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1. Let go of control!
You have all the power in the world when comes to pursuing your personal and career goals. While it may give you a sense of control, your man won’t enjoy thinking he has to be there at the snap of your fingers. He has his own feelings, opinions, goals, and life outside of you, and he needs the freedom to express himself.
You aren’t entitled to give orders. He has a voice and will want to be heard. You must accept his perspectives, even when they differ from yours. Relationships are about respecting your partner for who they are. And remember why you began dating him in the first place.
There are no immediate answers when it comes to love. The unknown is what keeps you both intrigued. So, put down your planner, and let there be a little mystery and excitement. The thrill is a part of the adventure.
Allow the man to lead in the initial stages. You should be careful not to emasculate him, as this is when he needs to feel at his prime to pursue you. Taking the back seat gives him the momentum to make him work for you. The harder he works the more he will value you as his partner. This gives him the chance to develop an emotional commitment to be there for you.
As with your career, success doesn’t happen overnight. While practicing patience isn’t your forte, with dating it is your best friend. He won’t be in a rush if he thinks you’re the catch of a lifetime. And trust us you don’t want to be the catch of the day.
So, like all things that need to grow in order to reach fruition, let him fish for days or even weeks until he slowly reels you in.
Stop trying to fix his problems.
You are great with solving problems at work, at home, and with family and friends. In fact, everyone comes to you to save the day. However, unless he directly asks you for advice, you’re going have to learn to keep your lips shut and listen. In fact, listening is going to be one of your most valuable relationships assets.
He may be comfortable with his flaws and not looking to change. The truth is you will have to let him be, as you are not a fixer but a lover. No one is perfect! In fact, what makes him unique is simply who he is as a whole individual. You don’t get to change certain aspects of his character, that’s for him to decide. He chose you, so you will need to accept him for who he is and he will be forever grateful.
Fully accept that you’re not his boss. He didn’t hire you to show him the ropes. He wants to learn about you, understand you, and be your teammate. You are on the same level and need to work together to get the job done; whether it’s grocery shopping, cooking dinner, or planning a weekend getaway.
Your relationship needs to include both of your viewpoints!
It’s important to ask each other for help, and support one another when fulfilling daily tasks. There’s no domination in relationships. It’s all about finding the balance between the two of you without stepping on each other’s toes; unless of course, you’re dancing the night away.
Keep your financial status private.
Even if you’re a serious breadwinner, make him feel like he is the man. Your admiration and devotion for each other isn’t a reflection of your income. Love is priceless. So don’t try to buy him by showering him with gifts. This will emasculate him, as he may not be able to return the gesture.
It’s not about who’s piggy bank weighs more. Love isn’t a competition. It’s an ongoing process of compassion and connection to relate to one another. Building the foundation of your relationship is like building an empire. One step at a time.
Celebrate his achievements, big and small.
Whether he wins his basketball game or receives a bonus at work, any kind of achievement deserves to be acknowledged by you. His achievements are just as important as yours, no matter how little or big they are.
It’s important to encourage and support each other to create a deeper connection, increase intimacy, and achieve more fulfillment within the relationship. Life is all about celebrating the small things, as they create the big picture.
Communicate at his pace. If you send lengthy messages which require an editing team and he only responds in a few words, you need to scale back the length of your messages. In the initial stages, let the man lead with his communication style in order to align and build rapport with him. When you talk over him and try to run the show, he is bound to shut down and get turned off.
It can be overwhelming for a man to experience too much emotion too quickly when first getting to know you. He doesn’t need to know about your new shoes or what you ate for breakfast. When you send book-like messages, it appears needy and makes you seem to want validation even though you may not be.
It’s crucial to connect by asking one question at a time. Let your messages flow naturally and organically with his.
And yes, men respond to messages at a slower rate. They don’t feel the need to talk every hour of the day, as they aren’t wired to chat 24/7. Not to mention that over-texting can leave room for miscommunication. A solid rule of thumb is to keep your messages to ten words or less.
