Author Archives: Hannah Grace

Trust is a very important issue in all of life, and that’s especially true in the online dating world. We message and arrange dates with people we’ve never met, we show up and spend time with a stranger and have to decide how things will develop from there. We have to be wise, savvy and make sure we are safe, and we need to know if we can or can’t trust someone for the long term. Dating is about opening up, telling people about yourself, being vulnerable – we can only do that if we truly trust someone, otherwise we will be guarded, have a barrier up and the dates will grind to a halt. But we also need to balance our boundaries and sensible self-protection. So how we can take those first impressions of someone new and grow trust while dating?

Sometimes when dating, you just know someone isn’t right for you for the long term and letting down gently is the next step. You find your conversations going through the same small talk – again; you seem to be too different in key areas; practically it won’t work; the timing isn’t right, or that all-important growing connection just isn’t there. However, if you decide not to pursue a relationship, it is healthy to give someone closure, to finish well and be honourable in your actions. How can you do that safely and well?

It seems that most people these days are already in a committed, loving relationship… with their phone. Who can live without it? It’s the go-to form of communication, office, relaxation station, camera, social life – everything. It can be easy to feel empty without it, if we ever allowed that to happen – wherever we go, our phones go too. It’s addictive and can suck us into an insular world. Of course, there are many pros to having a phone. It can make communication and dating much easier for a start! So, what are the things to consider when dating in the smartphone age? What does good phone etiquette look like?

Easter is a time when we remember what Jesus did for us, His death and resurrection. Yes, it’s also a time when there are many happy, fluffy lambs, Easter eggs, chocolates and bunny rabbits, but the true meaning of Easter is all about Jesus and always will be. It is a solemn time, but also a time full of hope, excitement and a fresh start. We can go through a range of emotions as we remember this significant time in Christ’s life. What can we learn through this period of Easter to help us to be more Christlike and what can we bring into our dating lives and our relationships?

Easter is a time for reflection but also a time for joy. As Christians we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus and the new life that offers. Alongside this are lots of new traditions involving chocolate, food and fluffy animals! If you’ve met someone you want to get to know better or you’re looking for something to do that makes the most of the season, here are some fun and rewarding Easter date ideas to consider. Bunny ears optional!

We all know communication is key when it comes to any form of relationship. It’s important to get your point across and be heard but also to listen and pay attention to others. Yet sometimes our communication styles within relationships can be an enigma or polar opposites, leading to miscommunication and a breakdown of understanding. Why is it that there are people you just ‘click’ with, and others that you find really hard work to talk to? And how can this affect dating and romantic relationships?

Most of us have some ‘bad date’ experiences and stories that we can tell for entertainment. I know that I have had my fair share of them, from being told not to wear sunglasses (despite it being sunny), to being taken to a bug taxidermy museum (I don’t like bugs!), to becoming an agony aunt on a first date and afterwards being told I didn’t give said person a chance! These dates can be added to life experience and dating experience and we can move onwards and upwards from them, but there’s always that feeling of disappointment. So, what happens if a date doesn’t go to plan? How can you move on from dating disappointment?

The Christmas season is a time for connection, reconnection and new connections. For most of us, it’s a time for being together, for meaningful conversations, and surrounding yourself with the people you love, whether family or friends. A very famous Christmas film opens with clips of connection: people coming home to arrivals at an airport, with joyful connections, hugs, kisses, handshakes, seeing old friends, new friends, loved ones, which fills the viewer with warmth. If you’re wondering how to connect this Christmas, here are some simple ways.