I have been a little surprised by the amount of people who read my blog post (almost 1000 so far!) last week about my new dating challenge. And it has been amazing to see all the love and support that everyone has been sending! I have had people stop me at every turn wishing me luck, asking for more information, and telling me how excited they are to read about it.
One comment that has been coming up a lot is, most people are surprised I am willing to be so open about my dating life and struggles. I try to be a fairly open person, so this doesn't seem any different to me. I don't think I am going through anything that thousands of other people aren't going through right now as well. If reading about my journey (did you know I hate when people use the word "journey"? Story for another time, but sadly, there wasn't a better word for me to use) helps even one person, then it is worth it for me.
So yes, I will be pretty open about all of this. I will tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly about dating. Hopefully it at least makes you smile :)
Last week, I had my first official meeting with my dating coach Lauren. Her main goal is to work with her clients about what is holding them back from being in a successful relationship. The LDS Matchmaker has a lot of success stories, and it isn't just because they introduce you to great people (Which they do. Seriously, quality people), but that they want you to be in a loving, healthy and successful relationship. By working with their entire staff, and in particular a dating coach, you can learn and grow into a truly dateable person!
I showed up for my appointment with Lauren and was a little taken aback. Lauren is hot. She's not just pretty, she's hot. And that can be intimidating to any woman. Thankfully, she is also warm, inviting, and truly wants to help you succeed in relationships.
I'm on the left, Lauren is on the right.
Sorry guys, she is super married.
So what is a dating coach you ask? Essentially, it's like having your own personal dating therapist. Except not the kind of therapist that sits there and listens while you whine about being single and says things like "And how does that make you feel?". She's the kind who asks you what it is you are looking for and she makes a game plan, heck, she even gives me homework!
I got lots of amazing information during our meeting (don't worry, I'll go into more detail about them in future blog posts), but I want to share with you the one that made the most impact on me. She had me tell her what my main priorities were in my life, and then put them in order. Mine came out like this;
Work
Self Improvement (broken into sub categories)
Financial
Spirituality
Appearance/Weight
Health/Diet
Marriage
Social Life
Community
Family
Then she asked me to take the next week and figure out how much time per week I was devoting to each of these priorities. The next step, was to figure out how much money I am putting towards each of these.
This was an awesome way to show if I was truly committed to improving, or just talking about it. It made me sit down and really figure out if something is my #2 priority, why is it getting the least amount of my time and attention? It made me readjust my mindset in a really positive way.
I left my first meeting with her feeling more hopeful and excited about dating than I had in years! I wanted to improve myself and meet that special someone, and now I had help to do it!
*I want to address the main comment I get over and over again when people ask me about the LDS Matchmaker, "but it seems so expensive". That is a completely valid point. Her services are not Wal-Mart prices, but neither is the quality. Sure, you can buy every self help dating book on the market, and they have some really great information in them. What I love about this program is that it holds you accountable. A book can get put on a shelf and easily forgotten, but when you work with the team, they will not be forgotten (I dare you to try, they will find you). You are making a commitment to improving yourself and they are worth the cost and effort!*
If you are ready for more information about the LDS Matchmaker and her team, you can visit her website at http://www.theldsmatchmaker.com/ or ask me for more information :)
