Relationships: Avoid the 14 Dating Traps!

December 21, 2008 by thinkhappy

Avoiding the 14 Dating Traps

- Dating Trap #1-

Doesn’t it seem strange that the two things that have the potential to make the greatest and most profound impact on our lives come with no directions or training manual? When was the last time you saw relationship skills or parenting skills in the school curriculum – yet if we screw these two things up there can be major consequences. I often wonder why these skills are not considered as important as writing, reading and arithmetic. Any thoughts?

While you dwell on that dilemma let me get started on this week’s article. Over the next few weeks I will reveal to you the fourteen different dating traps and their solutions. Sorry no parenting skills in this series – maybe the next one. Hopefully this series of articles will help fill the relationship skills void a bit for you.  These dating traps were developed by David Steele, founder of the Relationship Coaching Institute and the author of Conscious Dating.

The first trap is the Marketing Trap. I am sure that you can probably relate to this trap - we all have done it at one time or another, unless of course you never dated before. The marketing trap is when you present yourself to your date or potential partner in a trumped up or false way. Similarly to what advertisers do when trying to sell their products. When you fall into the Marketing Trap, you fear that nobody wants you as you really are.So you try really hard to make sure the other person doesn’t see the real you. You know ladies, pretending to like football when you can’t stand it just so you can impress your guy. And gentlemen you are just as guilty pretending to like those chick flicks to impress the girl.

You can avoid the marketing trap by being authentic. Show the world, that means your potential partner, your true self. I know, we are programmed not too because we are fearful of being rejected, but isn’t it easier to be rejected at the beginning of a relationship then after you have become emotionally entrenched? I believe we attract those into our lives that reflect who we are and if we are faking it or marketing ourselves we will attract the same to us. So my challenge to you is to be real – show the world your authentic self – whatever that may look like. Don’t fall in to the marketing trap because if you do you risk disappointment and relationship failure.

Need help uncovering your authentic self and avoiding the marketing trap? Then sign up for a
30 complimentary coaching session today!  

Be sure to come back next week when I reveal dating trap #2 – the Packaging Trap.

Chat with Coach Lisa HERE!

To connect with Lisa, learn about Life Coaching and Divorce Recovery, or gain other self-help, click HERE

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