​50 First Dates

On the first week of the New Year, 
my self-love gave to me: 

Nine days of meditatin'
Eight days of yogi-ing,
Seven days of coughin' 
Six days of playin',
Five engagement rings (in my feed at least)! 
Four phone dates
Three prospects
Two dates lined up 
and a me that is finally READY.

That's right. It's a new year, new me and while that phrase has become cliche, I'm inspired to embrace it. Rather than let perfection or planning get in the way of progress, I'm starting the year off with my first post of 2023.

Allow this post to serve as a proclamation: of my yearly intention, my [albeit ambitious] dating goal and a record of my bold yet fearless pursuit of finally, after ten years of dating and tattooing and New Years intention setting... To meet my person.

Over the Christmas-to-New Years holiday, I was under the weather and thus cozied up on the couch in a deep bubble of introspection, self-reflection and pondering. As I envisioned the future and the life that I dream of, I knew with new clarity that I want a family of my own, and with it a life partner with whom I might grow, adventure, and someday co-parent a bundle of children (human or otherwise). I want to meet my person; I don't need to, but I'd love to and hope to so that I can expand, explore new depths of love & connection, support someone and be supported unconditionally through life's trials and its peaks! 

Inspired furthermore by today's LA hike (see above) with a fellow single friend, female and similarly thriving in her career yet seeking more, we agreed that we are determined meet our "persons" this year. Not only that; we both want to find "relationships of inspiration" through the relentless pursuit of meaningful love... which can only be uncovered and achieved by bringing our authentic and unabashed selves to the epic "hero's journey" that is dating.

Per the podcast Deeper Dating [by some white dude and psychotherapist that I now like, Ken Page] the quest for a partnership is just that: the most important saga and quest that we will ever embark upon, toward the "most important topic of the human curriculum," as he calls it: LOVE. My takeaway from his thirty-minute pod of the week is that we must persist... while at the same time, holding our own hearts in tender hands. If we can turn ourselves inside out in the pursuit of our most authentic and secure selves on this journey? Then, he says (and I agree) -- we can find the utmost love and adoration from another. 

So after my first week of 2023, filled with new daily rituals of meditation, gratitude and yoga, I am both centered on and at peace with the fact that I'm on this journey. My intention for 2023 is to find my person. It won't be easy, it might be tedious and the quest has been long to this point. But to find the object of my utmost affection and desire? Someone who's caring and conscientious, open and adventurous, both gregarious and humble, adaptable and ambitious? The journey ain't going to be quick nor painless -- and this adventurer wouldn't want it any other way. 

Here's to the next fifty[-two] weeks of fifty first (or so) dates. Each week I'll complete my practice, I'll go on at least one date, and I'll record what I learned or loved on the weekend. After all, John Mayer did recommend "Love on the Weekend" if no other kind. 

To dating with hope and courage on this heroine*'s journey. 
​
XOXO, 
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