by heartsdesireintl | Sep 24, 2013 | Communication, Dating, Heart's Desire International, Intimacy, Love, Marriage, Relationship Advice
by Gladys Diaz
I started my career as a teacher. I absolutely love knowing I’m making a difference in the lives of the people I teach – whether they be children, other educators, my own kids, or my clients. Helping someone discover something new that changes the way they see and understand things is one of the most rewarding feelings for me.
There is one person in my life, however, who doesn’t quite appreciate me “teaching” him: My husband.
See, for years, I didn’t realize that I was spending a lot of time trying to teach my husband how to eat healthier, dress better, or express his emotions in a more calm way. I didn’t realize that every time I began a sentence with “You should…,” “You shouldn’t…,” or “What I would do is…,” he was cringing inside! Why? Well, first of all, because, usually, he hadn’t asked me for my help! All of that unsolicited, “helpful advice” was coming across as condescending, and, while I thought I was coming from a helpful place, all he heard from me was criticism and correction – like I was trying to fix or change him.
And, you know what? He was right!
The truth is that, while I used the cloak of trying to be helpful or giving my honest opinion, when I gave my husband unsolicited advice, it was usually because I thought there was something he could or should be doing differently. Rather than respecting his way of doing things, I felt it was my duty to let him know how he could or should do it differently or better (a.k.a. my way).
Once I began realizing just how negatively this was impacting my relationship, in that my husband was withdrawing and resisting everything I suggested (to the point where it seemed he was purposefully doing the opposite of anything I said), I began making a real effort to think before speaking and to be totally honest with myself about why I felt the need to say something. Was it really about sharing my opinion – my unsolicited opinion – or was it because I was trying to change his mind about how he should do something. Once I began to catch myself, I was able to see that a lot of the time, it really was about me wanting him to do things my way. And it was costing me big time when it came to the intimacy in our relationship.
So, does this mean that as women in a relationship we never get to say what we think, how we feel, or what we want? Not at all!
My husband and I now have an agreement that if either one of us wants coaching or would like the other’s opinion, then we clearly make the request by saying something like, “I’d like your opinion…” or “I’d really like some coaching.” This request is crystal-clear and it helps both the person who is requesting the advice or coaching and the one doing the listening, because now, if I’m the listener, I know that there is a different way I should be listening to what he’s saying. If he’s not requesting my advice, I can just be a generous listener. And, even then, the only way I can really give my opinion or coaching is if I’m really listening to him and listening for what he is asking. If I’m only half-listening, or only thinking about what I’m going to say, chances are that what I end up saying may not be relevant to what he’s shared. And, even when he asks for my opinion, I like to ask him what he thinks first so that I can see what he’s already thinking of doing. This gives me the opportunity to be supportive and respectful of his ideas, because, ultimately, he’s going to want to make the choice that feels right to him. Notice how I said that the choice feels right to him, not to me! (smile)
I wish I could say that I never revert to “teacher mode” anymore. That I’m completely devoid of the need to want to correct or tell my husband how he might say, do, or approach something differently. The truth is that now and again, I do tell him how he should drive, what I think he should say to an employee, or why I think he’s hit a plateau on his weight loss. The truth is that I’m not perfect, and that the need to be right does creep up every once in a while. The difference now is that I can recognize when I’ve done it and I’ll apologize to him. And, sometimes, when I’m really being aware of my speaking, I may even catch myself as I’m doing it, and I will immediately stop myself mid-sentence and apologize to him for trying to tell him what to do. Usually, he’ll respond by giving me that smile that says, “Thanks, Babe!” (I love that smile!).
On the next blog post, I’ll be sharing some very specific statements that can use to share what you feel, want and think in such a way that it doesn’t come across as teaching, fixing, or trying to change the man you are dating or in a relationship with!
So stay tuned for Friday’s post!
Comments? Questions? Let us know below! We love hearing from you!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
by heartsdesireintl | Sep 20, 2013 | Communication, Dating, Heart's Desire International, heartache, Intimacy, Love, Marriage, Romance
by Gladys Diaz
This week I found myself dealing with many disappointments. I’m usually a pretty positive person, but I have to admit that I had more than a few moments of frustration, sadness, and crying sessions. Working myself through the disappointment took a willingness to just be with the feelings, rather than resisting them; be responsible for the role I’d played in having things turn out the way they did; and courage to dust myself off and pick myself up again! I also discovered that, as disappointing as a situation may be, the lessons learned are part of the journey and that, if I can be open to seeing what those lessons are, I am one step closer to achieving my goals and dreams.
It’s no different when it comes to dating in relationships. Whether you’re disappointed that you’re not attracting the kind of man you’d like to share your life with, or you’re disappointed about the way a conversation with your husband or boyfriend went, it’s how you choose to deal with the disappointment can affect how beneficial the learning experience can be.
So, what are some ways that you can effectively deal with disappointments in relationships?
- Allow yourself to feel whatever it is you are feeling. Trying to resist feeling sad, upset, or disillusioned is futile. As the saying goes: “What your resists persists,” so give yourself permission to feel what you’re feeling. The key to getting to the other side of the disappointment, however, is to avoid wrapping yourself in the feeling and staying “stuck” there. Instead, acknowledge what you’re feeling, allow yourself to feel it, and, then let it go. The other day, my sister and I gave each other permission to vent about an issue we were having for 10 minutes. Once those 10 minutes were over, we moved on to seeking solutions! It was great because we didn’t have to go through making one another wrong for feeling how we were feeling or pretending that we weren’t feeling that way, which deepened the intimacy we share.
In a romantic relationship, you may want to give yourself a “time out” before sharing how you are feeling. Why? Because at times, our emotions are super-charged at the moment of disappointment, and we may end up saying or doing something we’re later going to regret, thus adding to the disappointment. So, it’s much better to sort through what it is that you are feeling – perhaps by venting with someone who is not a part of the situation – before choosing to share those feelings with our partner.
- Take responsibility for the role you played in the situation. Whether a mistake was made, something could have been done differently, you said or did something that contributed to the situation, or you fueled the flames by defending your point of view or making the other person wrong, own the role you played in how things turned out. Taking responsibility is not about assigning fault or blame. It’s simply about being willing to acknowledge what you did or said that contributed to the situation. This is important, because, once you take responsibility for the role you played in the situation, you can also take the credit for helping to turn things around! So, rather than defend yourself or assign blame to others, just take responsibility for the part you played so that you can move forward. Which brings us to the next point:
- Avoid staying stuck in the muck. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t enjoy failing, making mistakes, or having things turn out differently than I imagined. I prefer success a whole lot more! However, sometimes, after having experienced a disappointment, it can be difficult to want to try again. We fear having to experience the sting of disappointment again, and this can cause us to want to want to quit and stop trying. The problem, however, is that, until we’re willing to step out of the muck and try again, we’ll never truly know what we’re capable of creating.
So, if you’re disappointed with regard to your experience with dating, revise your online profile, look for another online site that may be more to your liking, and trying out new places and activities where you might meet potential suitors. If you’re disappointed with the level of love and romance in your relationship, do something fun and romantic with or for your partner. And if you feel as if you’re struggling to make your relationship work, reach out a relationship coach or someone you know who can help you see what you may be able to do turn things around. There is always help and there’s always hope!
And throughout all of this, remember that, as painful and uncomfortable as the disappointment may seem, there are life and love lessons to be learned at every moment – each one another stepping stone in your journey. And every time you choose to have the courage to identify what those lessons are and apply them in your life and relationships, you are one step closertoward achieving your dreams and fulfilling your heart’s desires!
Comments? Questions? Let us know below! We love hearing from you!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
by heartsdesireintl | Sep 17, 2013 | Communication, Heart's Desire International, Intimacy, Love, Marriage, Relationship, Relationship Advice, Romance
by Gladys Diaz
Being a relationship coach is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. There is absolutely nothing better than helping a woman who has given up on love begin to break through the fears, doubts, and limiting beliefs that have been stopping her from allowing love to find her. It’s so fulfilling to watch someone meet the man she’s been waiting for all of her life and see them building a life of dreams together. Perhaps my favorite part is that inevitable moment when she calls to tell me they’re getting married and how she really thought this would never happen for her! It’s one of the few times I love being “right”!
As with anything else, even being a relationship coach has its down side sometimes. Many of the calls I get are from women who are giving up on love, not because they are single, but because they can’t seem to figure out what went wrong and what they need to do to make their marriage work. It’s heartbreaking to hear them talk about how great things between them and their husbands used to be and how difficult things are now – constant bickering; very little, if any, intimacy; and feeling lonely, even though they are in a relationship.
The worst part is that this is a pretty common conversation. I receive these types of phone calls and emails all the time from women asking, “What happened?” “Where did the love go?” “Is there any way to get it back?”
Thankfully, when a woman reaches out to me, it’s usually because she’s ready to begin turning things around. Even if she’s still at the point where she’s blaming him for the state of their marriage, if she’s reaching out, I know in my heart that there is a very good chance that, if she’s willing to do the work, she’ll be amazed at how quickly her experience of being married is going to change!
But why is it that a happy, loving, peaceful romance can sometimes turn into a war zone? How is it that the same two people who at one point could not imagine living the rest of their lives without one another can get to the point where they can’t be in the same room without insulting and tearing each other down? And, more importantly, is there any way to prevent this from happening or turn things around?
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why some marriages don’t last and what can be done to prevent this and Keep the Love Alive in your relationship so that it can last for a lifetime.
Thinking that great marriages “just happen.”
I don’t know if we should sue Disney or the authors of every fairy tale and romance novel ever written, but this idea that happily ever after just happens, is an illusion! Nothing that lasts or that is of importance – one’s health, wealth, or success in any area of one’s life – lasts without putting time, effort, and, at times, money into it. Take shows like Extreme Weightloss or The Biggest Loser, for example. Even after those people go through 6 months to a year of intense training, changing their eating habits, and living an entirely new lifestyle, and lose hundreds of pounds, there is absolutely no way for them to maintain that new body if they do not continue exercising, eating healthy, and making the right choices for their bodies.
So, why is it that we think relationships are any different? Even if you have the most romantic, loving, and intimate relationship, unless you make it a point every single day to nurture the love and respect in that relationship, there is absolutely no way that it will be able to sustain the curveballs that life throws your way: illness, loss of a job, death of a loved one, or everyday stress. It’s only when we make our relationships a priority in our lives and give them the time and attention they deserve that we can begin solidifying the foundation and continue building on the love that we have in the beginning of the relationship.
Getting too comfortable.
I’m not going to lie, I’m glad I no longer have to worry about if I’ll ever be married or have the family I always dreamed of. There is a sense of peace in knowing that you’ve attracted the man who has promised to love you for the rest of his life. But I have to be conscious about not taking this blessing for granted. However, I see way too many people who have gotten comfortable in their relationships and are no longer trying to make them fun and romantic. They settle into being busy, being parents, and – if they can tolerate one another – becoming friendly housemates. But the passion, romance, and fun that used to be in their relationships are nowhere to be found. They begin to feel bored and grow apart.
Again, if you want to have a relationship where love, fun, and romance are present, rather than waiting for your partner to bring fun, love, and romance into the relationship, it’s going to be up to you. In other words, you need to choose to be the love you want to see and experience in your life.
Not believing that things will change.
Another reason many marriages do not last is because, when things begin to change, or it begins to seem as if the romance is beginning to fade, people get scared. They get scared that they won’t be able to turn things around and that things will continue to get worse. They’re afraid that their partner doesn’t want the relationship to work. And the fear has them not even try – it actually paralyzes them, and they will pretend everything is fine, ignore the situation, and not take the steps they can take to recommit, reconnect, and restore the intimacy in their relationships.
It can be scary to think that the relationship you promised to be in for the rest of your life is coming apart. But, if you remember nothing else from this article, remember this: You have the power to create the relationship your heart desires. It is entirely up to you. And, while you may not know exactly what you can do right now, know that help and support are available, and it is absolutely possible to have the love, intimacy and romance you want.
Michelle and I are passionate about helping women restore the romance in their relationships. This is why we are hosting the “Keeping the Love Alive” Workshop on September 21, 2013. In this half-day workshop, women will discover:
- How to continue becoming the best version of yourself
- The keys to communicating in a way that has him hear what you are saying
- The practical things you can do each day to keep the romance alive in your relationship
- How to give your husband what he wants more than anything else (and it’s probably not what you’re thinking!)
This workshop is for you if you are:
- In a committed relationship that you are hoping will lead to a happy marriage
- A bride-to-be who is ready to learn how to make your marriage a romance that lasts for a lifetime
- A happily married woman who is interested in taking your marriage to new levels of love, passion, and intimacy
- A married woman who wants to discover how to bring the passion and romance back into your marriage
So, if you’re ready to begin infusing your relationship with more love, passion, intimacy, and fun that you can stand, join us on Saturday, September 21, 2013 from 10:00am – 1:00pm!
Location:
Italy Today
6743 Main Street
Miami Lakes, FL 33014
Cost:
$45 pre-sale / $50 at the door
BOGO with a friend! Buy 1 ticket and get the second one for 50% off! $67 Pre-sale / $75 at the door
Click here to register now!
**Be one of the first 10 women to register after reading this post, and we’ll enter your name in a raffle to win a great date night gift!**
If you live outside of Florida, and you’d like support, contact us so that we can work with you to help you create the relationship you deserve and your heart desires!
Questions? Comments? Let us know below! We love hearing from you!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
by heartsdesireintl | Sep 3, 2013 | Heart's Desire International, Intimacy, Love, Marriage, Relationship Advice, Romance
by Gladys Diaz
This weekend I had the pleasure of being pleasantly surprised by my hubby. I was feeling so sore after spending most of the day before cleaning out my sons’ playroom. It was pretty late before I finally got to sit down, and the last thing I wanted to do was move. When my husband said, “Let’s go upstairs,” much earlier than we usually go to bed, my first thought was “I don’t want to.” All I wanted to do was sit and relax for a while.
To be honest, I was a little put off. I sort of felt like he was telling me what to do. So I almost said, “No.”
But I’m so glad I didn’t!
As much as I wanted to stay on the couch, laying down actually sounded heavenly, so I slowly got up and began gathering up some things to put away and take upstairs. I could tell he was getting a little anxious, which was beginning to bug me, because I felt like he was hurrying me. But then I saw a hint of a smile and he said, “If you don’t hurry up, you’re going to miss your surprise!”
He had me at “surprise”!
When I got upstairs, the bathroom was lit in vanilla-scented candles, the tub was filled with bubbles, and Michael Bublé was playing in the background!
How romantic is that? Very!
I hugged him and thanked him for such a sweet and romantic gesture and told him that this was exactly what I needed! Then he confessed that he’d been thinking about doing that for me all day, since we had the conversation in the morning as we held one another in the kitchen about wishing we could stay in bed all day, like we used to before we had kids. So sweet!
As I soaked in the bubble bath while getting a lovely foot massage, I thought about how close I came to saying that I didn’t want to go upstairs; how I’d interpreted his excitement about surprising me as him trying to rush me, and how, after all of these years, he’s still able to pleasantly surprise me! I mean, how many couples can say that this type of romance is still alive after 14 years (and two kids)?
So the lessons I learned were:
- Be open to going with the flow. True, I initially didn’t want to move from the couch, and I could have expressed that, but he wasn’t suggesting something that would distress or put me out in any way when he suggested we go upstairs, so I am really glad that I chose to go with the flow. Otherwise, I may have missed out on a really romantic evening!
- Allow yourself to receive be pleasantly surprised. Sure, the bubble bath, candles and music were sweet, but I think it was even more sweet that my husband had been thinking about and planning the evening all day long! I was too tired to do want to prepare any of that on my own, and, not only did I get to enjoy it, but I also got to see how much he enjoyed seeing me so happy!
- The romance does not have to fade with time. There’s a misconception out there that romance is only for “the honeymoon phase.” But what if the honeymoon phase lasted for years – decades, even? The truth is that romance doesn’t fade. We fade. We get comfortable. We forget about how fun it was to surprise and delight in and with one another. And we can choose every day – any day – to bring romance into our relationships!
What about you, what has been one of your favorite romantic surprises? And what will you do to bring fun and romance back into your relationship?
Comments? Questions? Let us know below! We love hearing from you!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
by heartsdesireintl | Aug 30, 2013 | breakups, Communication, Dating, Heart's Desire International, Intimacy, Love, Marriage, Relationship Advice
by Gladys Diaz
“If don’t ask me to marry you, then we need to break up.”
“If we don’t go to counseling, it’s over.”
“If you really loved me, you would…”
Ultimatums.
They give the person extending them a false sense of power. Why is it a false sense of power? Well, think about it. When you tell someone what he needs to do or say in order for you to be happy and have what you want, are you really the one with the power?
No.
You’ve basically handed over the power to have what you want to another person. You’ve made your happiness contingent upon the other person’s choice.
Think of it this way. Let’s say you’ve been dating someone for a long time and, while it’s all nice, the relationship clearly not going anywhere. If you know that in order for you to be happy, you want to be in a committed relationship that ultimately leads to marriage, then you are the one with a choice to make. Not him. Now, you can definitely let him know that you would like to be married, but you wouldn’t tell him that if he wants to stay with you, he needs to want the same thing.
You’d simply say something like, “I’d really like to be married” – not “I’d really like to marry you” or “If you want to stay together, then I need to know that our relationship is leading to marriage.”
The last two statements make your choice hinge upon what he wants. Plus, if he did propose to you because you threatened to leave him, you’d never really know whether he would have chosen to ask you himself. Not because he was afraid of losing you, but because he couldn’t imagine spending the rest of his life without you!
In saying, “I’d like to be married,” you are owning your choice and your happiness. The word “you” (meaning him) is not even in that statement, because this is your desire.
The same holds true if you’re in a relationship or marriage. Telling your boyfriend or husband what he needs to do in order for you to be happy is manipulative and inauthentic. It’s a way to separate yourself from your own desires so that you don’t have to be vulnerable and share what you want for yourself.
Saying “We need to go to counseling, or it’s over” rather than “I’d like to go to counseling” is more about instilling fear in the other person. It also sends the message that, unless the other person does something to “fix” or change himself, the relationship simply won’t work. This message of “you need to change or be ‘fixed’” is what has most men resist the idea in the first place. Who the heck wants to go sit in an office with a stranger for an hour and listen to all of the things they’re doing wrong?
Saying “We need to go to counseling” also keeps you from committing to make the changes you can make that would make a difference in the relationship, because you’re hinging your willingness to change on his.
So, rather than throwing around ultimatums and giving away your power, own you power.
Look within and ask yourself what it is that you want. What is it that would make you happy? What have you been settling for and not willing to stand for? Where have you been making another person responsible for your own happiness?
Once you’ve identified those things, then create a simple statement that expresses what you want. Begin it with “I want…,” and make sure the words “you,” “we,” and “us” are nowhere in your statement.
Simply own your desire and embrace the power you have to create what you want in your life and in love!
If you’re ready to own your power and begin working with me to transform your dating life or relationship, simply fill out the new message form that popped up on this page and let’s set up some time time to talk!
Questions? Comments? Let us know below! We love hearing from you!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
by heartsdesireintl | Aug 27, 2013 | Dating, Heart's Desire International, Intimacy, Love, Marriage, Relationship Advice
by Gladys Diaz
I was speaking with a potential client the other day, and received one of the nicest compliments! Toward the end of the conversation, I asked her what she liked about the information I’d shared with her about how to break some of the recurring patterns that were blocking her from experiencing the type of relationship her heart truly desires. Expecting her response to be about one of the ideas I’d shared, I was pleasantly surprised when she said, “You have a very ladylike manner about you. I’d like to work with you!”
Now, if you’re a self-proclaimed feminists and wondering what the heck the big deal about being called “ladylike” is, let me explain. What I heard was that she was sensing my feminine nature – the essence of who I am as a woman that is light, receptive, and attractive.
Now, why was hearing that important to me, and how might it make a difference for you in dating and relationships?
For years, I leaned very heavily into my masculine energy. I felt that life’s experiences had taught me that I needed to take care of myself. I had a very “me-against-the-world” mentality. This attitude made me very successful in many areas of my life, such as living on my own at the age of 17 and being the first to graduate from college (with honors) in my family, being appointed a leader in almost every organization I have ever belonged to, and becoming the youngest Vice-President in the company in which I used to work (tack on the words “female” and “Latina” to that title, and it was an even bigger deal for me), and dealing with the death of my first husband. In my mind, life was about proving that I could do it all – on my own.
While it was great for my career and getting over life’s hurdles, when it came to being in a relationship, this do-it-yourself mentality was sabotaging me from having the type of experience I really wanted.
See, I had become so used to taking care of myself, that it was difficult to receive help or support from others without feeling like I was being “a burden” or that I owed them something in return. I rarely allowed my husband to make decisions – partly because I was so used to making them myself, but mostly because I didn’t trust anyone else to make the “right decisions.” Even the times when I would go to my husband for help or support, I’d end up either dismissing or contradicting what he said, making him feel as if there was nothing he could do to contribute to me, because I had it all handled myself.
It wasn’t until I began understanding how important it is for a man to feel like he is able to contribute, take care of, and please a woman that I began to see how I was blocking myself from receiving my husband’s love and attention. It took a while for me to understand that, while I was still capable of caring for myself, making decisions, and handling life’s curve balls, now that I was in a relationship, I didn’t have to do it all on my own. I had a partner who was ready, willing, and able to stand next to, help, and support me.
This is when I began to embrace and step into my feminine power.
I began to see that, while I might still have to face some giants in this world, I didn’t have to face them alone. I began to experience the delight of not having to carry the weight of every single decision on my shoulders. And I began to see how the more receptive I was, the more my husband wanted to give and do for me. For the first time in my life, I saw receiving as a gift I was giving myself and the person who was choosing to give to me.
So, whether you are single or in a relationship, I invite you to really begin receiving compliments, offers of assistance, and gifts. If a man wants to hold open the door for you, give you his jacket because he noticed you shivered, or pay for dinner, let him. Give yourself the gift of receiving and let him know you noticed and appreciated the gesture.
If your husband offers to order take-out or make the kids sandwiches so that you don’t have to cook; wants to go on vacation, even though you think saving money would be more practical; or offers to wash the dishes (even if he does them 2 hours after you would have liked them washed), let him. Give yourself the gift of receiving and him the gift of knowing that you’re willing to let him help and care for you.
Being feminine is our natural state of being, And men who are attracted to and want to be in relationship with women are attracted to our feminine essence. So let go of the need to appear as if you’ve got it all handled, and allow yourself to experience the gift of receiving.
The more receptive you are, the more you’ll receive the things your heart most desires!
Comments? Questions? Let us know below! We love hearing from you!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
