Dating and Relationships Archives - Life and Relationships 101

How to Manage Differences With Your Mate

By now you have probably experienced a variety of dating choices, all while trying to manage differences between you both. You found some good potential partners and a lot of “bad options” along the way as well. Those experiences were part of your path in finding “the right mate”. Yes, it’s really important to have some good similarities between you both. But you will also have a lot of differences as well. After all, it would be boring if you both were 100% the same, right? The answer is RIGHT! Let’s take a look at why differentness is just as…

What is Healthy Self-Esteem and How Do I Get It?

Healthy self-esteem is essential for many reasons. For example, it relates to valuing ourselves, aspiring for challenges, having emotionally healthy friends and mates, and more. Physical and emotional health allows us to live a life filled with joy and fun experiences. Let’s look at healthy versus unhealthy self-esteem and some of the differences that come from those dynamics. We’ll also explore how to have healthy self-esteem and to attract other healthy people as well. The American Psychological Association defines self-esteem as “the degree to which the qualities and characteristics contained in one’s self-concept are perceived to be positive.” American Psychological…

What a Healthy Relationship Looks and Feels Like and The Fix

Relationships are tricky. How do people even know what a healthy relationship looks and feels like? Remember, in relationships, we most often pick someone different from us. Both people can sometimes feel vulnerable in the relationship. Other times one partner is sure of the relationship being strong and the mate doesn’t feel the same way. It can be common for the couple to individually be in their own timing of what they want in the relationship. They may have different expectations of each other. Remember how vulnerable you sometimes feel in a relationship? Before we dive into what healthy relationships…

Choose A Psychotherapist That Fits You! The How-To!

Trying to choose a psychotherapist that fits you can feel challenging, but that feeling is normal. Beginning psychotherapy, if you’ve never done that before, can also be a bit daunting. First of all, you don’t know what it’s going to be like. You don’t know if it will work for you or if you feel it’s a good match with the therapist. What if you find out you’ve been doing things the hard way or ineffectively? You are in good company if this rings a bell for you. No worries. Here are some tips for finding the right therapist. I…

How to Find your True & Positive Self and Get Past Negative Experiences

We all come from a variety of backgrounds, experiences (good and bad), and lessons we learned along the way. But often on this path, we find that we may focus on our faults rather than find our true and positive self. Even though you may have had a rough childhood, or had to move around a lot as a child, you always had value. You just may have not been shown that in growing up. Or sometimes, parents can be nurturing but our school experiences wipe out the positive experiences at home. After all, how many of us believed that…

Thinking of Dating Someone New During Covid-19? The How-To:

Ahh, this is a crazy time for everyone right now. If you’re thinking of dating someone new during Covid-19, there are some practical tips to know before the first date. If you read the literature on Covid-19, you will see that it can be tricky to maintain safe dating. However, you don’t have to give up dating right now if you do it safely! Let’s see how that would work. Let’s begin by talking about what could happen if you don’t date in safe ways these days. Dating Someone New During Covid-19 What Do Safe Dating Practices look Like These…

Part Two: Improving Your Self-Esteem In a Relationship

In Part One, we discussed why self-esteem is so important, especially healthy self-esteem. Next, we’ll talk about improving your self-esteem in a relationship. First, let’s take a closer look to fully understand how you got low self-esteem and how you can improve your view of Self. Why Do I Have Low Self-Esteem? How Did I Get it? There are lots of ways this occurs: The most significant part of creating healthy self-esteem is understanding why you feel “less than” others deep down inside yourself. For some, if they look back in time, they will remember instances of parents blaming them…

How to Know When to Give Up on a Romantic Relationship

Why it’s Important to Know When The Relationship You Want Won’t Happen It’s challenging to know when to give up on a valued romantic relationship. Usually, others around you know when it’s time to give up on a relationship that doesn’t work and isn’t fulfilling for you. It’s often easier for them to see the signs than for their own relationships because it isn’t about them. They won’t feel the same pain you will if you break off your current relationship. Some people hang on forever, having the same hopes that don’t seem to come to fruition. But in general,…

Feel Like Giving Up on Finding a Mate? Read This First!

When a person says they “want” to find a mate, but “somehow” it never works out, there is likely something in the way of them finding that mate. Sound familiar? No worries. You are not alone. Let’s take a look at what might be in your way and what to do to move forward one way or another. Reasons People Give Up Finding a Mate Fear of Rejection or Deeply Hurt by Another Person. No one wants to get hurt. But if you are trying to find the “right” person for you, you’re probably going to have to go through…

Where People Go Wrong in Their Current Dating Choices

If you are one of the many people who go wrong in dating choices, you are in good company. We all have been there at one time or another. The “fun-loving,” often drunk, confident, and popular individuals aren’t always what they’re “cracked up to be.” You’ve heard of the often-used phrase “careful what you ask for; you might just get it.” Now, this doesn’t apply to every popular, attractive, highly intelligent, etc., person. I’m talking about the “wanna-bees” who inside really feel insecure and not at all what they appear to be. One of the biggest downfalls of potential relationships…

Category: Dating and Relationships