- Baggage matters. Don’t underestimate the impact of your mate’s childhood on her present-day self. It matters. A lot. Same goes for you. Don’t just gloss over past sexual abuse, abandonment, substance abuse, abusive relationships, etc. If the person you are partnering with hasn’t handled these issues in a healthy and productive manner, they will bubble up at a later time and take you and everyone around you down.
- She’s not perfect. She’s flawed. She’s capable of awfulness. She’s human. Stop treating her like royalty. Treat her with the same guarded optimism you give to the men in your life. Trust, but verify.
- Don’t rely on your mate for your sense of self. They will resent you for it, and rightly so. Put up boundaries between you and them. Be an individual. Let them be an individual. Come together as a team. If they fall, they fall… and you’re strong enough to move on without them.
- Have principles. Stick to them. You know what is right and wrong. You know what you believe in. You know what you will put up with. STICK TO IT. I know she may be great in the sack and make you feel like a million bucks, but you need to be a man of character. A man of integrity. A man of substance. Don’t throw all that out for some woman who gives you butterflies.
- Be the rock. Yes, you must show vulnerability to be in a healthy relationship but realize that the more you veer from the path of being the strong oak, the more she will resent you. It’s a delicate balancing game. Be open and true with your feelings, but do so in a strong manner that emphasizes your ability to weather the storm. Show her that she can count on her man.
- Looks matter. Women find 80% of available men to be unattractive. Always strive to be in the top 20%. Hit the gym. Dress well. Do it for yourself. Have some self-respect.
- Be both the Lover and the provider. Err more on the Lover side. Every nice guy can play the part of the Provider, only a few can successfully play the Lover role. The typical loser Lover can easily gain the affection of the best Provider’s wife. The Provider is no match for the Lover when it comes to the mating game
- Don’t ever feel pressured to settle down. There is no hurry. You have no biological clock. Don’t listen to the common shaming tactics. If you’re going to be in a relationship, do it right. Take your time. Date lots of women, because the vast majority you meet will not be longterm relationship worthy.
- Comfort and familiarity kill a woman’s sex drive. Women get bored in marriages, way more so than men. Keep her interested. Be a guy other women would gladly fool around with. Don’t castrate yourself and try to nice your way into your wife’s heart. It doesn’t work.
- Marry a woman that doesn’t need your money. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for a financial disaster. Two strong individuals make a good partnership, and that’s true when it comes to money, as well. In today’s day and age, it’s way too easy for a woman to suddenly leave her husband and take half his assets and a steady diet of child support and alimony. If she’s not gainfully employed, she’s a good girlfriend candidate at best… not a wife.
- You don’t NEED to be in a serious longterm relationship. The more you feel you need it, the more likely you are to end in a disaster. Your neediness will just attract all kinds of trouble… and there is A LOT of trouble out there.
DSO’s Relationship Rules
MY BOOKS
