be pretty detrimental but it can be useful if you really address these questions. Ask yourself: Are my needs the same as they were then (whenever that was)? What were instances where this (these wonderful memories) did not occur? These are two important questions because they help you look at your relationship (or past relationship) as a whole. Something a little closer to reality, something you can work with!

AIN’T NO SUNSHINE WHEN HE’S GONE

It’s an amazing gift to have a partner that brings excitement, joy, and happiness to your life. For the most part, including friends, we spent time with those who enrich our lives, not those who make our lives less positive. But what if you’re a person who finds that you only feel truly happy when your partner is around?

WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT A LITTLE CONTRAST?

Is it so bad that you are experiencing (or are recalling your last relationship where you experienced this) this set of positive emotions exclusively through your partner? I have to say, yes. If each time your partner is not around you realize you go from about a 10 on the happiness scale to a 4, that’s a problem. I’m not meaning to instill panic in your. This just means that you need to take experiencing positive emotions in other ways as a significant priority. This is for the success of your relationship as much as it is for your own well-being!

IT’S YOUR SUNSHINE!

I do believe that people have genuine connections with others….even ones that feel so amazing and magical that it’s difficult to think that it’s not about the most unique special thing on the planet. Yes, you should acknowledge that this person has this impact on you. However, it’s really important that you realize that the experience of positive emotions (happiness, excitement, joy) are coming from within YOU. You are responding to a unique set of factors in this person, but the experience itself is created inside you. Your mind, along with your unique history have managed to experience wonderful things with this person. It’s important to know that these are YOURS. Therefore, you can experience them in other ways, with other people, and through other experiences.  It’s amazing that you have the capacity to experience such positive feelings. Great- now go practice finding new ways to experience them even more! 

HOW TO KEEP THAT “LOVING FEELING”

At all phases of relationships (the first month) to 10 years in, there are times when you may see your partner in a less than attractive or in a less than positive light. Perhaps it’s when you decide that it’s a good idea to be gym partners. You didn’t know that he/she had the ability to perspire in such a way or wear the same gym cloths three days in a row. Or maybe it’s when you realize that they only brush their teeth at night (hope this is not the case). The first time it happens it may instill a bit of panic in you. “Am I REALLY attracted to this person?”, “What if I stop liking/loving them?” ATTRACTION FRACTION

There is some basic math here that I hope you find comforting. Lets say in a pie chart of initiating contact and expressing interest, you dominate this 2/3 or the time. Your partner only 1/3 of the time. There needs to be more room for your partner to initiate and express interest. Whenever the balance if off you can become frustrated and over-think things. Also, if your partner is the one that is taking up 2/3 of the pie, that loving feeling may decrease on your end.

RULES OF ATTRACTION

Men seem to have an easier time acknowledging that other women than there partner are attractive and don’t tend to over-think it. Comparing your partner to others can be both a good and bad thing. I’m not asking you to go do this, only to acknowledge that you already do. Take for example, you’re at a party and you run into your super hot ex-boyfriend. At the same party another charming and attractive single guy is paying attention to you. You go home and find yourself a little less attractive to your guy. Perspective changes things. That can be frightening, but it should really be reassuring. Everything from your mood to the people you’re around can influence how much you experience that loving feeling.

FLIRT IT OUT

 It’s important to have at least a small amount of challenge in any relationship to keep that loving feeling. A good challenge to take on is flirting with your partner at an unexpected time. People become predictable and as a result others become bored with us and we become bored with ourselves. Being turned on and attracted to someone else can be as much about you as about the real aspects of your partner (are the actually attractive).

WAIT IT OUT, LAUGH IT OUT

Don’t worry if you’re not that into your guy one day. Wait it out and don’t take this too seriously. Reevaluate/check in with yourself about the issue two weeks from now. I find that most people can put off anything for two weeks and you can't usually make many conclusions in a shorter amount of time. You get to decide what you value in relationships. I find that most people need to be attracted to their partner most of the time. It’s up to you to decide what your needs are. Whatever they are, know that attraction is fluid and changing. Don’t stress too much about it but look for patterns. If there is a theme (and it’s not a good one), then you may need to address it more directly and decide if it’s something you can live with.

WASHINGTON DC- A DATING WASTELAND?

I’m fascinated by the criticism of the D.C. dating scene. When I moved here a few months ago I tried to ignore the chatter that D.C. was an awful place to date. I’ve tried to be understanding to the women and men (all orientations) who voice their concerns:

• DC is just a bunch of adult high school cliques
• All people do is talk about their resume
• Everyone tries to one up everyone
• Everyone’s snobby
• Nobody wants a relationship, everyone’s just here for a couple years
• It’s too transient to date

I wondered if there was some truth to this. I consulted with a friend/researcher at Harvard and he sent me his own take on the chances of a single woman (around my age) meeting a guy. His response:

“Based on Census data for the 20002 zip code, I've estimated that your probability of meeting a college-educated guy between the ages of 26.5 and 42.9 is 8.2% (algorithm available upon request).  But we know these things don't follow the laws of math.  There are numerous guys out there right now, in DC, with values and goals that align with yours and they're searching for someone."

I appreciated his optimistic last thought. Especially given that I think that his statistic was complete B.S. However, I do agree, these things do not follow the laws of math. I’d like to share some insight into why your probability is MUCH MUCH higher than 8.2%. I’d like to actually take a leap and move the freaking decimal point over one to the right.

KNOW WHAT A REAL DATING WASTELAND IS

I hope I don’t seem unsympathetic, but I think it would be good for the locals here to get some perspective. Now, sure, dating wasteland is variable in terms of your personal dating preferences, ages, demographics, etc. A general definition should still apply.

DATING WASTELAND DEFINED

OFFENSIVE LEVEL OF STAGNATION: There is a degree of limited movement in the wasteland area. The same people will frequent your local bar, grocery, and coffee shop. You unavoidably run into your ex weekly. Also, your ex, ex.

THE TRIAD DILEMMA: You get no more than three different types of guys to choose from for example. Peter-pan types (can’t grow up and live in the college town they graduated from 10 years ago), Gym rats (limited conversation. Speak only gym), finance types. Whatever, it doesn’t matter the type. The point is, a real authentic dating wasteland would have no more than 3 types of guys to choose from. If that’s not your type. Well, it sucks to be you.

MY EX ISN'T SO BAD: You find yourself with (hooking up, hanging out, whatever) someone that already determined with complete confidence that was less than pretty much unacceptable to be around except in cases of extreme boredom (or limited human resources). As a result, you find yourself spending time with said person in cases when only mild boredom has struck.

If you’re in DC…if these are your issues, you’re doing something wrong. Although based on my limited amount of research I can’t say that this place in is a gold mine, but there is a lot of reason to be pretty damn optimistic with dating. Ignore your friends and some lame weekend news article. Assess the dating scene on factors that matter. That’s where the real statistics will shine.

TRANSIENT FACTOR: People complain about this because many people apparently don’t stay in DC. Here’s the thing though - when new people constantly move into the city it’s like all your dating non-potentials are being magically power-washed away with new people. This is fantastic!!

NOVELTY: Do you have access to new places constantly (new business, new events, (ummm…have you seen how many thousand meetup groups there are?), new locations, new festivals, etc.)? Shoot, you can’t find anyone in the NW quadrant (something like 64% single people live in Columbia Heights alone), go ahead and get crazy…walk over to a different quadrant.

RECREATION PLAYGROUND: This place is like the land of joining stuff. Adults work hard here, but they also like to play. I mean, sure it’s also very network based and that can be obnoxious. But you can still join 6,831 groups and clubs or events (I’m still not totally sure what that means here….but people use it a lot) on any given week and meet new people.

Honestly, I could go on and on but bottom line, there are OPTIONS…there will always be options in a city like D.C. because it is alive, and moving…so go be alive and move!

WHY YOUR BOYFRIEND ISN’T SPECIAL

I can see how this could sound like a downer, but hear me out. Your boyfriend (or ex, or girlfriend) is not special. We can learn a lot about why and how we love by looking at the endings of relationships. Think about what you miss about an old guy/gal if they left you or about what you would miss about one that you are with now if they were no longer around. Get in it…sink in it. Feel all sad. No one is stopping you.  Now, come up with a list of five short answers to the following: NOPE, I'M NOT IMPRESSED. BUT TRY ME...WHY IS HE SUCH A BIG DEAL?

Now, I can’t predict exactly what you’re going to come up with but it may be something like the following:

He is/ was someone

• to talk to at the end of a hard day (supports me no matter what)
• to lay on the couch with (feel connected)
• who thinks everything I do is cute  (unconditional love, affection)
• will help me if I need help (dependable)
• to try new things with (keeps me from feeling lonely)

YOUR HAUNTED PAST

Go back to lets say….two boyfriends/girlfriends before that one. Same deal. You really liked/loved them and missed several things. Think of what they were. What I’m trying to get at here is that no matter who you are with, if you are at a certain level of love (strong feelings, whatever), there are JUST A FEW OF THE SAME EXACT THINGS that make you feel that you really want to be with them, and don’t want to be without them.  I call these PRIMARY COMMON FACTORS of relationships. They are the things that make us stick around with someone and make us hate thought of letting someone go.

YOU MAY ARGUE….

No, my boyfriend is totally special! He’s different. He talks about history and politics and we have these deep philosophical conversations and we try new things…it’s all VERY specific. True, it’s great that you have these shared moments. These special details are actually things that help you reach the feeling states of the common factors (those original 5 things.) Having great intellectual banter or sharing musical interests (what I call SECONDARY COMMON FACTORs of a relationships) for example draws you into a person and provides you with a pathway to experience the thing you are seeking (i.e., affection, unconditional love, support). The underlining theme that keeps you with him or makes you miss him…well, it’s the same darn primary common factors that will come up in every pseudo normal relationship.

NOT BEING SPECIAL IS KIND OF....A GOOD THING?!

The whole point of this is not to make you think that your boyfriend isn’t worth anything. I actually believe that he, like all humans is pretty special in some way. So this is GOOD news! Just know that if you are missing someone or are afraid of losing someone it’s about missing (or fear of losing) the PRIMARY COMMON FACTORS in a relationship à  Something that is NOT unique to that person. Something that will absolutely come to you again, the next time you fall in love. I think that’s actually pretty reassuring and pretty freaking wonderful.

BLINDFOLDED BY THE BREAK-UP PUZZLE

It’s painful to watch people try to make sense of a relationship that has already ended. It’s like putting together a puzzle blind-folded. You may eventually get it. But you’ll never know for sure.

Clara at 15 was already in it pretty deep. I wished that she had been given a few more years before she would become victim to the epidemic of wasteful meaning making. Even at her age she knew the clichés, the main truths present in our society. Let go of the past. Forgive and move on. To her credit, she did each of these. The problem was that she revisited each of them over and over again. Every morning when she woke up in the months post break-up she tried her own method of moving on. She would engage in a repetitive, torturous, insight-seeking session whenever left alone.

Did he really like me when we were together? (Fear, confusion)

Develop the same list of contradictory behavior: He said and did (fill in the blank), but he also did this (fill in the blank). Conclusion: That doesn’t make sense. (more confusion, fear).

This is all especially concerning because of the next point.

 LOSS OF TRUST IN YOUR ABILITY TO SEE THINGS CLEARLY

After a break-up when things don’t go as planned, it can make you trust yourself less. If you were with this person and things ended, how can you trust that you know how to make good decisions, and that people you’re with are who they say they are. There is this increasing doubt in your ability to see things as they are. It’s like doubting yourself when you look up at the sky and knowing if it’s green or blue. You don’t trust any of your conclusions about the relationship or the present state of the relationship, break up, or lack of relationship. This is shown by your tendency to go over the same exact thing in your mind, or by telling the exact story to friends to finally “confirm” the final point.

STATIC MENTAL SPACE

Trying to figure things out and living in the past….or overanalyzing present behavior (texts, social media, etc.) is not present time. The mental space you use to analyze the past is wasted important space. Space that could be used to live your life, keep hope alive, and keep moving forward.  Bottom line: The more time you spend trying to understand what went wrong, the less room you have to live your life. And it will certainly only prolong your grief. 

FEAR DRIVEN MISTAKES IN LOVE

It’s not easy to love when you know that there are risks involved. The equilibrium between thinking with the mind and feeling with the heart is difficult to reach. It’s a unique balance based on our attachment experiences and history in life and love. Know these common mistakes and you have a chance at warm fuzzy relationship success instead of prickly fearful romance.

FEAR DRIVEN MISTAKES

TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVEN’T HAPPENED

This mistake is a big one, and one that usually occurs even in the early stages of a relationship or after a few months. People are sometimes ready to put out their list of concerns early on as a part of the process of deciding whether or not the other person is a good match. There is this initial evaluation period. After a period of time things tend to settle down and then after real intimacy has developed, some of those skeletons of fears resurface. This occurs when one or both partners feel a sense of safety in disclosing some of their concerns. This may include divulging concerns about level of commitment, long term goals (living together, meeting family). When it comes to talk about the future, limit it to a ratio of 90-10, positive, negative. Say you mention several future oriented things (a vacation, meeting his family), make sure that you focus on the positive.

Fear is contagious! I can’t tell you how many times things have gone completely fine in a relationship and then one person’s concerns ooze into the unconsciousness of another person. Example: there was an age discrepancy and the woman was worried how age may impact the relationship. The male was present focused and didn’t worry about the future in general. After a while, the boyfriend actually started to be concerned about all of the fears that the girlfriend was verbalizing.

TRYING TO MAKE THE RELATIONSHIP SOLID BY "TESTING"

One of the great things about people and relationships is that they are more fluid than imaginable. Sure, that’s one of the scary things, too. Things can change very quickly. But relationships have dips and things don’t go well for a period of time, all to later reach a greater sense of balance and a stronger foundation. Every relationship is tested with disagreements and discussions that are the result of the fears of one or both partners.  This brings me to notion of “testing.” Testing is when you’re do things to test the status of the relationship, either through action or passive-aggressive attempts. If you see yourself needing to test the relationship let it be a signal to you that you are not addressing your insecurities, or you have not expressed something that will eventually need to be expressed. Also, be sure to own what is yours. Know when you’re projecting your history onto your current partner and relationship. Own it by acknowledging it to yourself, and if necessary communicate it. But don’t go into too much detail.

FILLING IN THE BLANKS

Your alternative to not taking the above recommendation seriously will likely bring you to the common mistake, of filling in the blanks. You’ve probably already done it since most relationships start out with this unhelpful method. Filling in the blanks is when you make assumptions about what the other person is thinking, feeling, and what the hell they are actually doing in the relationship. I know you may consider yourself insightful and “good at reading people.” That gets you nowhere in your personal relationships. Your only chance is looking at real facts. Don’t assume you know what another person is feeling if you don’t. Go with the most logical assumption (if they hang out with you a lot, say they like you, you can at least assume that they do like you. If they hang out with you inconsistently and don’t say they like you, assume that they like you some but that’s all you know.)

THE SKY IS FALLING! - WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR’E AFRAID HE’LL LEAVE

Do you recall the story “Chicken Little” from childhood? I don’t remember most of the details either honestly but what I do recall is that there was this constant irrational fear that the sky was falling. Moral of the story (I think) was that no, the sky wasn’t falling, and even if it was, going around yelling in or outside your head about it is crazy making and does nothing. If the sky is falling, it’s going to freaking fall. End of story. If you are at that point where you aren’t sure if your guy or girl is about to pull the plug on the relationship (or whatever the labeled contemporary version of spending time together earns), there are ways to decrease the crazy making. Step 1: ASK YOURSELF IF YOU’VE ALREADY TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR GUY.

If you have, good for you. However, you (or both of you more likely) have failed to some extent because there is continued ambiguity on your future status (based on my assumption that you’re reading this). It’s okay though, this is a common experience for modern day mates.

Step 2: LOOK AT THE “DATA” IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.

I don’t really want to hear your rationale about how you guys had an awful weekend and all these issues came up. It’s not enough to draw conclusions. Choose 3 significant intimate moments during the past week. Since we are in the technology age I’ll include (squeamishly) texts and over public displays of irritation or affection via social media walls, tags, and tweets. Don’t get too held up on which three points you chose. The fact that you chose them means something. No need to overthink them.

Step 3: PICK YOUR EVIDENCE

Assess the three data points by filling in the following sentence with one word, and make it a different word for each example: More or less, this data point that occurred in the past week represents the  ________ (fill in the blank) part of my relationship. Choose just one word.  It could be any adjective you can imagine (i.e., fun, adorable, amazing, exciting, loving, caring, withdrawn, hopeless, hopeful).

Step 4: GO TO COURT

Now you’re going to pretend (if you are one, wear a different suit) to be a lawyer. Make your case to a judge. Just for fun, assume that’s me. Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Land. Judge of all relationships. Make me your case using the three instances of data you filled out above.  I stand before you (confident lawyer representing yourself) and say “Explain to me why I should believe that there is any chance in hell that you and your partner will last another two weeks?” You can use your three data points and accompanying adjectives to make me a case.

Step 5: VISUALIZE HOW THIS WENT DOWN. Take your time. Close your eyes and see my facial expressions (I apologize if they were less than friendly). I know you don’t know me personally, but what do you think Judge Marie would say? If you had to guess….would you be granted another two weeks to remain in the relationship? Be real with yourself. None of that self-doubt and lack of confidence crap. Just pure evidence, pure argumentation and pleading your case.

Step 6: IF I GRANTED YOU TWO MORE WEEKS, THEN ACCEPT THE VERDICT AND LET IT BE!

You have permission to stop thinking about the status of your relationship and will actually be fined (maybe not monetarily, but definitely emotionally) if you violate this request. You have two weeks to accept that that person is going to remain with you and your only job is to trust that they are. You will always deal with the outcome later….the future is inescapable so lets just get on with trusting what the data says now. If I did not grant you two more weeks…guess what? You also get the same piece of advice. Sorry if it’s anticlimactic. Your job is not to break it off right now. But you are to take two weeks from looking at the data. When you’re two weeks are up you get to do the same exercise. If the data has not changed, then you have to think about acting on the data. For now, fearful loving and lusting is a fast track to destroying any hopes of a relationship. Don’t do it.