WHY ARE YOU SINGLE?

Why Are You Single?

BigGirlz, I don’t know about you but I get real F’ing tired of the “Why are you single” question. It’s usually followed by “you’re so pretty” or “you’d make a good girlfriend/wife”. Blah blah blah…Trust me there is a reason. There’s ALWAYS a reason. Sometimes it’s a pure numbers game; more “mentally” available women than men. Note I said “mentally” available, meaning a lot of single men are enjoying the spoils of having multiple women in their lives and are not ready or lack a need/desire to settle down or be with just one woman.

Sometimes it’s pure location. I’ve read were Louisville is ranked in the top 40 of one of the worst cities for being single…yippee!!!!  And then it’s the “Us Factor”. What are we looking for in a male? Are we realistic? Are we living in fantasy land or are our values so messed up that it’s challenging to even figure out the differences? I know I’m not the only one.

But anywho BigGirlz, let’s flip the script. Have you ever met someone and just as you’ve been asked a million times, you think to yourself, “dang why is this man single? He has his own shit: as in car, home and money, goes to church, owns a suit (ok so that’s one of my requirements) and likes to go places. Really seems to enjoy life…hmmm.” What’s up with that? Well, as I just said, there’s ALWAYS a reason.

You see BigGirlz, sometimes (and I’m just talking about me) we get so caught up in the checklist/search that we overlook what’s really there. It’s very easy to hide behind a facade of perfection especially if your inner is beyond flawed and dangerously fucked up.

BigGirlz, I recently encountered a person who met every aspect of my check list. Seriously! I was both amazed and skeptical. Why skeptical…because my gut kept saying “something just doesn’t feel quite right”. And you all know my “inquisitive ass”; I had to dig until my gut was satisfied. I had to know what it was that just wouldn’t allow my spirit to back down and rest. So after multiple phone conversations and dinner I nailed it! This man although, normal on the outside, had not a freaking idea who he was. He identified himself with various people he felt he either resembled or shared like skills. For example, in his mind he had culinary skills that match Emeril Lagasse SO he would refer to himself as Lil’ Emeril (changing the reference in order to protect the stupid) or in his mind, he felt as if he resembled a particular R&B singer SO he also referred to himself as Lil’ *blank*. You get where I’m going. Bottomline, “Who Are You?” He would even brag about how he has all of his own shit, made good money, took care of his own responsibilities…NEWS FLASH dumb ass that’s what grown men dooooo!!!! Yes I get it there are many lazy and sorry ass men (and women) out there looking for someone to take care of them but don’t be so arrogant about it.

Back to my point, yes he met the initial criteria. He was very adamant about him being an excellent catch for any women. You see he had it all. Everything society determined as ‘perfect’. Yep the perfect facade. He was everything to everyone in his family circle. You know the type, perfect son, best cook (I tasted that shit and in my Maury voice, “that’s a lie”) ideal father and model Christian. He was so busy being all of those things that he skipped the part where he was to be a real person to himself. He looked good on paper but in reality, not so much. My point, a check list is not enough, that’s surface crap.

BigGirlz, we have to dig deeper not just with what we desire in a mate but what we desire in ourselves. If you’re comfortable with facades and pretense then hey go for it. Do a check off and keep it moving. Now if you’re needs go beyond surface, then you might want to re-evaluate your list.  Ya see my check list didn’t cut it. My list only dealt with the things that can easily fade. Key word, THINGS!!! What about spirit, what about character? Damn, did I miss the mark. Which brings to mind a different thought, “what in me is drawing empty ass people like him?” Unfortunately it’s not the first time I’ve attracted that type of Jackass to my being. What/where are my inner flaws?

Hmm….sounds like investigation for a future post.

Anywho, I’m moving on to the next one restructuring my check list and evaluating my aura ‘cause something ain’t right about this mess….

PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH

BigGirlz regularly I challenge you to “try something new” or do things differently when dating. Often, we will publicly proclaim “next time I’m going to try it another way.” We say it, claim to accept it but do we follow through? On several of my tips and hints to dating, I’ve dared you and even myself to go a different route, change your prospective and step out of your comfort zone when the opportunity presents itself, but are we really brave enough?

Change can be a difficult animal to harness even for the most liberal and flexible minded, however not only is change good it is downright necessary. Where am I going with this? Glad you asked. You see, even I can and have fallen into a rut of comfort and familiarity. So to shake it up a bit, I stepped way WAY out of my comfort zone and accepted an invitation from someone so different from my rule that it was almost shocking. When I say we were extreme opposites, I truly mean in every aspect i.e. rural vs. city, white vs. black, thin vs. thick, blue collar vs. white collar and I could go on. 

BigGirlz, now here is the back story. Before I accepted the invite, I thought of every excuse to turn this man down. I admit it, I panicked and then all of my own advice started to flood my thoughts. How hypocritical of me. Was I afraid to try something new? So I began to process my own words and actions. Feeling convicted I agreed to the date. How did I get to a yes? Well first I took a big ass deep breath to clear my thoughts and poured an even bigger glass of wine (no surprises there). Then I began to process the why and why nots. For example, what will people think, he’s so young, he’s white… (STOP RIGHT THERE!) Was that it? Was that my apprehension? WTH? Peel off all of the excuses and the bottom line, he was white. What a flippin hypocrite. That shit made it real. When did I become conscious regarding the race line? Damn!! It never matter before did it? Have I changed? Is this a real or imagined issue? In that instant, it was real. “Could I go home with him, would I allow him to meet my friends, does he own a suit, what about church…” All of this over a damn date? Reality check, it was a date not a contract for marriage. Dang physician, heal thyself. Although the initial concerns were valid I believe them to be way premature and now halfway through my 2^nd glass of wine I got over my hang-up, solidified my yes and proceeded to prepare my strategy (something I’m accustomed to performing before venturing out with a new person. Yeah we can talk about that in another segment…LOL).

You see BigGirlz, we all struggle at various times with different aspects of dating. Where the struggle ends is when you manage to press through. Now I’m not saying defy your gut instinct, cause if your gut gives you warning to stay away for a particular person then by all means, do it. But what I am saying is fight pass the fear. We paralyze ourselves 90% of the time by not being willing to push our way to the edge of what we have yet to experience or see. Don’t let the bullshit that floats and at times resides in your mind be a block to attempting something different.

So I pushed through. I accepted my discomfort called “fear” and moved beyond it. What was most ironic about this entire ordeal (wait for it…) the date never happened. That’s right the day before we were to go out “something came up” for him. Bwahahahahahahaha…

What a teachable experience for the “teacher”. If we are open and honest with ourselves something can be gained from every situation. There are times that we/I get so accustomed to dealing with surface actions and reactions that we/I veer away from dealing with our own layers. All of this triggered a re-introduction to self. In other words “Me this is Myself, Myself meet Me. Me, Myself this is I. I, meet Me and Myself”. Sound silly? Is it? When you really dig you find out things regarding you that were either forgotten or never realized.

Me, Myself and I are moving on to the next one drinking wine and “honestly” outlining what it is we really want in a mate…cheers!!!

V-Day is Coming!!!!!

Well BigGirlz,

We made it past the pit falls of being single during Christmas and New Year's Eve. YEAH! Hopefully the scars were minor and you were able to slap on a band-aid and keep it moving. For those who are still feeling wounded and are barely limping along, I strongly suggest you go into hiding now cause the day of "Love" is just around the corner. That's right Valen-"when is my time" Day is fast approaching. Yippee-Flippin-Yeah.

UGH!!!

Now many of you will go into the stage of denial by proudly boasting "Oh that crap doesn't bother me" or "I can buy my own damn candy", and my favorite, "I'll just send myself flowers on that day". Shut the hell up!! I get sick of hearing that Bullshit because you miss the freaking point. Sure we can all buy or pamper or even treat ourselves on that day. Material crap is not the point and if you're at least a little bit honest with yourself you will admit that what you and most normal, living and breathing women (and men too) would like to have someone in your life to share your heart, mind and soul with in an honest and equal capacity. If you can sit there and honestly say "nope not me I'm good living, existing and functioning in this monogamist relationship with myself, then please take your cold clammy dead ass back to the hole from which you crawled and continue lying to yourself, because the rest of us are trying to create a mentally and physically inviting place and space that is conducive to giving and receiving love!!

Sorry for my slight rant BigGirlz...hahahahahaha but that crap annoys me just a bit.

Ok, where was I...

Oh yeah, the infamous day of love is upon us. So BigGirlz, I have a few suggestions that may help you cope with being single on V-day:

• Hide - If it's all too much for you than just stay home. Stock your frig, order Netflix and stay in bed. By all means stay away from all forms of social media. I guarantee, someone will be posting some photos of the roses they received or even worst the ring they just accepted.

• Clean your place - For some, cleaning is therapeutic (yeah, I pass on that one).  Instead of sulking, start the vacuum, load the washer, pull out the Windex and get the dried toothpaste spatter off the bathroom mirror. DO SOMETHING other than dwelling on what's missing from your love life. 

Now on to my favorite way to cope

• Call your girls - That's right, call the crew. You supply the wine or beer, someone order pizza and/or wings and someone provide the place. Eat, drink and ignore the balloon and roses mania going on around you.

Bottom line BigGirlz, being single on V-day is not the end of the world. In order to get through it without spiraling to the pit, you have to want to survive. Conquering your thoughts is 80% of the battle and finding something to do with yourself is the remaining 20%(although I'm thinking 19% something to do and 1% wine). Life is to short to dwell on what's missing at the moment. Your time would be better served focusing on improving the inner you. If you work on the inner the outer will follow suit.

In the meantime, I'm moving on to the next one with a glass in one hand and all the fixins needed to create the ultimate chocolate martini lined up in front of the other. Now that's a box of chocolates I can appreciate!!!  Cheers!!

Twisting Fall Cling

Hey BigGirlz,

I’m quite sure you can guess what my issue is this time of year…yep Fall Cling. LOL However my approach is somewhat different this time around. Ya see I’m the one reaching out, making connections and reserving “warm Spots”. That’s right, my inner dude has surfaced (Help us all Lawd!!!).  It is what it is…of course as I maneuver through this season of Cling, I’m taking notes and analyzing patterns in order to share my experiences with my fellow BigGirlz out there. Know that there are challenges and pitfalls to every adventure however if played correctly the rewards will be warm oops I mean worth it.

BigGirlz, if you are considering being a Clinger this season, here are a few things to consider before you begin:

1. If you are looking for a long lasting relationship, STOP RIGHT THERE, this journey is NOT for you!!!!! This is not about love and relationship. This is about securing a warm spot to get you through the winter.
   
   
2. Shut off your heart. By this I mean, don’t get caught up in your emotional wants and desires. This is all about the physical. Ok 70/30. I’m not saying you can’t be affectionate because some affection will be necessary to secure your spot however for the lack of a better term, this is a game. Once again if you have a bleeding heart this is not for you.
   
   
   
   
3. Skillfully select your targets (dayum that sounds harsh…bwahahahaaahahaha). Truth be told, if you’re just starting you are behind. The random calls and texts should have started at the end of September, but there’s still time. Thus the need for careful and thoughtful selection is key.
   
   
4. Know and respect your role. You are not the girlfriend and he is not your man. Keep the shit on a surface level period. That’s all I’m going to say about that.

Bottom line BigGirlz be clear on what you want. If you start down this road and decide you can’t follow through, bail out. This is not for everyone. Monitor your actions and handle your business. Have fun with this, the men normally do. I’ve constructed my ground work and as trampy as this may sound to some I’ve been testing my spots (Don’t judge me, not that I give a damn if you do) so bring it on.

Moving on to the next one with an electric blanket on reserve incase my plan backfires!!!! Bwahahahaaahahaha

If I'm Dating Up, Is He Dating Down?

If I’m Dating Up Is He Dating Down?

BigGirlz, BigGirlz

 Navigating this dating thang is quite the interesting animal. You see, even though your world maybe in pretty decent shape, the reality of it all says that you still may fall short compared to what your potential or ideal mate views as an acceptable standard.

It may be difficult to think of ourselves as the “fittin to, bout to, gettin ret to” person in this duo, however it just may be the case. So again I say, “if you’re dating up, is he dating down,” hmmm? As we strive to position ourselves in such a manner that no dating opportunities are missed, we must make time to realistically perform a self evaluation.  So BigGirlz, do you consider yourself to be “That Girl”? Are you worth the time, effort and let’s face it, the money it takes to get to know you?

BigGirlz before you answer the question, do a self check. Not only will this give you the correct answer, you’ll gain a sense of where you are in your life’s journey. Below are a couple of questions to assist in your evaluation:

1.    I’m I ready for this, whatever THIS may be? BigGirlz, how many times have we started a project and before anything can materialize we stop?  I ask that because many times we get so caught up in the mental process of wanting to date and forget that getting to know someone new is a lot of work. So before you even begin your dating trek, make sure you are ready and willing to put in the work. If you’re going to half-ass it, then you’re looking for something/someone to do not a relationship. Know the difference.

2.    What do I bring to the table? BigGirlz, know your worth. If you don’t feel as if you deserve the best of someone, guess what, less than is exactly what you will receive.

3.    What do I expect/desire in a mate? BigGirlz, you have to know what you want and expect. Sure there are items I like to refer to as “surface wishes” that we all can rattle off (tall, rich, cute…etc) but after you peel all of that crap back the real person is what remains and you never know what that may be if you don’t do the work to figure out your preferences. Keep in mind that your expectation should be coupled with a strong dose of realism. Side note, if you expect perfection, you’re in for a long lonely ride. So be realistic.

Now before you get comfortable and smug with yourself, there is a flip side to all of this…YOU!!! Just because you figured out what you want, decided you have the time to pursue this, you know your worth and actually found someone that meets your criteria, there’s a little more to do.  You see BigGirlz, while you’re processing his application to be a part of your life, pay close attention to how he is processing and evaluating you. Keep in mind BigGirlz, he also has a list! Like a fine Thoroughbred he is going to check your hooves, teeth and mane. (Yep I’m a Kentucky girl…LOL)  Ya see, men are visual creatures, not to say that guys won’t go deeper BUT…

Any who, as you go along, ask questions and dig deeper. Find out his expectations. Pay attention to his reactions and body language as the two of you engage. If the things that bring you joy makes him cringe or he gives you the side eye when your activities, lifestyle and choices are mentioned, guess what, he may feel he’s dating down or that you’re the fixer-upper. Run! Get out before you feel attached. You see, what you’re liking and lacking has a set of values in his eyes.

Bottom-line, only surface shit is easy. If you want deeper it takes work; some trial and yep errors too. Whether you’re dating up or down, there’s always a lesson in the process if you pay attention.

Moving on to the next one and taking notes in the process.

The Conversation “Are you a Benefit?”

So BigGirlz,

I encountered something that I as usual felt the need to share. Check out this conversation between a couple. Apparently the woman wanted her guy or who ever he was to detail her car.

Thus the conversation:

Him: “Damn, your car is dirty”
Her:  “So clean it or take it to the car wash”
Him: “Shit…I don’t get to drive it. Hell, I barely get to ride in the damn thing”
Her:  “Damn is it like that?”
Him: “I’m just saying, what I get out of cleaning your car…

Huh? Am I just old school but if you are considered my “man” should performing various tasks be an issue? So are you saying you will only do things for me if there is some sort of benefit for you? Am I missing something? Is a man only supposed to do things for you if he is your husband? WTF! Obviously I’ve gotten things all wrong in my head. Isn't that a part of Dating? No? Am I wrong for allowing a man that I’m dating, to cut my grass and take out my garbage? What’s the benefit to that…Me Damnit!!! Has dating become so watered down that men no longer have to put in or at least give a little extra effort just to be a part of your life? Have women become so ratchet and easy that anything and nothing is not only accepted but the standard?
I’m baffled and a little annoyed by this so you know I had to get so info/opinions from a couple of people right? The answers I received were as varied as their personalities.

So here is what I asked:  “If a woman you’re dating or at least attempting to date ask you to perform task like, take out the garbage, clean up her car or mow the grass, would you have a problem with it?”
The responses:
“Naw, I’m cool with it as long as I can see us being together”
“She ain't my wife, let her take care of her own shit”
“If I’m hitting it on a regular basis, then I might help if she ask?”
“Why not?”
“I might pay somebody to get the yard together, hell I don’t cut my own grass”
“If that’s my girl then, yeah I can do that”

Boy times have changed. I’m sorry, that is just freaking unacceptable. If my expectations are too high then so be it. We are supposed to be a couple. What is wrong with you adding my yard to your rotation of chores? If that’s too much for you to handle than I’m too much for you to handle.

BigGirlz, know your worth. Do I expect the world, Hell yeah! Why because I’m worth it. I’m not saying take advantage of his kindness but some things (like opening a door for you) should be  a given. Dating me is the benefit. Trust me if you do your part and I will definitely  do mine.
I’m moving on to the next one looking for the one who is a benefit for me!!

BigGirlz, Open Up!!!

BigGirlz,

Happy New Year! Now to follow suit of every life coach, spiritual advisor, counselor and I could go on and on, welcome to 2015. Many of the previously listed experts go on to reference the New Year as "another chance", "a do over", "a blank slate", etc. However you choose to view or perceive it to be, each of you including myself should take time to reflect (not dwell) on 2014. Think about the great and the not so pleasant and figure out ways to improve upon your life, specifically your dating life.

Over the last few weeks, especially before and during the holidays I encountered a barrage of material suggesting ways to improve your chances of meeting and connecting with Mr. Right. Most articles shared pretty typical advice. Most of the focus seems to point to your being open to new challenges as well as making sure you are a "whole" person before embarking on a new relationship adventure. Now I will agree to a certain extent that it’s best to rid yourself of excess baggage, however not all baggage is bad. You see, sometimes bagging things up simply means you have figured out how to pull things together and move or properly store them. But I digressed. Anywho...

So now it’s a new year and time for a new beginning. How do you start…well make this a year of trying something different. (So what the hell does that mean?) Glad you asked LOL. Most of us, and yes I’m preaching to myself as well, are creatures of habit. We take the same route to and from work. We shop at the same stores. We go to the same clubs and participate in the same activities thus attracting the same type of people (men) DUH! I dare you to go a different route. Don’t be scared! You’d be amazed at how one little change could impact your life.

Because I can be guilty of stagnant actions and thinking, I’ve decided to shake things up a bit in my own life. Nothing wrong with trying new things right? After some thought, I’ve constructed three action items to begin my transition (baby steps).

Pay attention to what’s going on around me. You see sometimes that special person or at least the person connected to that special someone has been in your circle for years. We get so caught up in our mundane routine that our options are overlooked or even worse, become invisible.

Take a second look at the guy that’s normally NOT YOUR TYPE. (oh Lord) In my case, I’m a big girl and am most attracted to bigger guys and over look all others. Granted we’re all attracted to certain types of people and view certain features, as a "YES" but remember this isn’t a contract for marriage it’s a potential date. Besides he could be the connection point to the person you’re really supposed to meet.

Replace at least one no (sometimes a hell no) with one yes. BigGirlz, we have a tendency to say "no" out of reflex. Give the suggestion or idea some thought before responding. At least think about it. Now I’m not saying go against your gut instinct. Absolutely NO! What I am suggesting is be a bit more open to the possibility of… Whatever that of… may be.
As you can see, open is the key to change. Yes, those are my top three. What are yours? Come on BigGirlz lets change some things. When your mindset tethers on the positive, your outlook and aura follows suit.

Let’s create a 2015 thats full of adventure and lots of dating opportunities. Let’s position ourselves to receive all of the positive that’s floating out there waiting on us to recognize it’s potential. I’m ready are you?

Moving on to the next one with a yes in my spirit while taking a different route home.