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Showing posts with the label Relationship

Trading the “Perfect” Life for a Real One

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Jane Garnett traded her so-called perfect life for an authentic one. Listen to her story in this episode of Last First Date Radio. — Jane Garnett is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with nearly 20 years in practice and the author of the memoir, This Time with Feeling (May 2026). Her work focuses on helping people get unstuck, particularly during life transitions where things look “right” on the outside but don’t feel aligned internally. In this episode: That moment when you realize you need to let go of the “perfect life” to have an authentic life Why so many people feel stuck, even when they’ve done everything “right” How to tell the difference between a phase of discomfort and a life that truly needs to change Our “inherited scripts” and how they shape the lives and relationships we end up in EP 715: Jane Garnett – Trading the “Perfect” Life for a Real One Highlights from this episode Auth...

Do I Even Want to Date Again? How to Figure Out What You Really Want

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“Do I want to date again? Is it worth the effort at 68 years old?” I answer this dating dilemma here and on the podcast. — I’m so excited to introduce something new here at Last First Date: Dating Dilemmas . Readers and listeners submit their real dating questions and dilemmas, and I answer a selection of them right here on the blog, and on Last First Date Radio as video and audio episodes. If you have a dating dilemma you’d love answered, submit yours here: https://tinyurl.com/datingdilemma Our first Dating Dilemma comes from a woman who sent in this question: “How do I determine if I even want to date or have another relationship? 68 years old, two marriages (24 and 10 years). A few long term relationships. Last one ended over a year ago. I am financially secure and have some good friends. Like having my own space. I do miss intimacy but that is not guaranteed with men in my age range. Every time I start to prepare to go on the...

How the Alpha Male Mindset Sabotages Relationships

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How is the alpha male mindset sabotaging dating and relationships? Listen to Dave Rossi, a recovering alpha male who remarried after changing how he approached dating. — Dave Rossi is the author of Alphas Die Early: For the Man on a Mission—And the Women Who Love Him and the #1 bestselling book The Imperative Habit: 7 Non-Spiritual Practices Towards Spiritual Behavior – For Happiness, Health, Love, and Success. Dave’s work challenges outdated models of masculinity and success, guiding men to move beyond performance and into authenticity, emotional strength, and purpose. His perspective helps individuals build deeper, more meaningful relationships by aligning how they live with who they truly are. In this episode: Why the alpha male mindset is sabotaging dating and relationships How to date with more discernment The importance of defining your values and boundaries when dating Why difficult conversations are crucial to intimate relationships ...

5 Surprising Benefits of Having Difficult Conversations

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There are so many reasons you should be having difficult conversations in dating and relationships. Here are the top five. — Most of the conversations we talk about in the world of dating and relationships focus on what can go wrong when things get hard. And there is good reason for that. Conflict handled poorly does real damage. But I want to focus on what happens when a hard conversation goes well, because in my experience, that outcome is far more powerful. And the benefits of having these conversations, the real ones that matter to you, are worth understanding clearly before you talk yourself out of having them. Here are five things that can genuinely shift when you learn to speak up. 1. You Discover Whether the Relationship Works for You One of the most important things a difficult conversation does is give you real information about the person you’re with. How does he respond when you tell him something he might not want to hear? ...

How to Overcome Limerence and Find Real Love

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How can we overcome limerence and find true love? Amanda McCracken wrote a fabulous book on this topic. Tune in to the pod to learn more. — Do you want to overcome limerence and finally have a healthy relationship? My podcast guest, Amanda McCracken, wrote the book on how to stop infatuation to find authentic love. She’s a journalist passionate about experiences that highlight the intersection of wellness, travel, and relationships. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, Vogue, and many others. She is considered a “limerence expert” and intimacy advocate. Her 2023 TED Talk, “How Longing Keeps Us From Healthy Relationships,” and her podcast, The Longing Lab, highlight how longing can become self sabotaging and shares how to change our patterns of longing. McCracken is also a part-time university instructor, massage therapist, triathlon coach, and competitive athlete.  In this episode: The key characteristics of limerence ...

The Silent Truth: Why We’re So Afraid of Speaking Up

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If you’re afraid of speaking up when you have something important to say, this is for you. Have difficult conversations with more ease. — Ask someone why they haven’t had a particular conversation yet and they will almost always have a perfectly logical explanation. The timing wasn’t right. He seemed tired. She was in a good mood and I didn’t want to ruin it. I needed more time to sort out my own feelings first. I wanted to wait until things were more serious. All of these feel reasonable in the moment. And that is exactly what makes avoidance so hard to recognize in ourselves. Our brains are good at generating excuses for staying quiet. Understanding why we avoid difficult conversations is the first step toward changing the pattern. Below are five of the most common reasons, and what each one is really telling us. 1. The Fear of Rejection Feels Like Protection For many of us, the deepest fear underneath a difficult co...

The Shocking Psychology of Nice Guy Syndrome

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Nice guy syndrome: why trying to please everyone is making men weaker. Tune into the pod to learn more from the Therapy Brothers! — Why do so many men think being the “nice guy” is a good thing? Meet the Therapy Brothers, licensed clinicians and brothers Brannon and Tyler Patrick, redefining mental health and modern masculinity. Through their popular podcast and clinical work, they break down complex psychological barriers into actionable advice on trust, betrayal, addiction, and emotional resilience. With humor, heart, and refreshing honesty, they tackle relationship dynamics, trauma healing, and the ‘why’ behind our habits. Get ready to dive deep. In this episode: How “Mr. Nice Guy” isn’t actually nice Why men become the “nice guy” How the nice guys can break the pattern of people-pleasing The connection between nice guy syndrome and addiction EP 712: The Therapy Brothers – The Shocking Psychology of Nice Guy Syndrome ...

The Cost of Staying Quiet When You Need to Speak Up

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When you need to speak up, the cost of staying quiet is greater than the risk of getting hurt. Here are five reasons why this is true. — There is a woman I think about often. She had been seeing someone for four months. She wanted to know where things were headed, whether he was still dating other people, and whether he saw a future with her. Every time she thought about bringing it up, she found a reason to wait. He was in a good mood, and she didn’t want to change that. Or he seemed stressed about work, so the timing felt off. Or things were going so well that she convinced herself she didn’t need to ask at all. Four months into the relationship, she found out he had been seeing someone else the entire time. The conversation she kept postponing had cost her four months of emotional investment and the chance to make a clear-eyed decision about her own life. I hear versions of her story every single week. The details change, but the pattern is the ...

How Women Are Redefining Intimacy and Dating Standards

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How are women today redefining intimacy and dating standards? Listen to this episode with Morgan Hewett to find out! — How are women redefining intimacy and dating standards?Morgan Hewett is a second-time founder and Harvard Business School MBA building Devin, an AI powered vibrator + erotic audio experience for women. She previously founded and sold a generative-AI health tech startup and now focuses on modern dating, female desire, and why women are rewriting the rules of relationships in the AI era. In this episode: Why so many successful women opt out of conventional dating How to tell the difference between loneliness and desire for a partner The role of technology in emotional and sexual fulfillment Mindset shifts to date with confidence EP 702: Morgan Hewett – How Women Are Redefining Intimacy and Dating Standards Highlights from this episode What is Devin? Morgan Hewitt, Harvard MBA, is the founder of Devin (A...

How to Tell the Difference Between a Red Flag and a Trigger

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What’s the difference between a red flag and a trigger? If you don’t know, you might be sabotaging your love life. Learn more here. — You’re dating someone new. Things are going well; great chemistry, fun dates, real connection. And then he says something that stops you cold. Maybe it’s “I get bored easily.” Suddenly, your mind is off to the races. Does he mean he’ll get bored with me? Is he already losing interest? Is this a red flag I should have caught sooner? Before you spiral, I want to ask you something important: Is this actually a red flag or is it a trigger? Because there’s a big difference, and confusing the two could cause you to walk away from someone wonderful. The Story That Started This Conversation A woman in my community shared something that so many of us can relate to. She’d been on a first date where the man said, “I get bored easily.” She flagged it ment...

How to Create a Breakup Plan (When You’re Happy)

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Create a breakup plan with your partner when you’re happy together? Yes, it’s like relationship insurance. Here’s how to create yours. — A breakup plan? I know. It sounds a little crazy. You’re in love! Why would you plan for things to end? Hear me out — because this isn’t about being pessimistic. It’s about being realistic, respectful, and emotionally mature. When you’re happy and grounded, you’re more compassionate and clear. That’s exactly when you want to have the harder conversations. Because when you’re not happy — when you’re activated or hurting — that’s when things tend to get messy. And fast. Making a breakup plan is like relationship insurance. You hope you never need it. But if you do? You’ll be so grateful it’s there. Here’s how to get started… Most relationships don’t end because people didn’t love each other. They end because of unmet needs, miscommunication, or unresolved conflict. A breakup plan helps you prevent some of that — and helps you walk aw...

Seven Words That Can Change Your Life

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Jerry Giordano wrote a book about seven words that can change your life. Find out what they are in this episode of Last First Date Radio! — Did you know that seven words can change your life? Jerry Giordano is an award-winning advertising copywriter/Creative Director working and living in NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Austin and Dallas. He is a co-producer of TEDx events, penned four screenplays, studied comedy at Chicago’s Second City, and performed sketch comedy in NYC and LA. He collects old cameras, photographs manhole covers, is a JFK assassination nut, meditates, and lives in the moment. He’s also the author of Your 7 Words to a Happier You; unlock the story sabotaging your relationships .  In this episode: What is “Your 7 Words to a Happier You” about? What does “unlock the story sabotaging your relationships” mean? What the discovery of the 7-word sabotaging story done for relationships  What the 7 words have to do with getting into one dysfunctional or narciss...

7 Ways to Build Chemistry on a First Date

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Here are seven ways you can build chemistry on a first date, especially if you don’t feel an initial spark. — Did you know if you don’t feel an initial spark on a first date, you can actually build chemistry? Let’s say you’ve been messaging someone on a dating app—you’ve been playful, curious, confident—and now you’ve got the first date locked in. That’s exciting! But now the nerves kick in. What do you wear? What do you say? How do you actually connect in person without feeling like you’re stuck in a job interview or awkwardly oversharing? Let’s break it down. Because a great first date isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being present , genuine , and unforgettable …and hopefully building chemistry one date a time. 7 Ways to Build Chemistry on a First Date 1. Set the Tone When You Set the Date First impressions don’t start when you walk in the door—they start with how you confirm the date. If you’ve ever been ghosted, you might worry that your match will not show up....