Tag Archives: Single life & Sex

Oct3

Question number 10: Why are men slow when it comes to asking me out?

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Dear Louise, 

I am a beautiful single woman and I am tired of it.  I know a lot of guys but none of them are asking me out.  I know for a fact that there are one or two who are attracted to me but they are not making any moves.  What is up with guys nowadays?  I feel like they are lazy, or too intimidated to ask me out.  What is the deal?

Sincerely,

Tired

Dear Tired,

Come my child… Let me give you a hug… There, there little one.  All will be well.  I want to start by apologizing for the late reply.  I recently relocated to NYC and the move was a little bit hectic.  Yet I have missed you, my readers much!  Ok, back to your question.  Unfortunately, yours is a common problem.  I have heard countless complaints about women who feel like they are left on a shelf somewhere constantly overlooked by men and I want you to know that my heart goes out to you.  There is a group of strong, independent, beautiful women who are perplexed because they are still single and rightly so. If you are the package, (beautiful, educated, employed, intelligent, funny, kind, you name it…) why are you single???  This is mind-boggling…  Well I have been talking to my group of male confidants to find an answer and I will share with you some of the things I have found out…

1. Men are confused

Why are men confused, you ask?  because you are sending mixed signals!  I said it!  Don’t bother to deny it!  Yes you are!!!  Listen, you walk into a room you notice him immediately and you know he notices you. You become excited then you begin to play what I call ‘crazy games’.  He tries to say hi to you but you ignore him.  You let him say hi to you but you spend the bulk of your time talking to everyone but him.  You put him in the friend zone.  You say mean things to him.  Why?  Because this is your version of playing “hard to get”.  Heaven forbid he would think that you were open.  He might mistake it for being easy.  Should you be easy?  Of course not!  But I think that the definitions of easy and hard to get needs to be looked at again.  Ask yourself, what should being easy or playing hard to get look like in my life?

2. Men are realistic

Before a guy approaches you he studies you and pretty much knows if you are ready to be approached by him for real.  Its kind of scary what he knows about you by the time he  has a serious conversation with you. He may already know that you wouldn’t give him the time of day because he doesn’t dress right or present himself like the guy he knows you actually have a crush on… Do you know that there is a a group of men who feels like they are on the shelf as well?  this is because a lot of women are too busy chasing mr. popularity, mr. dress well/looks fine, mr. deep voice tall man with shiny shoes and he knows for a fact that he doesn’t fall within that category.  Why bother if you know you are wasting your time.  It’s not realistic. That’s what he said…

3. Men are intimidated

I know, I know… Steve Harvey has asked us to switch the word out for ashamed.  In his book, “Act Like a Lady Think Like a Man”  he mentioned that a man might feel shame because he doesn’t feel like he is at the level he needs to be to court a woman like you and I agree with him. However, I don’t know if shame encompasses everything.   When he look at someone he is interested he sees you as high and exalted.  Sometimes women can be scary.  Especially if they don’t-need-a-man-for-anything!  I was talking to a male friend of mine the other day and he shared with me that men wanted to be the ‘Hero’ in the life of the women they loved.  He wants to be able to save the day for her, but we live in a place where unfortunately a lot of women are not allowing men the chance to be there for them.  Here’s an example…  I was in room filled with people at an event that just ended.  The event coordinators were primarily women – beautiful women.  They began the clean up process which included breaking down tables and putting chairs away.  When a few of them went lift a table a few men volunteered to help.  They instantly said no that they had it under control.  I watch the men insist (you could tell they wanted to do something nice for these ladies) but the ladies insisted vehemently that they “Have got this”.  Attention Ladies: If a man wants to be chivalrous please, Please, PLEASE let them. Get used to having the opposite sex cater to you.  Not just your romantic partner, your father, uncle, brother, male friend, neighbor.  Enjoy the perks of being a woman.  We all know that you can do it for yourself.  Everyone knows that you are more than capable of handling anything that comes your way, but isn’t it nice when someone else steps in and helps out just because they want to be nice.. to you???  I have seen women become so angry over a man trying to be polite that he gave up.  it’s intimidating to try to swim through all of that force.  Be careful that your wonder woman persona doesn’t get in the way of love.  To everything there is a season.  There’s a time to give and a time to receive.  I beg of you, please, when the opportunity comes, receive gracefully.

Ok… I think I have said enough for now.

I will leave you with this quote. “You don’t have to be perfect to let somebody love you. Remember, being yourself is the best way to make somebody fall in love with you.”  -Unknown

All the best,

Louise

Have any advice?  Share it!  If you have any comments, feel free to post them below.  Any questions can be sent to lifeaccordingtolouise1@gmail.com

Aug29

Question number nine: Where are the single men over thirty?

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English: Love Question

Dear Louise,

Congratulations on your blog.  I pray that God blesses you to have a lot of success!  Here is my question.  Please be patient as I try to explain myself.  When I was younger, I was always told that when I grow up, I will get married to the man God has chosen for me.  I became and adult and that man never came.  As I grew older, I went from the don’t-worry-just-wait-on-God club to the 20 questions interrogation Are-you-looking?-Did-you-make-a-list?-Did-you-pray-about-this?-Did-you-fast-and-pray? club to receiving pitying-glances-from-across-the room-because-she-never-got-married club. I’ve experienced being patronized, looked down on, disrespected and laughed at from others because of my singleness.  But the worst is when someone acts as if all of my emotions and life has dried up and died because of my age.  I actually heard a person say, that I no longer have romantic feelings because I am old.  I am in my thirties!  I heard this pastor say that some of us will never get married especially if we are older because the women outnumber the men and we need to just ‘deal with it’. On that note, where are the men???  I felt like the pastor was saying, ‘get over it already!’ Is it too late for me?  Should I just give up on love?  If so, what should I do with all these emotions and this deep desire to for companionship in the shape of a mate?   So, I wonder… Is that it for me?  Do I give up and accept my fate as a modern-day spinster?” (Yikes!  It makes me cringe just thinking about it). 

Thank you,

Still Single

Dear Still Single,

Don’t you dare give up!!!  Don’t you dare.  Not even a little bit!  There are still a lot of good single men out there who desire a deep committed relationship with a good woman. Yes even a woman who is in her thirties or above.  Honestly? I don’t believe that a woman is single because there is a lack of prospects  – I just don’t.  Is its easier to meet men when you are younger?  Yes, you definitely have more time and opportunities.  However as you get older, you become preoccupied with work and responsibilities. I know many examples of men and women whose social life took a backseat as they focused on building their careers and establishing financial security for themselves.  When you are over thirty you will have to become more creative in meeting like-minded individuals not because they do not exist.  They exist! Because they are busy with their lives. Trust me, they are wondering where you are as well.  So where are they?  I called some of my male friends to spill the beans and  here are three places where single men over thirty dwell…

1.  At work

I’ve met plenty of men who felt like they couldn’t get married until they were financially stable or until they felt they had all of their ducks in a row.   I find men to be very practical and responsible.  A good man knows that it marriage is expensive and deeply desires to be able to  provide for their family. This means a lot of time will be spent working on financial security, building status, making a name for himself… By the way, let me get on my soapbox for a moment… You wouldn’t believe the overwhelming self-esteem issues that some men have. It takes a lot of confidence to approach a woman & pursue something and to be in a relationship you do have to think that you have some thing to offer. Some guys don’t think they could maintain interest in a woman & consider themselves to be deficient. Therefore, they don’t bother until they feel like they are in a better position.

3. Online Dating Sites

As I said before, I find that men are extremely practical.  They look for the most logical and expedient way to get from point A to B. This makes online dating a very attractive solution.  From the comfort of their office or home, they could screen the opposite sex, take all the time they need to write a witty repartee, go out on dates and if it doesn’t work out rinse and repeat. The cool part is this – you can do this too!  Dating online today is widely accepted.  I now have lost count of how many couples I know who met online and are now married.  Make sure you proceed with caution (as you would in a face to face situation).  However, be open to letting go of fear and creating an authentic connection.  You just might be pleasantly surprised.

4. At home

Within the last few years I have been talking to more men about relationships which is always lots of fun.  However, on this journey, I came across a group of men that I don’t know where to place.  They are single and not dating.  They are not even trying to date…  They are not gay or a confirmed bachelor.  They want to be in a relationship, yet they are doing nothing about it!  I call them the sloth.  They go to work, they come home, they go to sleep and wake up the next morning to do it all over again.  They make no effort to meet, and connect with women. It’s like they gave up, maybe?  Very confusing…  I can’t give you more information about these gentlemen, but I intend to do more research and revisit this topic again.  I will say this, look around you.  In you circle of friends, in your neighborhood, in your church…  Is there anyone who’s just… there???  Find out why.  He may just be a diamond in the rough.  Again, many men are a lot  more shy than we might image.

I want you to be encouraged, this past year alone, I have had several of my female friends who are in their late thirties and early forties enter into relationships, got married, had children.  True story – It’s never too late!  I ask you to please, stay open and give “him” a chance.  I will leave you with this quote.

“If grass can grow through cement, love can find you at every time in your life.”
Cher

All the best,

Louise

I need YOUR Advice on this one! Please help.  If you have any comments, feel free to post them below.  Any questions can be sent to lifeaccordingtolouise1@gmail.com

Aug1

Question number six: How do I keep my family out of my relationship?

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Dear Louise,

I always wanted to marry a handsome, intelligent, dark skin African man and I did.  But coming from a different background (Caribbean) there were some prejudices that my family had against him.  They (parent & siblings) felt he was beholden to them because he should have felt privilege to be in a relationship with me.  This meant in their minds that he was supposed to make himself available to meet their needs (financial, errands, etc…) in addition to my own.  I want to tell my family that he is my husband not theirs, but I don’t want to be disrespectful.  I know that if I say the wrong thing I risk causing a level of drama where I would lose my husband and family.  What do I do?

-Nubian Queen

Dear Nubian Queen,

This is a sticky situation indeed!  When a member of a family get’s married it creates a change in the social dynamics which can be an emotional roller coaster for everyone involved.  Though a new spouse is an addition to the family, they are also taking away a beloved member.  Which needs to be done.  The bible says that a “man shall leave his mother and cleave to his wife” Gen 2:24.  In the process of acclimation, many assumptions will be made by all who are involved based on their personal world view.  If these worldview differ then there is a risk of encountering major problem.  As a sibling of someone who is married, I experienced mixed emotions. I loved the fact that my brother found his love and was getting married. I also had to mourn the loss of what once was.   I had to accept that there were certain things we couldn’t do anymore.  He had to shift priorities to make his wife come first and as a sister who loved him, I decided to give him my support.  Thankfully, he married a wonderful woman.  We were clear about our roles in each other lives, which made for a smoother transition. But what if there is not a clear understanding within a family about roles and boundaries when a member enters into a marriage? What should you do?  In a perfect world, you would have seen the signs and addressed them before you got married.  This is not the world we live in.  More often than not we have to backtrack and tweak and fix.  It looks like you might need to have some challenging discussions.  Here are some suggestions to help you along the way.

1. Find the gatekeeper:

Generally speaking, In every person plays a role in every social group.  It’s an unspoken agreement made between social units. This is clearly displayed in T.V. shows like friends.  Though in reality the differences in roles are a lot more subtle and in every group there is a gatekeeper. The one who has the most influence over the group.  This person is not always the loudest or the bossiest.  They are not necessarily the one starting trouble but when they speak, everyone listens and are converted.  Their power of influence in the group is bar none.  This person is critical because they normally would be able to understand where you are coming from and do something about it.  Provided, of course, if you communicate with them effectively.  Which is my next point.

2.  Communicate effectively:

You need to understand the language of the person you are speaking to.   This means you have to be able to put yourself in their shoes and see where they are coming from.  You might learn something!  Knowing their language is so important because it lets you know how to say what you need to say.  For example, there is a book called the five love languages, by Gary Chapman.  In it he explains that when it comes to communication, most people can be generally categorized into five categories.  The categories are words of affirmations, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.  Though this theory was developed initially for married couples he has since found that it could be applied to all relationships which brings me back to my point. If you understand them then you have a better chance of reaching them rather than saying  something that can turn them off.  When you do speak, articulate clearly what you want then re-enforce your words with behavior.  The next thing you can do is the following.

3. Give it time:

Once you have had the conversation, changed your behavior, you need to give everyone time to get used to the changes. You re-enforce your boundaries accordingly and continue as planned.  They may not like, you might get opposition, but eventually they will get used to the change.  Mind you, there are extreme cases where a relative refuses to budge on an issue.  It’s their way or the highway.  If you come across that type of behavior.  You have to make a decision about how much power they will be able to have over your life.  Then act accordingly.

I am not saying this will be easy.  This will probably be one of the hardest things you will ever have to do because everyone involved is important.  But you have to cut the cord (cut the figurative umbilical cord that keeps you as a child, not your actual family) if they are not willing.   Your marriage has to be given a chance to succeed.  In all honesty, there is no way I can give you a proper answer to your question because so many details are missing and I am not a marriage counselor. (now she tells me…) I would suggest in addition to what you have just read that you speak to your clergy or a person who has been married successfully for a long time.  Read books on the subject.  There is a lot of information out there.  But remember, you are no longer a child.  you have to deal with this as an adult and that means not ignoring the situation.  I will leave you with this quote.

“Other things may change us, but we start and end with family” Anthony Brandt 

All the best,

Louise

I know that more can be said on this subject.  So come on!  What do you think? Do you have any comments, or advice?  Feel free to post them!  I just ask that you remain respectful in what you say.   If you have any questions for me send them to lifeaccordingtolouise1@gmail.com.  I would love to hear from you!  Just remember, I am not a licensed therapist therefore not liable for any advice that is shared here. – Blessings!

Jul25

Question number five: How do I protect a new relationship from judgemental friends?

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Dear Louise,

My friends don’t like my boyfriend because he doesn’t meet their standards.  They say I can do better and laugh at the idea of us being together.  I love my boyfriend and think that he is the sweetest guy I ever met. I also love my friends. What should I do?

Conflicted

Dear Conflicted,

I don’t like the fact that your friends laughed at the idea of you being in a relationship with your boyfriend.  That is just rude!  You have the right to have friends and a boyfriend. However, if they are truly your friends, they love you and want the best for you.  Ideally, it would be great if everyone got along but sometimes that doesn’t happen even when all parties involved genuinely love each other (or in this case – you).  It’s during these moments  you need to lovingly but firmly clarify your boundaries through communication.  The following are some suggestions for you to do prayerfully…

1. Be clear about what you want 

You need to be clear about what you want in this situation.  Think about it.  What is it about your relationship that you love? Are you confident about where you stand in your relationship? Is that being expressed by you to the world? If you want to keep your boyfriend that is your decision and yours alone.  Others may express their opinions but they cannot force you to do anything without your permission. Also, ask yourself, ‘what kind of relationship do I want with my friends within the context of my love life?’ How much involvement will you allow?  Now you must understand that whatever behavior you expect from them you should expect give as well.  Whether you decided to stand your ground and stay in your relationship or breakup with your boyfriend then next thing you should do is this…

2. Re-enforce your boundaries

Once you make your decision stand by them unapologetically.  This is an issue of self-worth.  You should feel confident in your abilities to make a decision.  You also, want to be in a place where you are not bothered too much if your decision is not met with the full backing of your friends and loved ones.  I suggest you have a private conversation with your friends.  This situation might be resolved with a simple heart to heart conversation asking for support and respect. However, respectfully resolve yourself to live your life the way you decide if they choose not to deviate from their position.  When you are ok with yourself, the world tends to be ok with you. If not, you won’t notice, because it won’t matter.

3. Be open

It’s all about getting into a space where you can be open to think clearly and logically.  The truth is that there is a chance that  your friends might be right and your boyfriend is not worthy of your love.  If that is the case, these steps allows your mind to be clear enough to make rational observations and decisions.  When you reinforce your belief in your capabilities not only will you express yourself effectively, you will be able to listen effectively as well and appreciate it.  Your friends might point out some things that you haven’t noticed which may cause you to change your mind.

Please remember to engage with one another respectfully.  Remember that you love each other.  Come from a place of grace and understanding with the intention of resolving this issue.  I will leave you with this quote.

“Whenever, you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it.  That factor is attitude.”  William James

All the best,

Louise

I know that more can be said on this subject.  So come on!  What do you think? Do you have any comments, or advice?  Feel free to post them!  I just ask that you remain respectful in what you say.   If you have any questions for me send them to lifeaccordingtolouise1@gmail.com.  I would love to hear from you!  Just remember, I am not a licensed therapist therefore not liable for any advice that is shared here. – Blessings!

 
Jul18

Question number four: I’m dating an agnostic. If we marry, what will happen to our kids?

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“Dear Louise,

I am a Christian that is dating a great guy who is perfect in everyday except one… He is agnostic. If we get married, I want our children to be raised as Christians.  How should I go about approaching this situation?”

Sincerely,

Christian Lady

Dear Christian Lady,

I am glad you decided to tackle this issue while you are still dating.  Dating someone whose religious beliefs differs from yours heightens the challenges you already have in a relationship.  You say your a Christian, so I am assuming that you know about the scripture that says “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” 2 Cor 6:14. As a Christian I am also assuming that you are praying for God’s will in both your lives about this.  This, at its core, is an issue of compatibility. An ideal situation would be to marry someone who share your same core values and religious belief.  However, more and more singles are connecting with people not just of different faith but of questioning or no faith at all.  What is a single person to do?  Especially since women out number men in the church?  Since your question concerns how to approach your significant other to discuss a difficult topic I will offer the following response.  Pray a lot!  Make him a nice dinner and talk to him about it (you may have to revisit this topic a few times).  During this process, consider the following…

1. Level of respect of values

When you speak about your concerns to raise your children in a religious context, does he listen respectfully or does he show disdain?  Seriously, how does he feel about the fact that you are a Christian? Is that something about you that he would like to change or can he respect and honor your belief.  Are you comfortable talking to each other about challenging subjects such or do you avoid confrontation? On the flip side can you listen to him speak about his agnostic views without rolling your eyes or wanting to shut him down?  Are you hoping he will eventually change and be converted? If he doesn’t convert are the other elements in your relationship strong enough to keep you together? Does being a Christian dictate your lifestyle and can your lifestyle complement his ’til death do you part?

2. What are the terms for your agreement?

You want your children to be raised as Christians, but what does that mean?  What would that look like in you every day life?  Does it mean that you will take the kids to church every week while he stays home?  Does it mean that he will come with you and play the role of a Christian for the sake of the kids?  Does it mean that you can freely be a Christian and he can feel free to be an agnostic in front of the kids?  If Dad is free to be agnostic, how will you feel if your children decide they want to do what Dad does?  Can you live with that?  What kind of reaction of support would you want from your husband?  Does his feelings matter at all in any of this?  You may want to meet with a mediator or counselor to sort this out.

3.  If he doesn’t agree, then what?

Is this a deal breaker?  Can you stay with him or will you leave him? What kind of relationship are you looking for and does this meet your ideal?  Whether you come to some kind of agreement or not you should ask yourself why this is so important to you?  Is this really the only way? Are there no other solutions?

I have seen a few interfaith and faith-no-faith marriages that stood the test of time.  In all those instances someone always succumbed to the lifestyle of the other.  I think you have decided who that should be.  The question is whether or not he will feel the same way.

I will leave you with this quote:

“I have no way of knowing whether or not you married the wrong person, but I do know that many people have a lot of wrong ideas about marriage and what it takes to make that marriage happy and successful. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s possible that you did marry the wrong person. However, if you treat the wrong person like the right person, you could well end up having married the right person after all. On the other hand, if you marry the right person, and treat that person wrong, you certainly will have ended up marrying the wrong person. I also know that it is far more important to be the right kind of person than it is to marry the rightperson. In short, whether you married the right or wrong person is primarily up to you.”
— Zig Ziglar

Do you have any comments, or advice?  Feel free to post them!  I just ask that you remain respectful in what you say.   If you have any questions for me send them to lifeaccordingtolouise1@gmail.com.  I would love to hear from you!  Just remember, I am not a licensed therapist therefore not liable for any adverse reaction to this blog. You will get your answer based on life according to me – Louise.