Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Top 5 Dating Trends We See For 2015


Is the “hook up” culture losing its steam?....find out what the stars say will be trending for 2015…

As a Relationship Coach, I get a front seat to all of the trends happening in dating and relationships.  And for years past, singles have been on the roller coaster ride of trying to navigate the tricky waters of dating.  From the explosion of online dating to the trend of casually “hooking up”, dating has become more confusing than in any time in history.  However, I do have good news for you.  Dating is about to get some help.  So let’s see what the stars have in store for us.

To make predictions, I use Western Astrology which helps me to see any major trends on the horizon.  For example, for the past several years, technology has had a powerful impact on dating and relationships in general.  The planet Neptune, known for illusions and idealism, was in the cool sign of Aquarius.  This planetary aspect has helped to open many doors for us in bringing people together through technology such as Facebook and Skype which to some would’ve seemed unreal years ago.  Yet, even with such great technology, it has yet to replace the chemistry two people have when they are face to face with each other.   

As we fast forward to 2015, the planet Neptune has since moved into the compassionate sign of Pisces so we’re seeing more people become more compassionate and understanding to one another.  This translates to singles becoming more sensitive and understanding to the flaws and weaknesses of a potential mate.  With Neptune in Aquarius, singles were more concerned with a person’s online profile whereas Neptune in Pisces teaches singles to be much more sensitive to the actual person.  But, if we’re not careful, the dark side of Neptune in Pisces can represent self-delusion, manipulation and extreme idealism too!

With that being said, we’re entering into a new and different phase for relationships.  Saturn is now transiting the sign of Sagittarius.  If you read some Astrology blogs, you’ll see that Saturn has been erroneously known for its harsh dictatorship when it’s only here to help us reach our greatest potential by giving us the challenge we need to move to the next level in our lives.  With Saturn in the sign of Sagittarius, we may be thinking more about the meaning of life and how we relate to the world.  We’ll be exploring religion and philosophy more to connect to our own spirituality.  As someone who is single, you may want to date someone more socially conscious or who shares your own personal philosophy on life.

Then there’s the planet Jupiter, known for its benevolence and expansion, which will be in the sign of Leo for half of the year.  It has been in Leo since July 2014 and stays in the sign for at least a year.  Jupiter in Leo is all about letting your own light shine in the world.  But with the planet transiting Virgo in August 2015, we’ll be much more concerned with our work in the community.  Singles may begin searching for other singles with the same mission they have of improving the community through service oriented activities.

So what does all this have to do with me?  Well, if you’re single, you should care about how other singles are feeling as a whole because it influences your love life.  To simplify this a little, I’ve compiled a list for you of the top 5 dating trends I see happening for 2015 and in some cases, beyond this time.

1.       The “Hook Up” Culture Is Losing Steam – Say what?  Yes, you heard correctly!  Well, the “hook up” generation is growing older so they’re realizing that this isn’t exactly going to help them long term, especially if they want to have a family.  I coach many twenty something year olds and they seem tired and wounded from “hooking up”.  They’re ready to settle down.  Thus this type of dating is losing steam fast.  But if you’re enjoying this type of thing…don’t worry…it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. 

Additionally, many of the twenty something’s are experiencing (or about to experience) their Saturn Return.  Saturn returns to its original position in an individual’s birth chart about every 29 years.  So this applies to many singles in their latter twenties and will be a wakeup call for them to begin moving towards a more fruitful life or be compelled to deal with the consequences.

2.       Dating Apps/Online Dating Gets A Reality Check – As more and more singles are becoming increasingly aware of the perils and challenges of dating online, they have discarded it altogether.  At first, this may have seemed like the cool thing to do but most are now wondering if it’s even worth the investment of time and resources. 

Further, the disciplinarian planet, Saturn, is in a challenging aspect to the compassionate, yet sometimes delusional planet of Neptune forcing singles to experience their first reality check that online dating may not be the best way to find love.  Or perhaps singles will begin to balance online dating with offline dating and begin creating a healthier mix of places to meet singles.

3.       More Socially Conscious Singles – On a grand scale, we’re starting to see people becoming more socially active and aware of what’s happening in their communities and on the planet in general.  Young, single twenty something year olds are leading the way for all of us.  This trend has already began with all the social uprisings happening whether they’re enlightening us on the causes of police brutality, racism, sexism, economic inequality, etc. 

What’s helping these social uprisings and singles becoming more socially conscious is the mix of Saturn in Sagittarius (social justice) and Neptune in Pisces (compassion, ideals).  Then with the planet Jupiter going into the service oriented sign of Virgo, the theme for 2015 will really be about working towards helping mankind.  What’s awesome about this is that singles will have opportunities to meet like-minded singles in a healthier way rather just dating online or in a bar or a club.  We’re all excited about this trend!

4.       Fitness/Health/Wellness Will Be A Priority – Health and fitness have always been priorities for singles but I believe it will have much more of an impact for 2015 through 2016.  Singles will find more creative and revolutionary ways to stay in shape other than just going to the gym.  You’re also going to notice singles start taking better care of their health than years ago.  With the national healthcare plan in effect, this may aid singles in taking a more proactive look at their health. 

 

But staying fit and healthy doesn’t just mean staying in shape, it also means getting rid of toxic relationships too.  It has been statistically proven that those in toxic relationships experience more chronic illnesses than those who are not in toxic relationships.  So there may be a long, overdue cleansing of the soul from relationships that are not in our best interests.

 

And lest I forget the forces behind such a powerful influence.  This trend is influenced by Jupiter in Virgo, a sign also known for health/purity and cleaning out the toxins of our soul.  With Jupiter in Leo for part of the year, we may be expanding in areas beyond our capacity so we need Jupiter in Virgo to bring us back down to earth.  She will help us to purify our souls and alleviate the toxins we put in it so we can be healed and renewed.

 

5.       Marriage Is Making A Slow Comeback – That’s right!  I said it!  But where did it go?  Well, actually, marriage hasn’t gone anywhere but I wanted to quiet the cynics who continuously report statistics on how the marriage rate is declining.  And even I’ll admit, the marriage ratio seems to have stalled.  But it will start trending upwards again-eventually!  I believe we’ve gone through our worst years for marriage and now I think we’re tying up those loose ends in 2015.  With the hook up culture losing steam (see dating trend #1), that can only mean people will start “tying the knot” again-thankfully!

But before you get too excited about this trend, just note that marriage won’t be the same as it was when our parents got married.  I believe we’ve learned a lot in the past several years and that information will be implemented into how singles date and eventually get married.  I believe singles will start to look deeper into their partnerships to ensure they are compatible and the right fit for them.  This is something our parent’s did not do before they got married.  Singles these days will have a more well-rounded view of marriage and partnership and this will help them not only get married but stay there.

However, this is a long term prediction and well beyond 2015.  The other planets I did not mention which have a huge influence on relationships were Uranus and Pluto.  Uranus, the planet of revolution and invention, in the sign of Aries and the planet Pluto, known for power and transformation in the sign of Capricorn are in challenging positions with each other!  In relationships, these two planetary influences have challenged our need to be individuals, yet respect the institution of marriage.  When there is any type of aspect to the sign of Libra, known for relationships, this challenge becomes even greater.  These two planets, Uranus and Pluto, will make their last dance within the year and help us to finally resolve whatever matters of the heart has come up for us in the past few years.

In summary, we’re excited about the New Year!  There will be so many positive trends in dating making relationships easier to bear.  What we’ve learned over the past years will help us to relate to each other much better and make communication far easier than it has ever been in history.  With such powerful planets helping us to move to a more compassionate society, our relationships will start to improve tremendously.  That’s good news for us singles trying to find our way through the wonderful maze of dating. 

Thanks for reading!

For more helpful dating tips, please check out my blog at www.liveloveaspire.blogspot.com or you may inquire about my dating/relationship coaching/consulting services at www.liveloveaspire.com.

What’s New?  We have meet up groups for both men and women for those living in the Baltimore-DC area.

We also offer personal training services as well!  Please contact me at info@liveloveaspire.com!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Does your ‘love handles’ affect who you date?


Your weight maybe directly proportional to the type of singles you meet!

Studies show that more than 60% of people put on weight when they’re in a relationship.  This comes as no surprise to those who have enjoyed the comforts of a relationship including the quality time spent indoors cooking delicious meals and cuddling up with the one you love.  But what happens when that relationship hits a “dead end” and you have to go back out into the dating world.  Most newly identified singles find that those “love handles” that once were thought to be cute and adorable by your spouse are surprised to find out they are a hindrance when competing against other successfully fit singles.

Listen, if you don’t believe me, ask those singles who have been struggling to take weight off that they accumulated in their previous relationship.  Having been out in the dating market, they know the challenges of trying to stay positive even when they know their weight is an issue.  It’s really very subtle too!  The best example of this is when you meet someone in person that you met online and you notice their disappointment in seeing that you carry a little more weight than they originally thought in your online profile.  Or maybe you haven’t seen someone in a long time only to discover they have packed on the weight since you last saw them.   In either case, the rejection can be brutal.

Now although most of us find this to be extremely superficial.  I mean…what about the value of the person on the inside?  Oh yeah…if only the world were like this!  We’re all superficial in our own little ways.  After all, we’re only human!  I would like to think the world we live in only judges us based on who we are on the inside and overlooks what we have physically on the outside but I would be lying.  As human beings, we see the outside of people first, then go with what’s on the inside. 

To make my case even further, let’s go a bit deeper into the truth.  Most people aren’t really wondering how much weight you’ve gained, necessarily.  In fact, physically, most people are happy dating someone of average weight in proportion to their height and size.  Gaining a few extra pounds is hardly going to be a deal breaker but gaining a lot of pounds is.  And there’s the real issue.  You see, most singles are really looking for how you take care of yourself and that includes your health.  Although most people will sympathize with someone obese or overweight, they may not want to date them either.

But let’s look at the bright side!  Losing weight and getting fit is wonderful for your health.  Keeping yourself in shape increases your metabolism and energy levels so you can live an active life.  Besides, who wants to date someone who barely has enough energy to sustain a conversation!  Losing excess weight may be the best decision you can make to not only feel better about yourself but attract the person of your dreams too!

So does your “love handles” affect who you date?  As I’ve mentioned, having a few extra curves probably won’t be the thing that gets you the “boot” from a potential suitor.  But most people who are overweight didn’t think that gaining a few extra pounds would make a difference either until one day they woke up and realized they weren’t getting the dates or meeting the type of singles they wanted to meet anymore.  And that was their wake up call.   

Thanks for reading!

For more helpful dating tips, please check out my blog at www.liveloveaspire.blogspot.com or you may inquire about my dating/relationship coaching services at www.liveloveaspire.com.

What’s New?  We now offer personal training services as well!  If you live in the Baltimore-DC area, please give us a call!

Friday, December 5, 2014

Workshop Series: Dream Girl's Cooking Class 101

Hey Ladies,

By popular demand, we're gearing up to host our very own cooking class right in time for Valentine's Day!  We're planning to have our very own private cooking lessons from a local private chef, Chef Nichole Adriane, known for her cooking skills and expertise in the kitchen.  She'll be teaching us how to cook meals that don't require a culinary arts degree nor that costs a fortune to make.
So ladies please bring your curiosity and your taste buds, you're sure to find something special that you can cook for your man.

Here's her website:
www.TheUrbanChicChef.com

Workshop Series: The Psychology of Dating, Why We Date The Way We Do

We are hosting a workshop called “The Psychology of Dating: Why We Date The Way We Do” on January 3 at 2pm in Hanover, MD. In this workshop, we’ll be covering a variety of subjects for singles including topics such as why you may be drawn to dating the “bad guy” even when you know that person is not good for you or maybe you seem to be more attracted to the “model type” but those relationships haven’t resulted in any long term success for you. Maybe you seem to sabotage every great relationship you’re in when you get closer to someone. We’ll even cover why online dating works for some people while others seem to be on a continuous hamster wheel finding no real long term results. Through my years of experience as a dating coach and professional matchmaker and my observations of hundreds of singles, I’ll teach you my tips and strategies to understand and conquer the dating journey once and for all.
 
Please don’t miss this great event. We’ll try to unlock the secret codes of dating so you can move to a new level in your love life!