The kindest thing we can do in a relationship is to speak truth in a compassionate yet assertive way. However, most of us tend to avoid having hard conversations and the discomfort and unknown repercussions that can come with them. The following four scenarios are examples of why we tend to avoid hard conversations and […]

There are plenty of relationships that begin with the premise of hating former companions, that hate becomes their new bond. Some continue in that pattern with a steady diet of negative comments about those same formers. How does that serve the couple? Is that the kind of relationship you want? Through our own experience, we […]

We were often dismayed during our mid-single years when we heard criticism of people as a "player” or “serial dater." These terms were often applied to dating partners who were not ready to be exclusive after only a few dates or even a single encounter. We heard many singles say "I only date one person […]

Many women told me during my mid-single years that confidence in a man was sexy. I believe there is a survival function in female attraction to a confident man. A bold and confident man is a good protector and is more likely to discourage potential attackers and predators. The problem with this wisdom is that, […]

A reader of my weekly column in Meridian Magazine recently wrote in asking for "an article regarding the men/women that are left behind after many years of marriage. A stage that many of us have never gone [through] before of being alone." It's a good question. For me, the loneliness actually began before the formal […]

You want a peaceful co-parenting relationship right? In some cases, I hear divorcees say "I can't have a peaceful relationship with my former because [he or she] is an abusive narcissist." And it's quite true. There are some people who are so bitter and self-involved that they can't play nicely with others, no matter how […]

When I was a kid, my mom used to subscribe to "Woman's Day" and other women's magazines. She would leave these issues in the bathroom. Sometimes when I would go in to use the bathroom I would pick up one of these magazines and read an article. If you know anything about women's magazines, they […]

December 23, 2016, five years ago today, was one of those days when I said, like so many of you, "I hate dating!" It was the day Cathy broke up with me. I could tell it was coming for about a month. It had become increasingly obvious that her heart was not in our relationship […]

Christmas is a time for rejoicing and reunions. But for single parents and other mid-singles, it can be an all too poignant reminder of things we have lost or that we are missing out on. In 2016, I had one of those Christmases. My older son was on a mission and my younger son had […]