Dating

Identifying Guys that are Players

Identifying Guys that are Players

In the dating world, both in and out of the church, it can often be difficult distinguish between guys that are “players” and guys that are genuine good, nice, decent guys. Players are usually referred to as a male, although surely women can be “players” too. But for this article, I will mainly refer to guys as the players. In the Urban Dictionary, a player is defined as follows: “Usually a boy who makes you feel special. He makes you feel like you are the only girl in his life, when really

2019-09-15 Carly Gordon Understanding men, Dating
When Others Warn

When Others Warn

One common occurrence that can be experienced as you get to know someone or begin dating is that some current or former friend, family member, or coworker of your partner has some warning for you about them. “Um, I just thought that you might like to know that he/she is/was/did______ (in the past)”, or “you might want to think twice about that person because_____”. Perhaps you are warned that your partner is abusive, neglectful, poor with money, had a bad temper, whatever. The advice may be to

2019-09-02 Randy Gilchrist Understanding men, Understanding women, Dating, Healthy relationships
Agency and Marriage

Agency and Marriage

I've seen that smile somewhere before I've heard your voice before It seems like we talk like this before. Sometime, who can be certain when? But if I knew you then, It's strange I can't remember Feelings come so strong, Like we known each other oh, so long. The circle of our love is more Than just a rising sun that sets, The circle of our love, it goes forever. The circle of our love begins With now and every promised dream In God's eternal plan, it goes forever. The circle of our love

2019-08-26 Randy Gilchrist Dating
Ghosted?

Ghosted?

Wikipedia defines “ghosting” as follows: “Ghosting is breaking off a relationship (often an intimate relationship) by stopping all communication and contact with the partner without any apparent warning or justification, as well as ignoring the partner’s attempts to reach out or communicate. The term originated in the mid-2000s. In that following decade, media reported a rise in ghosting, which has been attributed to the increasing use of social media and online dating apps.” In other words

2019-08-11 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships, Communication, Conflict resolution
Developing a Sense of Humor

Developing a Sense of Humor

As a single member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there are numerous ways you can work to increase you dating stock. You can improve your spirituality, your looks, your economic situation, your conversational skills, etc. One particular element of your social skills that can especially help your dating prospects is to develop a good sense of humor. A good sense of humor is a great way to endear yourself to the opposite sex. It helps to break the ice in socially anxious

2019-08-05 Randy Gilchrist Dating
Physical Attractiveness: A Mixed Message

Physical Attractiveness: A Mixed Message

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we have been taught numerous messages about looks and physical attractiveness, often as negative or cautious messages. Namely, that looks don’t matter much, that a looks focus is overly prideful and superficial, that focusing too much on your looks is a poor priority, etc. On the other hand, being a single member of the church necessitates a focus on looks to a degree to help attract others and produce greater opportunities for

2019-07-08 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Health and fitness
Dealing with Differences

Dealing with Differences

In general, the more similar couples are--with their attitudes, interests, politics, religious ideas, hobbies, and so on--the bigger the advantage they have. It becomes easier to get along, to bond, and to have agreeable and enjoyable time together. However, men and women will still be…different in many ways. We naturally think, act, and feel differently. We interpret the world differently. Such differences can potentially cause frustration, conflict, and misunderstanding. So, how do couples

2019-05-13 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships, Communication, Conflict resolution
Dating—Continuing to Try

Dating—Continuing to Try

One of the hardest things to do in life is to keep trying after past frustrations, failures, heartache, and heartbreak. This is especially true in the case of the dating world. Unreturned interest, ghosting, tough break ups, divorce and custody situations…there are many ways relationships can go badly. Understandably after such pain and disappointment, many people are tempted to give up the dating and relationships in general. Once a person feels snake bitten, it can be tough to keep trying.

2019-05-06 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Psychological health
Are You Comfortable Single?

Are You Comfortable Single?

Some of you reading this have always been single, others have been divorced, still others, widowed. Whatever you circumstance, you are most likely a single member of the church if you are reading this. How should you feel about being single? If you have a history of being in unhealthy, unhappy relationships in the past, you might understandably feel relieved, peaceful, even content. And truly, being single and alone can truly be a much better position to be in then being in an unhealthy

2019-04-01 Randy Gilchrist Dating
Online Dating Profile Tips

Online Dating Profile Tips

Today your online dating profile will go a long way to determine whether a dating prospect will consider you or not. Often, people will be turned off by your profile and either never give you a chance or they will ghost you after some brief exchanges if they don’t like what they see. Rarely will they ever let you know specifically why they lost interest. If the conversation was good but they still drop out of interacting with you, there is a decent chance the main reason was because of

2019-03-25 Randy Gilchrist Dating
Game Playing in the Dating World

Game Playing in the Dating World

A common complaint in the dating world involves love interests playing games. This can be frustrating, confusing, and upsetting. Why would a person that is interested in you and you are interested in as well choose to play games? There are several possible reasons. First of all, some people play games to draw reactions out of the other person to reveal their interest when the other’s interest is unsure or unclear. Second, some play games as revenge for perceived slights or offenses. Third

2019-03-10 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Communication
Positive Motivators to Date and Marry

Positive Motivators to Date and Marry

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com FREE Online Dating Being members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we know the church’s stance on marriage: that we need to do it. That we need to search it out and make it happen the best we can. There is some pressure, some guilt, some obligation underneath it all to have the ideal, traditional married family unit. To reinforce this, conference talks will regularly remind singles of this need, which can often

2019-02-24 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Marriage preparation
Dating Small Talk

Dating Small Talk

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com FREE Online Dating Few factors matter more to the success or failure of a date than how the small talk goes. The chatter and discussion about a variety of big and little issues that encompasses the entire date from beginning to end. Good small talk will promote attraction, closeness, connection, understanding, and overall bonding. Poor small talk repels, discourages, and may even doom the relationship right then and there. So how

2019-02-17 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Communication
Tips for Long Distance Relationships

Tips for Long Distance Relationships

Tips for Long Distance Relationships by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com FREE Online Dating As single members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is preferable to date fellow active members that will hopefully, ideally, lead to an eventual temple marriage. However, unless you live in an area where there are many fellow local single members—Utah, Idaho, Arizona for example—it may be difficult to find, date, and marry an active member. Therefore

2019-02-11 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships
Avoiding Burnout in the Dating World

Avoiding Burnout in the Dating World

Sometimes people enter the dating world for the first time (or again after a breakup) and quickly find a new partner. However, most of the time it takes some time, especially when you are looking for an active church member to date. Months, years, even decades. The important thing to remember is that pushing forward in the dating world towards finding special that partner that is a keeper is usually more marathon than sprint. Pacing yourself will allow you to continue on for as long as needed.

2019-02-04 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Psychological health
Increasing Your Chances of Finding Someone

Increasing Your Chances of Finding Someone

In church circles, being single can be a frustrating situation. Finding that special someone to date and hopefully marry (ideally in the temple, ideally sooner versus later) can be especially challenging. Many good, high quality men and women who are basically active and worthy in the church can still find themselves single. This single status can often go on for years, decades, perhaps for the rest of their mortal lives. Why is this? Is this because such singles are “not worthy of love”? Is it

2019-01-28 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Communication