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Showing posts from October, 2025

How to Stop Getting Stood Up in Dating

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Tired of being stood up in dating? Learn how to set clear expectations, confirm plans with confidence, and attract people who show up. — A few years ago, I spent a Sunday afternoon all dressed and ready for my first date with a hot guy with a sexy accent from Liverpool.  Hair done, cute outfit on, butterflies in my stomach, I waited for his call before leaving for the restaurant. We had texted earlier in the week about meeting for brunch, but as the clock ticked past the meeting time, there was no call, no message… nothing. At first, I kept checking my phone. Maybe he was running late? Maybe traffic? After 30 minutes, I called and it went straight to voicemail. I realized what had happened. I’d been stood up, and he blocked me! I was mortified at first. But then, I picked myself up and went for a walk. An hour later, I had clarity. I would figure out how to not be stood up again. Since then, I’ve learned how to set things up clearly, calmly, and confidently so there’s no con...

How People-Pleasing Is Ruining Your Relationships (and your first dates)

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People-pleasing is ruining your relationships…and your dates. In this episode, you’ll discover how to stop the disease to please. — Did you know that people-pleasing can ruin your relationships and your dates? Darshana Avila is a trauma-informed somatic educator, practitioner and international speaker who helps women reconnect with the most essential aspects of themselves — their truth, their desires, and their capacity for profound pleasure and power. Her work has been featured on Netflix’s Sex, Love & Goop, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and numerous leading podcasts. In this episode of Last First Date Radio: What makes her body of work, Erotic Wholeness, different from many people’s ideas about sex, intimacy and relationship coaching How people-pleasing shows up in intimate relationships, including in the dating process, and why it’s so problematic Some ways to unwind these patterns Examples of how clients have transformed from people-pleasing in the bedroom to having ...

How to Tame Your Inner Critic: 6 Steps to Quiet the Voice That Holds You Back

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Learn 6 powerful steps to tame your inner critic, build self-compassion, and reconnect with your wiser self. — We all have one, that relentless inner voice that tells us we’re not enough. Not smart enough. Not attractive enough. Not lovable enough. It’s the voice that second-guesses our choices, compares us to others, and whispers that we’re bound to fail. Unfortunately, you can’t just abolish that pesky Inner Critic. It’s been with you for decades, and in its own twisted way, it’s tried to keep you safe from rejection, embarrassment, or disappointment. But you can learn to tame that sucker. Here’s how to begin. 6 Steps to Tame Your Inner Critic Step 1: Notice What’s Happening Start by becoming aware of when your Inner Critic shows up. What triggers it? What does it say? Stay curious, not judgmental. The key is to remember that your Inner Critic is just a part of you that was trying to help. It’s definitely not the best parts of you. It’s like a radio station that plays on r...

Why Dating Apps Feel Broken (and how to date more intentionally)

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What’s wrong with dating apps today? Discover how to overcome dating app issues – and learn how to date more successfully. — Dating apps can feel broken due to choice overload, which leads to shallow connections and difficulty committing. Ready for something that’s more intentional? My podcast guest, Ludovic Huraux is CEO of Amata, an AI matchmaking app designed for intentional daters. His first dating platform in Paris led to more than 2,000 weddings, and he later founded Shapr, a networking app that connected millions before its acquisition. He has dedicated his career to helping people build meaningful connections, both romantic and professional. In this episode of Last First Date Radio: Lessons from helping 2,000+ couples find lasting love, and what it taught him about real compatibility Why today’s dating apps feel broken, and how people can date more intentionally How to get AI to think like a human matchmaker, and what early insights from Amata reveal about modern dati...

Letting Go of the Need to Be Liked in Dating

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Discover how to shift from seeking approval and the “need to be liked” in dating to creating genuine, lasting connection. — If you’ve ever left a date wondering, Did he like me? instead of Did I like him? — you’re not alone. Many of us, especially women who grew up being taught to be “nice” and accommodating, fall into this trap. We show up on dates subtly (or not so subtly) trying to win approval — smiling through awkward silences, nodding through opinions we don’t agree with, or downplaying what we really want. It’s understandable. Being liked feels safe. It quiets that old fear of rejection and gives us a hit of validation. But here’s the problem: when you prioritize being liked over being real, you create connection on shaky ground. Real connection only happens when you let yourself be known. Why We Do It The need to be liked often comes from early conditioning — to keep the peace, to avoid conflict, to be “good.” Add in the vulnerability of dating later in life, and t...

Dating After 50: How to Develop Secure Attachment and Build Deeper Connections

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Learn practical steps to develop secure attachment. Discover how to calm triggers, express needs, and choose healthier relationships. — If you’ve spent decades navigating relationships—marriages, partnerships, dating, or even long stretches of independence—you may have noticed certain patterns in how you connect. Maybe you get anxious when someone pulls away, or you shut down when things feel too close. These patterns aren’t about “what’s wrong with you”. They’re about attachment styles. The good news? Attachment style isn’t fixed. Even in midlife and beyond, you can slowly, gently rewire yourself toward secure attachment. It’s not a light switch. It’s a process. And it begins with how you relate to yourself . Here are five steps to develop secure attachment. How to Develop Secure Attachment and Build Deeper Connections 1. Notice Your Triggers With Compassion Pay attention to your body’s signals when you feel unsettled. Maybe your chest tightens when a call doesn’t come, o...