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A good conversation starter is like a car engine. If you don't have one, you aren't going anywhere. When can you say, "Haven't we met before?" without sounding like a cliché? There is a way to turn this ancient ice breaker into a good conversation starter without sounding common as dirt, dry as ... Views: 4752
Here's practical advice for meeting women (or men). You're waiting for an elevator or you're squeezin' the Charmin at the market when you spot someone intriguing. You break the ice with a smile. Even a slight chin or eyebrow lift can get his or her attention. Next comes the fun (or scary) part: ... Views: 4569
"Why don't I have friends?" asked Isabella in one of our phone counseling sessions.Isabella, 25 and very attractive, was having a problem that many people have. Sometimes, if people don't keep their high school friends or meet friends in college or at work, they may have trouble making ... Views: 4987
Some people end up living very lonely lives, with few friends, and no loving partner. Why? Because their fear of being rejected is so powerful that they can't find the courage to approach others socially. Learn what you can do to increase your confidence and improve your social ... Views: 4583
Are you one of those people who’s very confident, who makes new friends easily, who has no trouble asking someone for a date?
Or are you a person who lacks confidence, who fears rejection, who is constantly worried about whether other people really like him, or will reject him? Does your ... Views: 1392
Being alone can be, well, LONELY! And most of us – even those who like to be alone – don't really like to be lonely. But what can we do about it? Many of us find ourselves alone, and lonely, for a reason: our previous relationship just ended, we've tried and tried to sustain a successful ... Views: 4622
I know of a woman who so longed to be loved, held, and not feel lonely that she gave her lover, a man she hadn’t known long and knew to be a criminal, all of her life savings—some forty-three thousand dollars to be exact. He promised, along with his abiding love, that he would give her back her ... Views: 1468
Are you one of those people who finds it difficult to start up a conversation with somebody new, or someone you barely know?
This is a very common problem. Most of us find it a little bit challenging to start conversations with strangers. When we first meet someone, we don’t know much ... Views: 2035
Do you need help in overcoming shyness? If you suffer from shyness, you probably often wish that your shyness would instantly go away, never to return. For some people, being shy can be a small problem. For others, shyness can be life crippling.
Some people suffer from extreme shyness ... Views: 1558
Many lonely people have trouble making friends because they have low self esteem and because they have never developed good social skills. When people don’t think very much of themselves, they have a hard time making friends with other people. When people don’t like themselves, they are ... Views: 1433
Have you ever seen the movie, Contact? It is one of my favorite movies, because not only has it a great, talented cast and fantastic visual effects, but also because it is a highly spiritual movie, demonstrating that we are not alone in the universe.
From a spiritual standpoint, most of you ... Views: 3554
Every morning I wake up bright and early and read the news. This has long been my routine - my quiet time, when the house is still, and the sun is spreading liquid gold all over the world around me. I have grown used to sitting in a favorite chair, sipping cappuccino, and learning what ... Views: 869
Don't make things worse by trying to get her back
The biggest regret guys often have is that during the break up they acted in way that was clearly out of desperation.
Usually guys feel a profound anxiety to do something to fix the situation and so they end up acting in a way that they ... Views: 14482
What does community mean? Is it an old fashioned barn raising from days gone by, or a church social, or town festival? Where does community start, and why is it important in the first place? Nowadays, community means a Facebook group or "Twittering" thither and yon.
Community is all those ... Views: 1116
Behind each of us stands at least one supporter. This was once thought to be the spouse who ran the home while leaving the other spouse free to work. While this is still one valid scenario, most of us will find that we have other kinds of supporters in our lives. In some cases, our supporters ... Views: 829
Many say the first year after the loss of a loved is the hardest but most people find that different seasons or dates bring up sadness and feelings of grief years after our loved one has died. There are things we can do to ease our pain during these seasons of sadness no matter when they ... Views: 2079
This started as an article to address women and feelings of isolation, but as I spent time with the topic, I kept coming back to the words “connect” and “connection.” Connecting, I thought, is the opposite of isolation, and if it’s the opposite, then surely it’s also the solution. One study I ... Views: 1357
Recently someone posted a comment, or rather a plea, on CarePages' emotional health discussion forum, and it both broke my heart and inspired great hope. Here’s an excerpt of what the poster wrote:
“i have so many medical problems an have been so hurt recently an asked friends to support me an ... Views: 810
This article is a response to a question posted on Intent.com, "How do We Help the Helpless?" Since I work with homeless families in a homeless shelter everyday, this question raised strong emotions for me. The word "helpless" hit me right between the eyes. Why?
I don't know if it is our ... Views: 2004
Namaste is one of the most beautiful terms I have ever heard. I love the sound and the flow of the greeting but it is the meaning behind it and the sacred feeling of saying Namaste that touches me deeply each time I use it in my life when addressing people.
The loose meaning of Namaste is “the ... Views: 774
Good friends enrich our lives in so many ways. Through a magical combination of similarities and differences, friends offer us the opportunity to know ourselves as we are and help us grow into who we want to be. Our similarities attract us to each other, comforting us with familiarity when we ... Views: 2924
I don’t know about you, but I can remember when I was broaching my teen years I would spend hours writing angry poetry in my bedroom. I was technically way too young to be writing about jaded love. But, I did. Although, my own experiences may have been limited I certainly had enough examples ... Views: 19512
Loneliness gets to some more than others. But why it hangs on isn’t always apparent when read by traditional medical eyes. In my practice and workshops I’ve been struck by how many sensitive, empathic people who I call “emotional empaths” come to me, lonely, wanting a romantic partner, yet ... Views: 1891
Question:
Do narcissists have friends?
Answer:
Not in the usual sense of the word and not that they know of. The narcissist is one track minded. He is interested in securing the provision of Narcissistic Supply emanating from Narcissistic Supply Sources. His world is as narrow as an ant's, to ... Views: 24579
Q: I’m a little embarrassed to admit this as an accomplished 47-year-old professional, but even though I am relieved to be finalizing our divorce, I think some of the stress I’m experiencing since our separation is actually ...loneliness. How can I get past that?
A: Every journey through ... Views: 2185
Relationships generally begin when both people are in the “Alone Stage,” although I am aware that often affairs begin when one or both partners are involved with someone else. It is my contention that relationships have a greater chance of success when both parties have spent some time alone and ... Views: 2023
Last week while in North Carolina for someone's surgery, I was standing alone on a sidewalk getting ready to cross the street. A man walked up to me and began talking, "Hey what you doing?" I said, "Nothing. What are you doing?" He responded, "Oh, just standing here talking to you." I ... Views: 1285
James, in his middle 30s, was ready to meet his life partner, get married and have children. After dating many women, he met Cindy.
"She is really beautiful, although I'm not sure she's my type. But I think she is perfect for me. We have the same interests, the same values, we go to the ... Views: 3311
Anyone who’s looking for advice on where to go to meet new people need not look far; tons of websites, articles and chat rooms have advice on just about anything, which can be accessed without breaking a sweat. Although these advices are quite informative and useful, the real essence of meeting ... Views: 1021
America is in the middle of a loneliness crisis and it is ruining our health. Because our culture promotes self reliance and rejects dependency, we are too proud to reach out for help and admit we are lonely. If you admit you are lonely, it is suggesting that you are unable to attract ... Views: 3002
One of the most painful experiences a father can endure is divorce. Yes, men hurt as much as women, although it is always assumed that women are the only hapless victims. A lot of men going through divorce also feel loneliness, anxiety, disappointment, and depression. There may be feelings of ... Views: 3220
When moving to a new place – whether within your own country or to a new one – one of the biggest challenges is moving away from good friends and then meeting new ones.
What typically ends up happening, is that you either rely on the plethora of technology (SKYPE, phone, email, IM, etc.) to ... Views: 1763
At 8 a.m. the phone rings, right on schedule. The call is not an appointment I’ve made, but I’m expecting it all the same.
Owing to being known as the Millionaire Mentor, I receive calls daily from people around the world, all with the same question: “What is the one thing I could do right ... Views: 1000
All of us encounter unlikeable people from time to time. These are people who in one way or another manage to be very unpleasant to us in every encounter.
Yet, even though the experience of coming across an unlikeable person can be very unpleasant, there is always something we can learn from ... Views: 3030
If you want more friends this may be the most important message you ever read.
Here's why...
I was thinking about all the friends I have the other day and the experiences we had.
One of my best friends from high school. Surfing in Hawaii. Go carting at Grand Prix Race-o-rama. Swimming out to ... Views: 1108
Many years ago, when I was a younger woman, I had a girlfriend whom I considered to be my very, very best friend. We spoke daily, we traveled together, and we spent many evenings and weekends at each other’s homes. It sounds pretty great, except for one small detail. During all of those phone ... Views: 2130
"Each relationship you have with another person reflects the relationship you have with yourself." - Alice Deville.
You have a lot of personal and professional relationships in your life. Some relationships are loving, satisfying, uplifting, supportive and enrich your life experience. You ... Views: 7093
What makes a friendship important? Friendship has many health benefits, including a longer and healthier life. It also makes our otherwise boring lives more exciting and fun, interesting and relaxing. Having just one close or best friend also enhances a person’s ability to deal with stress ... Views: 2512
So many people struggle with life challenges because they do not know how to be their own best friend. We are all good at being there for others with encouraging words of support and love but rarely are we capable of extending these things to ourselves. In fact we are often our own worst enemy, ... Views: 1951
How often do we find that we are losing track of friends without enough time to spend together? It seems easy to say “maybe next month,” “when I get that promotion,” “when the kids are out of school,” or any other myriad of excuses. The bottom line is if we ... Views: 1137
How often do we find that we are losing track of friends without enough time to spend together? It seems easy to say “maybe next month,” “when I get that promotion,” “when the kids are out of school,” or any other myriad of excuses. The bottom line is if we ... Views: 1141
Loneliness is a curse. Actual loneliness. Not self-imposed solitary confinement. Not boredom. Not being too lazy or arrogant to include other people in our life and love. But the loneliness that gnaws on our consciousness, and disregards our soul, is equal to the emotion that aches and craves to ... Views: 6250
“A good friend is hard to find, hard to lose, and impossible to forget…” It was a totally nondescript day. The kind that you wanted to be over as soon as possible because nothing was happening. It was dull, unremarkable, humdrum. I remember sitting sidesaddle late that ... Views: 1102
Friendships can prolong and enhance our quality of life; for more reasons than you think. For one, studies show that the bond between humans can be effective medicine to help heal a broken heart – literally. Researchers discovered that recovery from heart surgery is improved when social support ... Views: 1952
Living with a chronic illness that has no visual signs can be more of an emotional struggle than a physical struggle at times. Accepting one's own illness is a step that most people come to terms with it at some point; because, in order to have the best life one can, one needs to be educated on ... Views: 1272
Everyone likes to get together with a group of friends, but these days going out to a restaurant together can be pricey. If you're trying to save money and your friends are trying to do the same, try entertaining in your home.
You don't have to spend a whole lot to have a fun evening in. The ... Views: 1050
Absent with Leave
My husband left for London for two weeks. Let me see, how long have we lived here. Oh yes, three weeks. How pregnant am I? Seven months. How many children do I have? Two and a bit. Do I want to be here? No. Excellent. He has a deadline, he always seems to have a deadline. He ... Views: 795
The first person I met when we bought our "fixer upper" brownstone in Harlem eight years ago was a manic crack addict named Salami. This menacing apparition bolted out of the abandoned house next door to inform me that he planned to take over our new abode.
"It ain't your house, Mama," he ... Views: 1004
As a working mom, it’s hard enough to find 5 minutes to yourself let alone be able to get out the door for a “Girls Night Out”. So on the rare occasion when you’re able to break free, make sure it’s with the kind of friends who are worthy of your time. Here are some suggestions.
Make more time ... Views: 5008
"The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no other inspiration." (Perl S. Buck)
Perl S. Buck has written these wise words long ... Views: 4170