Ask Dee’s Dating Diary A Dating Question!

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Dee's Dating Diary

Need Dating or Relationship Advice?

Do you have a dating question you’d like to ask Dee’s Dating Diary?

Whether it’s a general question about dating or a specific relationship issue you’re having, Dee’s Dating Diary has your answer!

You can submit your questions using the contact form below!

Share The Knowledge!

Your dating question will be answered in a direct email to you, but it may also appear on Dee’s Dating Diary in the form of a post.

Don’t worry, no identifying information will be put in the post and you will remain completely anonymous.

Your question will only be used to provide others with the same great dating advice that you receive!

So, stop stressing and dealing with your dating problems alone, contact Dee’s Dating Diary today!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Not Happy With Your Online Dating Website?

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today, there’s so many online dating websites out there, not to mention numerous sites that cater to specific interests.

So, with all these online dating websites to choose from, how do you know if you picked the right site?

Really, you don’t know. And, if you’re having trouble meeting new dates then it’s time to branch out and try some different dating sites!

Image courtesy of Marcolm at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why Join Multiple Online Dating Websites?

If you’re having trouble keeping up with a single online dating website, then you definitely want to stick to one site for now.

But, if you’re not having any success with the one dating site that you are on, then you should definitely join one or two more online dating sites.

The truth is, not every person that uses online dating registers with every different online dating website that’s out there.

So, if you join more than one dating site, you’re opening yourself up to meeting even more men that could be potential matches.

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You Only Need One

When you’re using online dating, you have to remember that you only need one good, quality man for a relationship.

You don’t need to attract several men that are perfect for you, just one. So, there’s no need to get discouraged if you haven’t found your match yet.

Some women join one dating site and after a few months or a year of using the same site without success, they get frustrated and want to give up on online dating altogether. But, that’s a bit hasty.

Just because you haven’t found a match on one dating site doesn’t mean you won’t find it on another.

Now, don’t stretch yourself too thin by joining too many online dating sites at once, but definitely open yourself up to more opportunities by joining more than one.

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Did Your Boyfriend Make Time For You This Holiday?

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Dee's Dating Diary

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The holidays are a really great time to cherish your loved ones and spend as much quality time with them as possible.

From parents to siblings and friends, the holidays are a time for the people you truly love. No one wants to spend their precious free holiday time with frenemies.

With that being said, if you’re currently in a relationship, this past holiday was certainly a great opportunity to bond and enjoy each other’s company.

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Did Your Boyfriend Make Time For You This Holiday?

If you didn’t spend any time with your boyfriend this holiday and you’re not in a long distance relationship, it may be time to re-evaluate the quality and viability of your relationship.

Now, if you or your boyfriend had to work through the holiday, that’s definitely understandable.

But, if you’re in a committed relationship and your boyfriend has genuine feelings for you, he should have been making time to see you over the holiday.

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Stop Accepting Excuses

Some men will have excuses for every time they let you down, but it’s up to you as the woman to be more discerning about the person you’re dating.

Remember, people always make time for what they really want.

And, if you’re not what your boyfriend really wants, maybe he’s not who you should really want either. Just some food for thought.

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Dee’s Dating Diary Celebrates Its 1-Year Anniversary!!

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Wow, I can’t believe this December 29, 2014 will make one year since I started Dee’s Dating Diary.

When I launched this blog, I had no idea if it would be a success and now I’m truly overwhelmed at the positive response Dee’s Dating Diary has received.

We all know that dating can be very difficult. But, half of the battle is really about cultivating your mental and emotional stability and well-being.

Only A Quality Woman Deserves A Quality Man

What’s the point in attracting a quality man if your emotional baggage and neuroses is just going to run him off or ruin the relationship?

Dee’s Dating Diary is about inspiring women to make the necessary changes within themselves as well as making better decisions and choices in their dating lives. Decisions that promote great, loving, and healthy relationships.

If you devote yourself to making positive changes within yourself and with your dating habits, you will see positive changes in your dating life as well.

Thanks For Loving Dee’s Dating Diary

I know it can be time consuming to keep up with life as well as all your favorite blogs and internet sites, so I’m grateful for your interest and continued following of Dee’s Dating Diary!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Should You Burn Your Exes Things After A Break Up?

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last week, I discussed whether you should keep your exes stuff after a break up. This week, I want to talk disposal methods!

Some women are so angry and hurt after a break up that they feel compelled to get rid of their exes things in the most destructive way possible.

From tearing pictures and other things a part to burning things altogether, some women think that destroying their exes stuff will make them feel better.

But, the truth this, it’s just an unnecessary waste of your time.

Image courtesy of FrameAngel at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why Not Destroy His Stuff?

Going the destructive route often makes you much more emotional.

You have to remember that there’s no amount of ripping, tearing, or burning that will take away the hurt, pain, anger you feel from a break up.

Only in going through the natural course of the healing process will you truly feel better.

So, is it okay burn or destroy your exes things after a break up?

The answer is no.

Image courtesy of Digidreamgrafix at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What Should You Do With Your Exes Stuff?

I know you’re thinking, “do I just throw everything in the trash then?”

Well, yes, that is an option, but you do have better ones.

You could donate your exes stuff to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or any other organizations that accept these kinds of donations.

Or, you could even return the stuff to your ex if you are both capable of amicably handling that encounter.

No matter how you chose to get rid of your exes things, don’t make it more difficult for yourself by putting negative energy into that process.

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Should You Keep Your Exes Stuff After A Break Up?

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

During the course of a relationship, we usually cultivate many things from our partner. From gifts, to “borrowed” shirts and sweaters, it’s easy to rack up a lot of items from your boyfriend.

But, after a break up, should you be keeping any of these things?

The answer is no.

Image courtesy of Marcolm at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why You Shouldn’t Keep Your Exes Stuff

When you’re trying to get over a relationship, the last thing you need is to have a bunch of stuff around your house that constantly reminds you of your ex and the relationship you had.

Your exes stuff could send you into emotional lows and put you back in that sad place that you were in at the end of the relationship.

Keeping your exes stuff around definitely makes it more difficult to get over the relationship.

These little reminders of your ex will only prolong and delay the healing process after your break up.

And, this is definitely not what you want.

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Let’s Make A Distinction

For some women, yes, seeing an exes things or the gifts he gave can send them into emotional spirals.

But, there are some women who can break up with a boyfriend and not be emotionally affected by seeing some of his stuff.

Take for example, the sweater you took from your boyfriend and love wearing because it’s huge and super comfortable!

Some women might see this sweater after a break up and cry into it. While other women may continue to wear the sweater and simply enjoy its comfort with no emotional attachments or issues.

Image courtesy of Photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why Make This Distinction?

I have to make a distinction between women who can keep some of their exes things without being emotionally affected by it and women who can’t.

If you can separate the emotional attachments between your ex and certain items, then you don’t necessarily need to get rid of everything.

If your ex got you a gift that you’ve always wanted and you won’t be reminded of him every time you look at it, then there’s no need to junk the gift.

But, do keep in mind that even if you are great at separating your emotions from the gifts your ex gave you, a new boyfriend could have a problem with you keeping some of these things anyway.

Image courtesy of Photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why Do You Need Your Exes Stuff?

While it may seem harsh to get rid of your exes stuff after the relationship, sometimes it’s the healthiest thing you can do for yourself.

You don’t need a bunch of CDs, pictures, and other things to remind you of your ex.

At the end of the day, you’ll always have your memories and no one can take that from you.

So, don’t allow yourself to unnecessarily hold on to things from your past relationships.

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Misplacing Anger After Being Cheated On

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of ChokPhoto at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A lot of women have experienced being cheated on. And, I’m sure we can all agree that it’s a very difficult thing to go through.

While it’s completely understandable to be upset and distraught after learning about your boyfriend’s cheating, what isn’t understandable is women’s misplaced anger in these situations.

Why is it that so many women get upset with the “other woman” their boyfriend is having an affair with instead of directing all their anger and hurt towards the man who actually made the commitment to them?

Image courtesy of Patrisyu at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Who’s In The Relationship?

When you enter a relationship or marriage, it’s you and your man that makes that commitment or takes those vows.

The woman who slept with your boyfriend or husband never made any commitment to you. She didn’t take any vows, she didn’t agree to exclusivity.

But, for some reason, the other woman is often held to a higher standard of accountability than the man that cheated.

The sad truth is, majority of the time, the man was never honest about the fact that he was in a relationship in the first place.

So, why would you ever want to fight, hurt, or harass the other woman that your man was telling lies to?

Image courtesy of ChokPhoto at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Who’s Really To Blame?

Misplaced anger and aggression in cheating is a serious problem.

And, it takes away a lot of the man’s accountability and responsibility in the situation.

The man you decided to be in a relationship with cheats on you and you decide to stay in that relationship and punish the other woman? That sounds like a pretty sweet deal for your boyfriend!

But, why let your man avoid the full consequences of his actions when he’s the person who made the commitment to you?

The reality is, women who don’t know you, owe you nothing.

Image courtesy of Marin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Was The “Other Woman” Your Friend?

The only person you should be addressing when you’ve been cheated on is your boyfriend or husband. The other woman is not to blame!

Now, if you were friends with the other woman you certainly have a right to be upset with her.

I definitely don’t agree with any woman knowingly going after a taken man and if you find yourself in this kind of situation, then you do need to address the “other woman” in terms of your friendship with her.

But, this still doesn’t give you a pass to fight or harass your friend.

Obviously, this friend isn’t the type of woman you should continue being friends with, but having a civilized conversation about her own betrayal to you is necessary!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Vote For Dee’s Dating Diary For A Great Dating Blog Award!

Posted on November 29, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dee’s Dating Diary has been nominated for FOUR different Dating Awards from Great Dating Blogs!

Voting has officially opened and I really need your support!!

Vote for Dee’s Dating Diary by clicking on each of the below award categories:

Best NEW Dating Blog

Best NICHE Dating Blog

Best Overall Dating Blog

Best Dating Podcast

The voting ends December 12th, so get your votes in now! I really appreciate your support and enthusiasm for Dee’s Dating Diary!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Why Many Marriages Fail

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of Photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There isn’t a one-size fits all reason for why marriages fail.

But, there is a very common reason, outside of infidelity, that I do want to discuss.

Specifically, a lot of marriages fail because of the unexpressed expectations for a husband and wife.

Unexpressed and, therefore, unfulfilled expectations can set marriages up for failure long before they start.

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Heightened Expectations of Marriage

When you think of being married, you innately have an image in your head of what you expect your husband or wife to be.

There’s a lower threshold of responsibility and devotion in a relationship, but marriage naturally increases what you expect out of your now husband or wife.

No matter how you are during the relationship, both men and women will have heightened expectations for how you should act as their spouse.

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Examples of Heightened Expectations

A woman, for example, may expect her husband to pitch in more around the house.

A man may expect his wife to regularly cook dinner every night, despite the fact that she never cooked while they were dating.

Whatever it is that you picture in your head for a husband or wife is the heightened expectation you hold for the person you will one day marry.

The problem is when you go into a marriage with unspoken expectations and expect your spouse to meet them.

Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Unexpressed Expectations

Remember, we are not all mind-readers. Unexpressed expectations will lead to unmet expectations, which can lead to an unhappy marriage and, ultimately, divorce.

So, you have to communicate!

BEFORE you get married, take the time to discuss your expectations of a husband and wife.

Your spouse may be ready and happy to meet your heightened expectations in a marriage, but if you don’t communicate your feelings to your spouse, you’re essentially setting them up for failure.

Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Give Your Marriage a Fighting Chance

There’s nothing wrong with having expectations of a husband or wife, as long as they’re reasonable, of course.

But, don’t let your spouse get blindsided years into the marriage with what you’ve been expecting from them since the marriage ceremony!

Give your partner the opportunity to keep you happy in your marriage and express your expectations of a husband and wife!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Are You Lying About Your Relationship?

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of Smarnad at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I want to take the time to address women who are lying are about their relationships.

Specifically, women who lie about the length of their relationships.

Now, you may be thinking about the women who date a man for two weeks and round that time up to a month, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.

Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The On-And-Off Couple

I’m sure you all know plenty of women who have been in one relationship that had a series of breakups throughout the relationship.

The couple dates for maybe 6 or 7 months, then breaks up, and then gets back together some months later.

I call these back and forth, on-and-off relationships “boomeranging.”

While I don’t agree with boomeranging because of the many problems that come along with it (See my post: No More Boomeranging!!), the delusion women have about the nature of these relationships is astounding.

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Lying About Your Relationship

When you talk to women who do this on-and-off dating, they are quick to tell you that they’ve dated a man for 4 years.

But, the truth is, they only dated for about 6 months out of each year.

So, when you really add up how much time they’ve been in a relationship, it’s usually far less than what they boast!

When you’ve been dating for a long time, of course you’re going to be proud of the length of time you’ve been together.

However, trying to deceive yourself and others about how long you’ve really been with a man only prevents you from accepting the nature of the relationship you truly have.

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is The Relationship Worth Having?

Most likely, if you’ve been breaking up on and off several times throughout your relationship, it’s probably not a good one.

And, you shouldn’t be bragging or boasting to anyone about how long your relationship has lasted.

Be honest with yourself and other people, don’t inflate your relationship to be something that it’s not.

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Where To Spend The Holidays When You’re In A Relationship

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of Gualberto107 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The holidays are such a wonderful and joyous time!

But, when you’re in a relationship, it’s not always fun deciding which family to spend the holidays with.

I do have a simple tip for planning your future holidays, but, first, I think it’s important to acknowledge a significant problem women have during the holidays.

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The Unfortunate Holiday Compulsion

I often find that when women are in relationships, they tend to spend most, if not all, of their holidays with their boyfriend’s family instead of their own.

It’s seems all too easy for many women to forget about their own family and ingratiate themselves into their boyfriend’s family.

While there’s nothing wrong with spending quality time with your man’s family, it definitely becomes a problem when your own family doesn’t get to spend any time with you.

You can’t forsake your family on every holiday. You should still spend some of your holidays with your own family.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t spend any holidays with your boyfriend’s family, you just need to maintain a balance and not forget about the people you grew up with.

Image courtesy of ImageryMajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tips For The Holidays

Instead of fighting over who’s family to spend the holidays with, divvy up the holidays between your two families.

Spend Thanksgiving with one family and Christmas with the other.

If there’s a particular holiday that is more important to your partner’s family than your own, spend that holiday with them.

You could also spend Christmas with your partner’s family one year and Christmas with your family the next year. This way, each family gets to enjoy you on different holidays each year.

Image courtesy of Photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is Family Important To You And Your Partner?

If spending time with your family isn’t as important to you as it is to your partner, then you should spend more holidays with your partner’s family.

HOWEVER, I will say, if you highly value family and your partner doesn’t, this could be the source of a lot of conflict in your relationship.

While I do believe that you don’t have to share every single value that your partner shares in order for a relationship to work (See my post: Do You Share The Same Values?), if you value family and your partner does not, this could end up being a serious deal breaker.

If you intend to start a family with your partner one day, you’ll want him or her to value the family you’ve created.

But, if your partner doesn’t value their own family now, how much will they really value the family you create together? Think about that!

For more great dating advice, check out my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Why You Shouldn’t Change Your Facebook Relationship Status

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

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Facebook was created as on online medium to stay connected with friends, but, in truth, it’s a forum that showcases every last thing about your personal life.

While you do have the ability to change your privacy settings on Facebook and control who sees what content, the majority of Facebook users (both men and women) are putting way too much information about themselves on their Facebook profiles.

Specifically, when it comes to Facebook relationship statuses, many women tend to broadcast each and every one of their relationships to the Facebook world.

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When Is It Ok To Change Your Facebook Relationship Status?

Unless you’re married, you should never put your relationship status on Facebook.

Many of the people you’re “friends” with on Facebook aren’t actually your real friends, so you shouldn’t be sharing all your relationships with them.

Truly, it’s nobody’s business on Facebook to know when and who you are in a relationship with.

As you get older and cultivate more Facebook friends that are co-workers and people you met in networking or business events, you especially don’t need to share details about your personal life.

Image courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why You Shouldn’t Change Your Relationship Status On Facebook

I know a lot of you are probably fighting this piece of dating advice, but think about how bad you’ve felt when you’ve had to change your relationship status back to single and you get bombarded with questions directly on your Facebook wall about why the relationship ended.

When you’re Facebook “friends” ask, “Oh my goodness, are you okay,” and “what happened,” on your wall do you really want to respond to these questions directly on your Facebook wall as well? Of course not!

The truth is, no one wants to answer relationship questions on their Facebook wall or any public forum for that matter.

But, because you put your relationship on blast on Facebook, you opened yourself up to people you barely know and friends with bad Facebook etiquette asking you seriously personal questions in a public forum where you wouldn’t want to answer them.

Another reason why you shouldn’t share you’re relationship status on Facebook is that you don’t want everyone on Facebook keeping track of the number of relationships that you’ve had.

Image courtesy of Graur Codrin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You’re Single Until You’re Married

Remember, you’re single until you’re married!

When you’re filling out applications or forms, you can only select single, married, or divorced. There’s no box to select for “in a relationship” or “it’s complicated.”

Since you’re single until you’re married, your Facebook relationship status should reflect that!

When you’re married, you can freely and happily broadcast that on Facebook, but until that time keep your relationship status as “single” on your Facebook and other social media accounts.

For more great dating advice, check out my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

5 Tips For Better Online Dating Profile Pictures

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of StockImages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you create a profile on an online dating website, you hope that you’ll get lots of messages and meet your perfect match.

But, what many people don’t realize when they create their online dating profiles is that your profile pictures are the most important aspect of your dating profile.

Image courtesy of StockImages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Online Dating Increases Superficiality

There’s something about online dating that enables and even pushes people to use it in a superficial way.

Perhaps it’s the structure of having pages that show tons of profiles with a quick synopsis consisting of just a picture, location, and tagline, that promotes the behavior of picking dates or determining interest based on pictures alone.

While there shouldn’t be such a strong emphasis on profile pictures, the reality is, most people pick online dates based solely on profile pictures.

Many people won’t take the time to read your entire profile, but they will definitely go through all of your pictures. Well, that’s if your main profile picture has caught their attention in the first place.

Although you don’t want to date someone who picks dates based on looks alone, the sad truth is, even good people fall victim to the online dating photo shopping mentality.

So, considering how important it is to have great profile pictures in order to drive attention to your online dating profile, I want to give you 5 great tips for your dating profile pics!

5 Tips For Creating Better Online Dating Profile Pictures:

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. No Blurry Pictures

This is pretty self explanatory, but you should never put blurry pictures of yourself on your online dating profile or you might as well hide your face altogether.

Your pictures are supposed to let people know what you look like.

But, when you put blurry pictures on your profile it can be deceiving or give someone the impression that you have something to hide. Be honest and show who you really are.

2. No Pictures of Pictures

Profile pictures are supposed to show the best you. But, even if the best picture of you only exists in hard copy and there’s no digital version, you still CANNOT take a picture of that picture.

Let’s be honest too, if your best picture is only in the form of a hard copy and there’s no digital copy as well, the picture is way too old to be used on your dating profile.

With the advancements of technology, there’s no reason why you should have to take a picture of a printed photo.

Image courtesy of ImageryMajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3. No Pictures With People of The Opposite Sex

You should never use pictures of yourself with someone of the opposite sex because you can give people the wrong impression about the relationship you have with that person.

I know many women that have later found out that the woman in a picture with their online date was actually the man’s wife or girlfriend. And, these experiences lead women to mistrust and write off other men who have women in their profile pictures.

Even if the person in your picture is truthfully just a friend, you don’t want to give prospective matches the opportunity to make a snap judgment about who you’re with in your pictures and move on to the next profile.

Don’t give anyone the chance to fill in the blanks about the relationships you have with people in your pictures.

4. No Less Than 3 Pictures on Your Profile, But No More than 5

Your online dating profile pictures should consist of 1 or 2 head shots, 1 or 2 full body shots, and an optional activity photo that shows you doing an activity or hobby you enjoy.

You want to give a little variety in your pictures to give someone a better sense of what you actually look like. When you only use one picture or a few pictures that show you from the same exact angle, you’re not allowing a person to know what you really look like.

We all know that sometimes a person’s “best angle” isn’t necessarily a good reflection of how the person normally looks!

5. Your Pictures Cannot Be More Than A Year Old

This is a pretty straight forward tip, you know why you shouldn’t use old pictures on your dating profile. Your profile is supposed to show people what you currently look like, not what you looked like in your best years or at your lowest weight.

There is an exception to this rule though… If you’re one of those people who always looks the same and doesn’t really age, you can use an older picture of yourself as long as you look the same exact way today.

If you have pictures that are less than a year old but you’ve changed your look, then you need to take new pictures for your profile. So, if you’ve change your hair, lost a lot of weight, or gained a lot of weight, you need to take new photos and update your profile pictures!

Need More Help With Your Dating Profile Pictures?

While you don’t need to use a professional photographer to take your pictures for your online dating profile, you can use an online dating photographer who will take natural pictures that will capture your true and realistic beauty.

If you live in the UK and you’re interested in taking pictures with an online dating photographer, check out this Facebook page: Saturday Night’s Alright.

If you live in the US and would like referrals for online dating photographers, email me at Dee@DeesDatingDiary.com.

Don’t forget, I’ve dedicated the month of October to online dating, so stay tuned for more great online dating tips to come!!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Related Articles You’ll Like

Has Online Dating Changed The Dating Game?

You Attract What You Put Out There!

Perfect Place To Meet Men

Do You Feel Pressure to Get Married?

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Although we live in an era where men and women are getting married at much older ages, this shift hasn’t affected men as much as it has affected women.

Society accepts men being “bachelors” for a longer period of time now. Man can live the bachelor life well into their 30’s without repercussions.

And, in contrast to women, when men are ready to settle down in a relationship in their older age, they are still considered very eligible bachelors.

But, when a woman is over 30, she isn’t necessarily viewed as a very “eligible” bachelorette.

Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why The Pressure to Get Married?

Most women in their mid 20’s or even earlier start feeling pressure from their family or friends to find a boyfriend, get married, and have kids.

Most of our parents and grandparents grew up in an era where getting married at a young age was the norm.

Women went from their parent’s house straight to their husband’s house and being married by 18 wasn’t seen the way it is today.

With this, you can understand why older generations don’t necessarily understand a woman’s choice to remain single past the age of about 20.

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The Double Standard

It’s a shame that as a single woman ages, sometimes her value in the eyes of the world tends to decrease while a man’s value tends to increase as he ages.

It’s a clear double standard.

Men age, cultivate their careers, and build their wealth and this makes them more desirable, eligible bachelors to women.

But, it’s not necessarily the same for women. A 40-year old man with his career together is more sought after than a 40 year old woman with her career and life together.

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Why Fight The Pressure to Get Married?

Here’s the problem…

If you do fall victim to society’s pressure to get married before you’ve met your match, you’ll quickly pick and marry a man who isn’t right for you.

You’ll settle. You’ll let go of all those things you’ve wanted for yourself and pretty much just take what you can get at the moment.

Because, time is of the essence right?

When you feel pressure to be married, you have to remember that settling for any man won’t make you happy in the long run!

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Whose Life Is It?

While your family and friends may encourage you to settle down with someone who isn’t right for you, you have to remember that it’s YOU who has to be with this person for the rest of your life, not your family or friends!

Your family and friends won’t have to deal with those problems that come with dating and marrying the wrong person, you will!!

Despite the world wanting you to be married, you can’t let this run you into the arms of Mr. Wrong.

Hold out for your Mr. Right, as hard as that may be! He will come along one day and the wait will certainly be worth it!!

Stay strong my single ladies!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Are You Turning Men or Women Off On Dates?

Posted on September 20, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

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On first dates, you’re essentially selling your best self!

First dates are your opportunity to show a person the best of who you are, whatever that may be.

Ultimately, people fall in love for the good in someone, not the bad.

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Accentuate The Positive

The reality is, you attract people with positive points not negative ones. So, you should always lead with the positive!

Once a person likes you, he or she can more easily overlook your flaws.

But, when you lay your problems on the table too soon, you can easily scare a person off.

When your dates reflect back on the time you both shared together, you want them to have positive feelings about you and the experience.

You definitely don’t want to leave a bitter taste in their mouth. But, when you bring up your problems on first dates, that’s exactly what you do!

Compare with Friendships

Think about your friendships. It’s the good things about your friends and the positive times shared that built and strengthened the friendship.

We all learn about flaws that we may not necessarily care for in our friends, but we accept those flaws. And, why is this?

It’s because of the positive foundation that the friendship was built on.

Taking this analogy back to dating… Once you’ve started to build the foundation of your relationship, a person can easily overlook your flaws and accept you for the complete person that you are.

But, when you put your flaws on the table on your first few dates, you’re just giving your date reasons to write you off for a potential relationship.

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Your Date Will Learn With Time

We all know that no one is perfect, but there’s really no point in even talking about your issues on first dates because, in time, they will all be known anyway!

A new person you’re dating should learn about your flaws naturally, in the course of dating and getting to know you. Not because you threw it in his or her face.

Putting yourself down won’t get you positive results in dating, so leave the negative feelings about yourself at the door and remember to accentuate your positives!!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

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Is Your Laundry List Holding You Back From Getting A Quality Man?

Posted on September 6, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

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Many women have an image of who their ideal partner would be based on certain characteristics they possess. The problem? Their laundry list.

The Laundry List

A laundry list is basically a list of things a woman wants in a man.

The problem with the laundry list is that most of the attributes on these lists don’t necessarily speak to a man being a quality person that you should date.

Many women’s laundry list reads like this: Must make over 100k (or insert any amount here), must be physically fit, must be tall, must have this type of car, and the list goes on.

While it’s definitely necessary to have an idea of the type of man that’s a good match for you, your laundry list should have more depth. The items on this list should address qualities that are common to good men.

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Make A Viable List

Here’s a helpful exercise to help you widdle down your laundry list to the most important qualities you want in a man.

First, write down all the things you feel you want in a long term partner.

Second, choose 3 to 5 items on your list that aren’t references to superficial qualities.

Superficial qualities would be income, physique, car, etc. These things are superficial because they can easily change and don’t address any characteristics that make up a good man.

These 3 to 5 items are the only items that you should deeply contemplate when picking a man to date.

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Reality Check

I know it would be nice to have the rest of the things that are on your list, but let those other items be bonuses and not deal-breakers.

You should be extremely flexible in those items that are outside of your core 3 to 5 attributes.

Get real with your laundry list and don’t let it hold you back from getting the quality man you really want to date!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

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The Most Important Thing to do After a Break Up

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

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After a break up, an important part of the healing and learning process is reflecting back on the relationship.

The relationship playback is basically the process of playing back the relationship in your mind from the first date until the last day.

The relationship playback is the time when you’re able to see all those signs that were showing you the problems in your relationship. What once seemed like small unimportant things now look like obvious red flags you should have picked up on.

This process can be difficult and mentally exhausting. But, it truly helps you learn valuable lessons to grow from because it allows you to see your relationship more objectively since you’ve been removed from the situation altogether.

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Trust Your Gut!

How many times have you had a genuine feeling that your boyfriend was cheating on you just to eventually find out that you were right?

When your gut tells you that your boyfriend is not being faithful to you, trust your gut! It’s called women’s intuition for a reason! You’ve been given a special gift that allows you to sense when things aren’t right.

These feelings are usually a result of red flags that your mind has processed, but that you didn’t really pay attention to or you purposefully ignored.

Whether it’s cheating or something else, the next time your gut tells you something isn’t right, don’t just write those feelings off because you may eventually come to regret that decision.

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The Relationship PlayBack
Perhaps your ex boyfriend was very controlling, but you didn’t realize it until you were already in a committed relationship.

Well, the relationship playback, if you’re open to growing, allows you to learn from your mistakes. It really is the best way to avoid carrying emotional baggage from one relationship into your future dating!

The relationship playback is where you take note of those red flags you need to watch for in the future. And, it also gives you the opportunity to recognize and correct those relationship problems that you created or enabled.

So, after a break up, make sure you do the relationship playback so you can gain the wisdom that’s necessary to attract a great, loving, and healthy relationship in the future!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

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Stop Being The Victim!

Never Give Up Hope!

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

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With failed date after failed date, it’s easy to get discouraged about your chances of success in dating. Even a lack of a dating life can make a woman feel like finding her match may be hopeless.

Too often, I hear women speak negatively about their chances of finding a good man. They say all men cheat, all men are inconsiderate, or all men are dogs.

These negative statements about men and dating actually hurt your chances of finding a great relationship.

Think about it this way, if you say there are no good men out there, you will allow yourself to settle for a man who isn’t good. Why? Because you believe good men don’t exist!

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Increase Your Chances of Attracting A Great Relationship
If you want to increase your chances of attracting a great relationship, you have to first believe that it CAN happen. Your negativity about dating only hurts yourself.

While I understand how numerous encounters with crappy guys can change your perspective about the prevalence of quality men in the world, this is actually the worst thing you can let yourself do.

When you have negative thoughts and beliefs about dating, you better believe that these feelings can come out in your dates with men. Your choice of words, body language, and actions can tell a date exactly how you feel.

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Stop The Negativity
So, it’s really important not to let your negativity about dating spill over into your dates. And, how do you do this? By stopping the negativity all together!

No matter what you’ve been through in your relationships, online dating, or the dating world in general, stay positive about dating so you can bring about positive results in your own dating life!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

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Do You Share the Same Values?

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

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Having shared values can definitely reduce the amount of disagreements you have in various areas of your relationship.

For example, if you both want to have kids but practice different religions, there could be serious disagreements over how to raise the children.

But, this is not to say that if you don’t share most of the same values your relationship won’t work. I’m not saying that all!!

Ultimately, it comes down to each persons ability to compromise and be flexible in their “ways.”

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Don’t Count Him Out!

The truth is, you could meet a great man that doesn’t share the same beliefs as you, but is accepting of your choice and willing to expose your children to both religions.

So, try to not get caught up in having all of the same beliefs as your man and keep yourself open to great men that could come along in very different packages!!

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee

Family Won’t Forget Your Boyfriend’s Bad Behavior

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Dee's Dating Diary

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What can you expect from your family and friends when you tell them about your boyfriend’s bad behavior and decide to stay in the relationship anyway?

First, you can expect them to write your boyfriend off as a good match for you. They certainly won’t be as supportive of your relationship with him after his wrongdoing.

Second, the negative feelings your family and friends have towards your boyfriend’s wrongdoing could translate to tension, awkwardness, or flat out animosity between your loved ones and your man.

When a woman’s boyfriend and her family don’t get along, the unfortunate consequence is that she may start seeing her family much less, if at all.

Sadly, the tension between your family and boyfriend and the ill-feelings that are harbored often times results in a woman choosing her boyfriend over her family.

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Your Family Didn’t Forgive Him

You have to remember, your family isn’t the one who forgives your boyfriend of his wrongdoing, it’s you that forgives him.

And, although you may forgive your man for cheating or some other egregious act, your family and friends will never forget what he did to you or how he hurt you.

Your boyfriend may have apologized to you profusely and showered you with gifts or affection, but your family and friends aren’t on the receiving end of this. So, its much harder for them to let go of your man’s bad behavior since they aren’t a part of the “making up process.”

On top of that, your loved ones may not be willing to sugarcoat their feelings or “play nice” with your boyfriend when he’s around.

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Don’t Expect Family to Support Your Decision

So, if you plan on staying with your boyfriend after he’s hurt you in some way, don’t expect your family to be supportive of your decision!

Don’t be mad when your family and friends don’t condone your relationship or aren’t even willing to hide their true feelings about your man.

While you don’t want there to be tension between your family and boyfriend, staying in a bad relationship could result in exactly that!

Do you really feel that your family will want you to stay in an unhealthy or dysfunctional relationship? Not a chance!

The reality is, having family and friends that care about your well-being is much more important than having people in your life that are willing to support or encourage your destructive decisions.

For more great dating advice, get my book: Picking up the Pieces: Rebuilding Yourself for the Love and Relationship You Deserve.

Till Next Time,

Dee