One cause of dating unhappiness is listening to others. Well-meaning friends and family often project and thrust their values, perceptions and opinions on you. These serve to trap and repress your own thoughts making it hard to reflect and discover the inner-you. Sometimes, you simply have to nicely tell them, "back off."
Their suggestions and approval may momentarily feel good. But for sustainability ONLY self-love and understanding brings long lasting satisfaction and pleasure.
How the Coronavirus is Inadvertently Providing an Opportunity for Self-Reflection!
This may sound a bit off the wall. Allow me to explain.
As recently as twenty-five years ago the social media meet-up experience was basically a blip on the landscape. In fact, the movie You've Got Mail released in 1998 using AOL chat rooms was a real eye opener for many. It was a remake of 1940's The Shop Around the Corner which used newspaper personal ads as a way to meet and fall in love.
The bottom line for both was the hope of finding someone, with the goal of meeting them in person. Perhaps, starting with a cup of coffee and then moving on from there. That's still pretty much the basic goal of meeting someone today.
When I refer to the inadvertent opportunity of the Coronavirus in terms of self-reflection I'm alluding to the above mentioned reality that you'll likely be spending more "alone time" than usual.
Due in large part to social media, we're used to long periods of communication without physically meeting potential partners. However, this is usually through choice, not the need for isolation and minimization of human contact because of a universal crisis.
Dating apps, Instagram, Facebook and many more can all lead to texting or engaging in dialog that helps you really get to know someone before a face-to-face meet. Almost every generation is using some form of social media in their efforts to find a partner.
Twenty-five years ago, the thought of prolonged written communication was not really a part of the dating experience. Now, it's very common and most of us are comfortable with it as a way of meeting a companion. I believe there has been real value-added in getting to know someone long before you meet them.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
