The Single Woman’s Dash of Sass: Why You Can Throw “The Rules” Out the Window

Quote of the Day:

“It doesn’t have to be on Valentine’s Day. It doesn’t have to be by the time you turn eighteen or thirty-three or fifty-nine. It doesn’t have to conform to whatever is usual. It doesn’t have to be kismet at once, or rhapsody by the third date. It just has to be. In time. In place. In spirit. It just has to be.” ~David Levithan

The Single Woman Says:

Last night I went to a screening of “Think Like a Man” and I absolutely LOVED it. First, for the diversity of the cast – Hollywood, can we take note here? – And second, for the hilarious look at the often confusing, chaotic, and contradictory world of dating. What I came away with most, however, was that when it comes to dating, you can listen to The Rules and the self-help books and the opinions of your friends all day long, but ultimately…you have to follow your own heart. The truth is, everyone is different. Some people play games. Some people refuse to. Some men like it when a woman plays hard to get. Some men are put off by it. Sometimes a woman hooks up with a guy on the first date and he runs for the hills. Other times he stays for life. So what does all this tell us?

There are no “Rules” because the rules of love change every day. Your heart can tell you if “He’s Just Not That Into You” better than any book can. At the end of the day, “The Secret” and “The Power” and the “Laws of Attraction” cannot lead you any more reliably than your own gut, your own intuition. You KNOW if a guy is into you or if he’s not. Whether or not you choose to admit it and act accordingly is up to you. You KNOW when someone is asking you to surrender your dignity or lower your standards. Only you can reach the conclusion that true love will NEVER ask you to downgrade yourself. And you KNOW when you’re about to make a bad decision when it comes to love. Only you can turn and walk in the opposite direction. Don’t wait on a book or a movie to tell you what you already know. Whether you choose to walk off into the sunset with a man or in search of a tan…the BEST Hollywood Ending of all is the one in which you click your heels together three times and realize once and for all that YOU held the power all along. The power to love smarter… choose better…and walk away at the first sign of settling.

THAT sounds like “Happily Ever After” to me…