Do you see yourself as a driven, accomplished woman? If you’ve built a successful career but struggle to find the same fulfillment in love, it’s not because you’re unlovable. It may be that the mindset that serves you so well in business isn’t as effective in relationships. Professional success often relies on strategy, efficiency, and control, while love flourishes in patience, acceptance, and vulnerability—qualities that aren’t always rewarded in the workplace but are essential for deep, meaningful connections.
Melissa is successful and intelligent and considers herself a good catch. However, her relationships are short-lived and stressful. She can’t figure out why dating is so complex, and her relationships don’t work. She feels like a failure.
Melissa spent her twenties in post-graduate education, earning a law degree. She had no time for dating and put aside dreams of starting a family to focus on her career. In her late thirties, Melissa began online dating. She thought she’d found the one more than once, but the relationships fizzled out after a few weeks of dating. Melissa feels lonely and unfulfilled. Until now, she relied on her achievements for happiness. Now she longs for a more profound sense of contentment with her life.
Melissa asks for my help. She is surprised to discover that the key to attracting a loving relationship begins with cultivating a loving relationship with herself. She’s unsure how to be her own best friend or how that would help her attract love.
I ask her to think about the way she treats herself. Is she patient and gentle? She realizes that she frequently pushes herself beyond her limits because of her career. Moreover, she scolds herself when she’s not performing to her high standards. She’s used to talking to herself with criticism rather than with acceptance. Melissa thinks of herself as a successful attorney, but I challenge her to think beyond that characterization and think of herself in a deeper context.
I ask Melissa to think about her essence. Essence is the core nature or most important quality of a person. It’s referred to as your soul, spirit, or heart. Ironically, the more attached you are to the persona you display to the world, the less aware you are of your true essence. Discovering your essence leads you to the pure joy of being. Then you can play, create and connect to your inner child.
Your essence is a boundless spiritual being. You are spirit in body.
Being your own best friend is the most important relationship you can have. A friendship with yourself allows you to be who you are, rather than trying to be someone you’re not. It means that you are patient and forgiving with yourself. It means accepting yourself as a beautiful being rather than focusing on your perceived flaws.
So, how does building a loving relationship with yourself help you with dating and relationships? Paradoxically, it lessens the stress of finding a romantic relationship. When you can be content with being single, you’re less likely to start a relationship out of neediness. People are attracted to you when they can sense the peace you have within yourself. You will feel more comfortable being vulnerable and creating a heart-to-heart connection with another person.
Moreover, when you are your own best friend, you’ll be less critical and controlling of your partner and more accepting and appreciative of them. Rather than telling them what they should or shouldn’t do, you’ll let them be who they authentically are.
So how can you start to have a more loving relationship with yourself? Here are a few suggestions.
Get in touch with Elizabeth! She is a Dating and Relationship Coach. Elizabeth mixes wisdom borne from her past relationship challenges and the tools she uses in her 18-year relationship to enable you to meet the right person and build a loving relationship. Elizabeth holds a Liberal Arts Degree from St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX; she is a Certified Dating, Relationship, and Life Coach and a Certified Feng Shui Consultant. You can contact Elizabeth at truelovecoach@gmail.com or call or text her at (512) 922-4822. From Elizabeth, “I am passionate about helping people gain insight into their inner world so that they can transform behavior patterns that unconsciously hinder them from love.”