klub46

Mike's Dating Story


(Black Couch Tales)

Mike was completely stressed when he walked into my office last week. Taking a long drink of water, he slumped onto my black leather couch and sighed.

"Coach," he said. "I need to get out of my relationship."

Mike is 38 years old and a successful screenwriter. Mike was also perpetually single with a long history of failed relationships. His situation is typical: he wasn't necessary afraid of something long-term, he just could never find "the One". Mike could never stay in a romantic situation for long before moving to something new.

Today's session was no different. Once again he found himself feeling stuck with someone he didn't want to be with. He told me his story.

"I met Lexy about a year ago. I was at a bar and there she was. She looked awesome and had a great smile. I was attracted and I just had to get to know her."

For Mike it always started with physical attraction. He continued, "We really hit it off. The next thing you know, we are heavily involved. Things were great at least?the first six months were a blast?really fun. I think I gained ten pounds though. My buddy calls it the Love Diet. You stop going to the gym, order in, and stay in bed day and night."

Mike's enthusiasm began to fade as he said, "After the first six months things slowly started to change. We started to get to know each other outside of the bedroom. The more we talked, the more I realized that I had nothing in common with her. And to be honest?this is sort of rough to admit?I wasn't interested in a thing she had to say."

"Our relationship became tense at worst and polite at best. Little things started to bug me. The way she chewed her food drove me insane. The way she laughed?it was this high-pitched squeal that I think only dogs could hear?it made me nuts."

He sighed. "I'm getting on her nerves too. Last week Lexy nearly shoved me out of bed because she said I was snoring too loud."

Mike straightened up and locked eyes with me. "We need to break up and it's been a long time coming anyhow. I'm okay with that. But what I really need to figure out is: what the heck is going on in my relationships? It's always the same. Is it me? Am I meeting the right women? I'm 38 and I still haven't figured it out."

Dating often starts as a chance meeting where physical attraction leads us to relationships we "end up in" rather than a choice we stop and think about. We get caught up in the excitement of meeting someone new. We give in to the rush!

But eventually the "chemical reaction" of attraction begins to sputter. The excitement fades and we often find ourselves with a person we don't know that well. In Mike's case, he realized he was with someone he couldn't stand to be around.

This leads us to online dating. There are aspects of character and personality that will create a bond beyond the initial stage of attraction, and online dating allows us to go beyond the chance meeting, beyond the physical attraction. We can search out potential matches that we might never meet in our everyday lives. With the click of a mouse we have access to a wealth of information: interests, hobbies, passions, lifestyle, beliefs, and more.

Online dating allows us to approach dating from an entirely different angle. Instead of getting to know someone from the outside-in, we can establish a relationship from the inside-out.

Does this "more informed" method your romantic life lead to a more compatible and satisfying relationship? Unfortunately the answer is "No!"

Just like physical attraction alone isn't enough to carry a long-term relationship, having things in common alone won't satisfy you. You still need physical attraction. You may find tons of people online who will seem perfect. Then you meet face-to-face and you know in a split-second that this person is not for you. You never really know what will happen until you meet.

But imagine if you are attracted! The reason you decided to meet in the first place was because you have things in common and your personalities meshed. You've already laid the foundation to take your dating beyond the physical.

What online dating really offers is opportunity to find and communicate with lots of people with whom we share common interests and qualities. It's not the holy grail of dating, but it's an excellent way to increase your chances of finding something long-term.

You may still have to go on many dates to find your match, but that is why the Internet is so exciting! There are always new people to find, and always the opportunity for that next date.

Mike is currently online dating and loving it! I encourage you to give it a try for yourself.

About the Author

Devlyn Steele ("America's Leading Life-Coach") is a Relationship Coach, Life Coach. A Columnist as well as radio host. Devlyn has also developed ToolsToLife.com. As a Relationship-Coach Devlyn has created the http://www.OnlineDatingKit.com which teaches Internet daters the skills they need to find their perfect matches on their own and offers a complementary e-book at no cost on "How To Choose The Right Dating Site For You."


MORE RESOURCES:

TIME

Does Online Dating Make It Harder to Find 'the One'?
TIME
Why online dating is great for meeting lots of people, but not necessarily the one you want. By Alice Park | @aliceparkny | February 7, 2012 | + Everyone knows someone who met their spouse online. A friend of mine whom I hadn't seen in years told me ...
Researchers say dating websites make poor CupidsColumbus Dispatch
Internet Cupids often miss their markReuters
Online Dating Isn't the Likely Route to Mr. or Ms. Right: StudyWall Street Journal (blog)
The Atlantic -Washington Post -CNN
all 133 news articles »


Daily Californian

Prevent dating violence in February
Daily Californian
By Anna Johnson February is the commemorative month for Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention. The importance of recognizing and addressing these issues has been highlighted by the recent spattering of high profile domestic violence cases: ...
Cranston Senator Honored for Teen Dating Violence Prevention WorkPatch.com
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Kicks OffHuffington Post
"Love What's Real" February's National Teen Dating Violence Awareness ...Sun Valley Online.com
Noozhawk -Boston.com
all 12 news articles »


New Tech Can Track Where You Look On Dating Sites
WebProNews
Dating sites can be a wealth of information for those looking for that special someone. The looking part is being studied by Tobii to determine what men and women spend their time looking at on dating profiles. Tobii in collaboration with their ...
How to Catch Your Valentine's Eye: Online Dating Eye-Tracking Study Reveals ...MarketWatch (press release)
Tobii's Eye-Tracking Tech Knows What You're Eyeing on Dating SitesAll Things Digital

all 11 news articles »


Daily Mail

Favorite people: Kim Kardashian isn't dating New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez
OregonLive.com
By The Oregonian Those rumors that Kim Kardashian was secretly dating New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez – as if publicity-savvy Kim Kardashian does much of anything in secret – turned out to be just rumors. She also isn't dating New York Giants ...
Kim Kardashian's Latest Resolution – Never Dating Footballers AgainDaily Gossip
Kim Kardashian dating footballer Mark Sanchez?Emirates 24/7
Kim Kardashian has no interest in dating any more football playersamNY
PopBytes (blog) -Daily Mail -24hourhiphop
all 7 news articles »


ABC News

Online Dating: Popular and Stigma Is Gone, but Don't Pay for It
ABC News
Ilana Friedman has met some losers using online dating sites -- so many that the New York City singer has created an entire cabaret act around her experiences, called "Kissing Frogs." First there was the 29-year-old her mother found on The JMom.com ...

and more »


RTT News

Kim Kardashian Says She's Not Dating New York Jets Quarterback
RTT News
"Dating rumors are always fun when you don't even know the people [you're] supposedly linked to. Who makes this stuff up?" Kim wrote to her fans and friends. Kardashian famously married and divorced NBA star Kris Humphries last year taking in millions ...
Kris Humphries Single, But Not Ready to MingleTMZ.com
Weekend Rumor Mill: Kim Kardashian Dating Mark Sanchez, Michael Fassbender ...Hollywire
Report: Kim Kardashian Isn't Dating Mark SanchezExtra TV
KBOI -Hollywood Life
all 316 news articles »


Vanessa Hudgens Talks About Dating, Gives Boys Advice On How To Approach Women
Manila Bulletin
By JANET SUSAN NEPALES LOS ANGELES – “Dating in general is tough,” revealed the lovely 23-year-old Fil-Am actress Vanessa Hudgens when we interviewed her. “It's about finding someone with whom you have the same beliefs with and if you have that and ...

and more »


Ninemsn

Zac Efron dating Lily Collins?
NDTV
PTI High School Musical actor Zac Efron is reportedly dating Lily Collins as the pair were spotted sneaking out of a Los Angeles restaurant together. The duo were spotted walking out the backdoor of the STK steakhouse in Los Angeles after enjoying an ...
Zac Efron is dating Phil Collins' hot daughter?Ninemsn
Lily Collins and Zac Efron spark dating rumorsSan Francisco Chronicle (blog)
Is Zac Efron Dating Taylor Lautner's Ex-Girlfriend?Gather Celebs News Channel
MTV UK -CTV.ca
all 91 news articles »


PR Web (press release)

Dating Expert's New Report Reveals How To Flirt With Women
PR Web (press release)
All to frequently, men look at dating as an isolated event. In other words, they are either being themselves or they are flirting and they keep these as two separate parts of their personalities,” says Carlos Xuma in a recent report.

and more »


Consumer officials warn about online dating scams
WRCB-TV
(AP) - State consumer officials are warning about the danger of online dating scammers. They say some fraud artists use online dating as a way to scam people out of their money. Spokesmen say that after a relationship is created, the frauds often ask ...

and more »

Google News

home | Clicky Web Analytics Clicky
© 2006