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Is Venus Affecting Your Love Life?

  • October 13, 2010 at 3:23 pm

“Wisdom is knowing when a relationship has run its course. Not everything lasts – letting go is a leap of Faith.

Wisdom is also putting your whole Heart into relationships that are worth cultivating!

To know the difference between which people to let go of & which to keep – ask yourself – if I loved me, what would I do?”

- Mastin Kipp, The Daily Love

There seems to be a lot of changes happening in relationships right now. This week the media shockingly released statements of separations by two seemingly solid couples: Courteney Cox from her husband of eleven years, David Arquette and Christina Aguilera from her husband of almost five years, Jordan Bratman. In my own personal life, several of my friends have been in a place of introspection concerning their romantic relationships. “Should I proceed?”  “Where is this relationship going?” “Is this person worth keeping in my life?” are the questions they have been asking themselves as they ponder their relationship’s future.  Even I have been more critical in my dating life wondering, “Why is this guy in my life?” “Can I truly see myself in a committed relationship with him?” “Is this the type of relationship I am seeking?” These kinds of questions are difficult to contemplate when we’re already in a tough economy. There are likely many other important things currently filling our minds. Yet relationships are an integral part of our lives. Feeling loved can help us to feel secure and confident whereas alienation and depression can be felt if we sense that love is slipping away.

One of my friends who studies astrology explained to me that we are currently in a Venus retrograde. The retrograde is from October 8 – November 18, 2010. As the planet of love and values, astrologers suggest that a Venus retrograde period is a time when we reassess what and who we value. Old friends and lovers may reappear possibly complicating a current relationship, and natural and spontaneous affection may be difficult to express during this time. Strong relationships will weather this storm, but others that may have already been strained may come to an end during this retrograde cycle. As a single person, this is the time to look critically at your relationship and evaluate your relationship needs and if they are being fulfilled by your partner.

Whether you believe in astrology or not, it is important to periodically take time out and re-evaluate the relationships in your life. Are they working for you? Are your needs being met? Is it going in the direction you would like it to go? If the answer to any of these questions is, “No” then this may be a good time to take some distance from the relationship (not necessarily break-up, but at least take time out) to truly love and nurture yourself so you may gain clarity on how to proceed.

Do you feel your love life has been affected by the Venus retrograde? If so, how are you handling it?

Photo: Fdecomite / Flickr

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Is Having A STD Better Than A PHD When It Comes To Dating For Women?

  • October 6, 2010 at 10:24 am

For the last three decades women have outpaced men in graduating from college in the United States. With women drastically outnumbering men in their age groups, it is having a tremendous impact on dating and relationships as most people prefer to marry equally educated partners. But it is becoming increasingly difficult for women to find eligible marriage partners. According to an American Council of Education report published in January of 2010, Undergraduate enrollment and degree distribution is 43% male and 57% female; however, women account for 60% of graduate school enrollment. So what does this gender gap mean for women who have attained graduate degrees? Has getting a higher education sabotaged their chances of finding a suitable husband?

The majority of my girlfriends (myself included) who have yet to be married, have obtained graduate degrees and have found finding “Mr. Right” to be a challenge. While several of them are open-minded and will date a guy at almost any academic level, many of them feel having an advanced degree puts them at a disadvantage when dating. They believe their degree intimidates men and makes them feel insecure. Rather than being seen as a strong teammate and companion, men see it as a threat to their manhood and would rather date someone who is not as educated. One of my girlfriends in particular hates for a guy to know in the beginning of a relationship that she has a doctorate degree and says, “It’s better for me to have a STD than a PHD. At least a guy knows what to do with a STD. He’ll say, ok well we can do some things, but maybe not everything. But a girl with a PHD, he doesn’t know what to do with that.”

As a woman who has many highly educated and open-minded male friends, I decided to ask them about this. Did they truly feel threatened by a woman who had an advanced degree? While some said, “No” and thought of it as an asset to the relationship, one man even stating, “Not only do I prefer to be with someone who is intelligent but she’s going to be the mother of my children. She’s going to be our children’s first teacher.” Others agreed it did intimidate them. Another man stating, “Yea, she’s going to expect more and demand more. I’m not down for all of that.”

What do you think? Does a woman’s education have an effect on her marital status? How much of a role does a person’s educational level play in your decision to seriously date or marry them?

Photo: Aprilzosia / Flickr

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