Most girls feel that if they have a boyfriend, they have all the testosterone they can take in their life. Not true. Sometimes, having certain male friends can be a huge benefit to the girl about town.
How we fight sometimes says more about us than how we got into a fight in the first place. Living a conflict-free life, especially with a loved one, sounds nice but in reality is impossible. Not only that, but it's unhealthy. Disagreements from time to time, if dealt with maturely and with the requisite kindness, can actually help to strengthen the bond between partners. And that's not simply due to the makeup sex phenomenon, a theme so commonly mimed in sitcoms and romantic comedies. Yes, fighting within a couple is normal. However, within each fight lies a potential minefield of insensitive comments and dirty tricks. Fights are only productive if done fairly. Here's a list of seven dos and seven don’ts to keep in mind when entering a tiff to make sure you’re fighting fairly. Following these rules could be the difference between making up and sleeping on the couch.
The idea of what makes a dream job changes over time, as does what a person looks for in their soul mate. Here are some reasons why finding one’s dream job can be as difficult as finding the perfect life partner.
When I lost my job, the last thing I needed was a blank social calendar and empty bed. There's only so much disappointment one girl can take. This modern-day Dorothy wanted to click her heels and have the perfect profession and pillow pal land right into her lap. Was that too much to ask? Maybe not. Nicole Williams says you can snag both with the same advice. In her newest book, Girl on Top, Williams suggests the tactics used to land a man can also be applied effectively in the office. Can classic dating rules help you climb the career ladder? After all, the game's the same, right?
Workplace romances are hardly uncommon. After all, you're probably clocking in more hours at the office than at home. It's easy to develop close on-the-job relationships that can take a romantic turn. But what often starts as a titillating romp in the supply room can quickly turn into a train wreck, endangering your career and your future. Are you willing to chance it? If so, you're not alone. Celebrities, politicians and high powered executives have been known to risk everything for an on-the-job fling.
Online dating. Yes. We said it. And, as it so happens, we've done it, too. The once super taboo, let's-come-up-with-another-story-about-how-we-met form of meeting people is becoming ever more popular in a culture that has less and less free time and fewer real opportunities to be introduced to the right people. We do everything else online—so why not meet people there, too? To all you single-and-looking ladies out there who might think, "Uh, I'm not sure if I'm ready for that," hopefully we can help ease you into it. Because as weirded out as our parents (and even our own friends) may be by the idea, the Matches, eHarmonys, and OKCupids of the dating realm will only become ever more prevalent in the coming years, especially for working—and over-worked—professionals. What's more, your pool of singletons has grown even larger in the past year, thanks to an economy-in-shambles. With less money to spend on entertainment (and let's face it, more time at home for those unlucky enough to have lost their jobs), people are spending more and more time online than out and about. Instead of their local watering hole, singles are perusing the online personals for dates. What does this mean for you? It means you've got more talent to choose from than ever before. And when it comes to finding your match, choice means the difference between swooning and settling.
Every smart woman knows that making time for an annual physical is a commonsense priority for optimal health. If we were to do the same thing for our relationships, they would stay healthy and strong too. So, if you've never thought about it, I encourage you to think about it. What would your relationship checkup include? How healthy is your marriage? I think about it around the end of the year, as opposed to the first of the year when others are making resolutions for this, that, or the other. The end of the year really works well for me because I'm pensive, and very goal-oriented. Having specific goals for all of the important relationships in my life helps me to manage myself in these relationships—especially my marriage. Now, these aren't engraved in stone, but serve more as guides that help me in my desire to be intentional in my behavior rather than reactionary. A relational checkup is really nothing more than your intentional effort to stay positively connected in your relationship. And, one of the things you can do is to attend to how you talk together as a couple. This is a very powerful and protective strategy for your relationship. Including it in your relationship checkup process can yield big short and long-term results.
When we're hungry, it's simple—we eat. When we're thirsty, we drink. But what about when you just want to and need to be touched? There are no touch cafés. Touch doesn't come as a gift with purchase at the Lancôme counter. And if you're not in a romantic relationship, how do you fill up your touch tank to full? There are often not enough outlets for affection in platonic relationships. Friends provide emotional support, memorable nights out, advice and adventures, but few friendships are so close that it's comfortable and acceptable for you two to, say, snuggle on the couch together, or hold each other in a longer-than-usual embrace—one long enough to communicate sincerity but short enough not to be awkward. The line becomes especially blurred if you're of compatible sexual orientations, because, oh my god, then it must mean you like each other. But wanting to be touched is a basic human need. (Without it, we're so much more susceptible to depression, stress, anxiety, loss in self-confidence and loss in drive and motivation!) And sadly though not surprisingly, we live in a touch-deprived culture that’s comfortable with touch only if it has sexual meaning, if we're celebrating, if someone is consoling or being consoled, or if it involves raising our kids.
As many red flags as the office romance waves, it actually can make a lot of sense. Spending a good chunk of our waking hours around the same people naturally allows us to get to know them better and become more comfortable talking, joking, laughing — maybe even flirting. But when you date someone in your office, it can become more and more difficult to leave your relationship drama at home where it belongs. Why? Because it follows you on your commute. And what if steamy encounters of undeniable chemistry tempt you out of your super-professional comfort zone … and into the HR department for a talk about the office's dating policy? Keeping work professional and keeping what's personal exciting is something most sensible women opt not to put on their to-do list. But there's no denying that it can happen. So here are the red flags to remember before making your move, and how to handle it once (or if!) you do.
One of the biggest challenges career women face when seeking out a partner in crime is clearly where and how to meet one. We all know the horror stories of meeting men in bars (hell, I've lived some of them!), but that doesn't mean you should write off the local watering hole altogether. The truth is, there's no right or wrong way to meet someone. A drunken fling can yield a long term, loving romance, just like a more traditional set-up, based on common values and interests, can go nowhere at all. There are, however, some strategies that can help maximize your success.
Getting dumped sucks… there's no doubt about it. There aren't many things more heart-wrenching than finding out that the person you love thinks he will be better off without you. But this news can really make your guts fall on the floor when it comes completely out of left field. If an "out-of-the-blue breakup" has happened to you in the past, I don't have to remind you of how much it hurts. But the good news is that I can show you how to make sure it never happens again. You see, the tell-tale signs of an inevitable breakup will always be there if you know what to look for. Keep reading to find out...!
