Just about everybody likes to flirt - even those of us currently in committed relationships. Because just as being committed or married doesn't take away your need or desire to look at people of the opposite sex, being in a relationship doesn't stop you from wanting to spark connections with others. And that's what flirting generally is - a fun, vaguely sexual connection. Generally harmless.
Having low self esteem means more than just thinking you look fat in your jeans or that the girl you're chatting with at the bar won't like you - it brings a whole host of problems along with it. People with low self esteem suffer from a debilitating lack of confidence, depression, stress, jealousy, and general anxiety. I should know...I've suffered from it for years.
I feel like I've been inundated lately with images of alternative relationships. Some of that is my own doing, of course - my favorite new show is HBO's "Big Love," which is about polygamous Mormon family living (where else?) in Utah. In the show, the male lead owns three houses, each occupied by a different wife. He rotates his nights between his houses - and between his wives, of course.
While personal hygiene might be one of the most entertaining subjects to laugh about with your friends after a bad date, it becomes much more serious in the rare event that that date turns into a relationship. Sure, some people have no trouble at all telling their boyfriend or girlfriend that their breath smells or that they need a shower. But for most of us, these kinds of subjects are delicate indeed...and more than a little embarrassing.
When you're in a happy, healthy relationship, it's like the world is your oyster. And you, well...want to share your oyster with your friends.
Hmm. Since the oyster metaphor is getting a little gross, I'll put it simply: when you've found the right person for you, you tend to think you know who is right for your friends, too. And while your heart is probably in the right place, setting your friends up on dates isn't always a great idea...especially when you don't go about it the right way.
Sometimes, socializing can be a sort of double-edged sword - especially if you're not naturally outgoing. You have to meet people in order to find a relationship...but you have to socialize outside your circle in order to meet new people. And we all know what "socializing outside your circle" looks like: too often, it looks like you standing on your own in a room full of chattering people, pretending to be fascinated by your gin and tonic. It looks a lot like being stranded.
All of us have times in our lives when we're feeling a bit blue. And because situational depression is such a common thing, many people don't even realize that they suffer from chronic depression - or know how to recognize it in the ones they love. If you're in a relationship with somebody with chronic depression, that relationship can suffer and even end as a result of the disorder...without either party really understanding what went wrong.
Metrosexual is one of those funny new words that you probably feel rather silly saying aloud. But how else can you describe this type of pretty, well-kept heterosexual man that you see everywhere? After all, the word "dandy" isn't much nicer, is it?
You meet somebody who seems like just what you want. They're good-looking, funny, intelligent, and share a lot of your interests. The only problem is...they don't feel the same way about you. Or if they do, it doesn't translate into the physical attraction you feel for them. Having strong feelings for somebody who doesn't share them is painful - and it happens to all of us.
We've all dated "totally inappropriate" people who Mom was convinced were just "not good enough" for us. And while we, of course, will always love Mom and respect her views on our relationships, sometimes she can be wildly unfair. Mom will always see us as a baby - her baby - and it may take a lot to get her to feel enthusiastic about the people we date.
