Dating disasters..

We've seen 5 dating disasters so far, and there are a few more on the way. One thing I noticed is that every email I read started with the person getting out of a bad relationship. If you got out of a bad relationship/bad breakup/bad anything, the first thing to focus on is yourself, not getting into a new relationship, or going back into an old one for that matter.

Until you've fixed your issues and learned who you really are again, you'll keep cycling through one disaster after another.

Chances are, you've changed yourself to be in a relationship. Whether it's pretending to like sports or music that you hate, fooling yourself into thinking that superficial people aren't really as shallow as your friends and family say, or tricking yourself into believing that an abusive relationship isn't really as abusive as others see, you've changed who you really are at some point.

Being in a relationship where you've ideally changed the very person you are just to be with that person is a time bomb waiting to explode. Sooner or later, you or the person you're with will reveal who they really are and you'll feel like you don't even know them. If you slap shiny paint over a rusted car, it's still a rusted car. The rust will eventually show through.

Be yourself and don't settle. You don't deserve any less than finding someone that appreciates you for you. They may not have everything in common with you, they may hate your John Legend playlist, but they'll listen to you mangle lyrics and sing off key because they love you, and love who you are.

Keep that in mind. Dating disasters are bound to happen, but they'll happen less when you enter things with a clear perception of who you are and what you want.

Sean