Search results for: self love

“You can’t be a feminist and get married!” Ever heard that from someone else or in your own head? The idea that modern marriage excludes feminism is absurd and insulting. You should be free to make your own choices and have a wedding that fits your values, if a wedding is what you choose. Here are some helpful tips to get you thinking about how to make the feminist wedding of your dreams.

In a society that rejects us, feminism gives us is the revolutionary practice of self-care as a vehicle toward self-acceptance. But in the midst of a break-up, we often forget to prioritize that. So here is what you need to know about what’s happening with your brain chemistry during a break-up and how best to nurture yourself over the process.

Colonialism may feel far away in history, but do you know how it can affect your relationships today? These strategies will help you get out of the oppressive cycle.

The knight in shining armor who saves the damsel in distress: sound familiar? Probably, since it’s one of the most popular narratives in history. And it can lead to some pretty messed up thoughts on healthy relationships. If you consider being saved romantic, or saving someone else heroic, you may have a savior complex. And it may be ruining your relationship.

I hate to break it to you, but it’s possible your relationship is actually making you tired. Maybe you’ve been together a while or have fallen into a routine, but most likely it’s because you, your partner, or both of you have stopped feeling excited in your relationship. Want your relationship to keep you energized? Try out my four go-to techniques.

A balanced relationship in which all parties feel good, safe, valued, and loved is possible. Here are a few things to consider to make that happen.

Often, straight men become frustrated when they meet a woman who doesn’t trust them immediately. They’re frustrated that women impose a “guilty until proven innocent” mentality on all men. But there are reasons why women feel this way. If we can work to understand those reasons, we can learn how to work with her in a supportive role, if that’s what she wants.

So you’ve been reading about polyamory and have decided it’s something you want to try. Or maybe you’re still thinking about it, but don’t have a clear sense of where you’d even begin. It can take some time to figure out how polyamory works best in your life. Here are a few tips, guidelines, and things to consider for people just starting out in the poly world.

These days, little arguments usually simmer down, but that wasn’t always the case. The difference is how I behave when I’m in a quarrel. Here are a few things I’ve learned that allow me to prevent arguments from escalating, to keep myself from saying things that I later regret, and to maintain a good relationship with the person I’m frustrated with or hurt by.

Online dating has never been more popular, perhaps because it enables you to choose who you want to chat to. So throw the traditional dating rulebook out of the window and make the first move on the candidates on your hot list. If you fancy a date with someone, ask them! Read on for some tips for making the best out of your online dating adventures.

You’ve seen the statuses (“I said YES!”) and the ring selfies (“He put a ring on it!”). You’ve also memorized the jewelry store slogans. Everyone, it’s here. It’s engagement season. And if engagement season makes you contemplate a swift death, you’ve come to the right place. Put the chocolate and wine away, because here are some healthy ways to sift through the engagement season frenzy.

Whether you and your loved one are three hours away or three time zones away, you are in a long-distance relationship. In any healthy relationship, you should be honest and communicative, be open about your futures, support each other to be better people, and celebrate/evaluate your relationship on a regular basis. Distance should not change that.

I’ll be the first to admit that in the roster of my personal values, “tradition” and “convention” are solidly near the bottom of my list. Consequently, my gut reaction to engagement rings is bafflement. Of all the customs surrounding weddings, why is one of the most revered symbols of marriage a tangible reminder of the sexist history of the institution?

Whether it’s a minor, annoying habit or a downright socially problematic behavior, I’m sure your partner has done or said something that made you vomit in your mouth a little bit. It can be daunting to tell others how to treat you. But you owe it to your sense of self-worth and the stability of your relationship to communicate when your partner does something that upsets you.

“Crying forever,” I wrote on Facebook after updating my relationship status to Single. That’s how I felt – like the tears would never stop. I’d been through break-ups before; the pain didn’t last forever. But that’s hard to remember when you’re in the midst of it. It’s hard to remember that the only way out is through. So let me guide you through the layers of Hell known as The Stages of Grief.

I was raised to believe that I should only be with one person. Anything else wasn’t moral. But when you don’t know that it’s your birthright to love and express your emotions in whatever way your heart desires, how is one supposed to discover that there are infinite choices? I stumbled across the world of polyamory five years ago, and it has forever altered the way I see my connection with others.

As you lie alone in bed, exhausted from watching Love Actually on loop, you ask yourself: “When will I become normal again?” It’s not nice when people belittle the pain of a broken heart. We are conditioned to react to break-ups as one would to a hurricane. Sure, you’ll get over it eventually, but that can take years. So how can you handle the following lonely months? Here are some ideas.

It goes without saying that dating as a feminist is no easy feat. The dating compromises that one makes along the way can feel deeply at odds with your personal feminist politics. It can feel like you’re betraying feminism. But there are helpful ways to frame these challenges, and relieve some headache and heartache. Here are three of my tips to dating as a feminist.

Are feminists allowed to like Valentine’s Day? Of course we are. And we’re also allowed to not like it. Valentine’s Day teaches us to show love through consumerism when obligated by a holiday and in only heteronormative and gendered ways. At the same time, it can be fun and satisfying to celebrate the holiday in a way that reclaims celebrating loving relationships for ourselves.