I believe that words are not sufficient to express how blessed, happy and grateful we are for God’s greatest gifts, our mothers. May these heartwarming messages make you feel that you’re the most special person in our lives for you occupy a very special place in our hearts.

Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

The mother loves her child most divinely, not when she surrounds him with comfort and anticipates his wants, but when she resolutely holds him to the highest standards and is content with nothing less than his best.

Once again, we say thank you and we love you to all the mothers. Nothing can be compared with the selfless love you have for your children. May you will forever be blessed and be a blessing to your children. HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY! You’re the greatest thing that God created. You’re God’s greatest gift to the humankind!

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Are you looking for ideas how to love and serve your loved ones? It’s time to treat those people who occupy a special place in your heart. Check this out!
Don’t Neglect Your Relationship! This book is valued at $47! But wait! The author is not selling it for that or even $37 which is a steal! The special introductory price is only $17! Yes, that’s right! For only $17, you get enough creative ideas to love and serve for your lifetime! In this handbook, the author is going to share over 4000 creative ideas and tips with you. Put these into practice and be loving for the rest of your life! http://e06b7h3ka3fn20ak-jve6p1nbl.hop.clickbank.net/

I’m recommending this book. Check it out and know the love language of your kids.

Though love can be understood by anyone, in a relationship it needs to be expressed appropriately. This is the reason that we are encouraged to know our love language and our partner’s/friends’. It is a key to a healthy, deep and meaningful relationship. By the way, here is the love language test I promised you. Please click on the link, and take the test. Enjoy loving! Live LOVE and LOVE life!

LOVE LANGUAGE TEST

How do you know your own (or your partner’s) love language? These are three things that you need to observe and study to know your own love language.

First, observe how you express more often your love to your partner. What are you fond of doing for your partner? This is the manner you express your love. You do it naturally and spontaneously, without being told and taught because this is who you are. This is how your love tank is built for. (I will explain what love tank is in my next posts) It is part of your system, and so you don’t have to think and decide when you do it. It comes out spontaneously. Have you caught yourself hugging your partner without any reason at all? Or giving your partner gifts even though there are no occasions and special events?
Second, notice what you complain about the most. You complain about it always because it is something you want to be appropriately addressed. You always perceive and talk about it, and not ignore it, because it matters to you. Do you and your partner always fight because he/she is always busy with a lot of things, and so having no time to spend together? Do you always complain about your partner not remembering your birthday and anniversary?
Lastly, know what you always ask/request from your partner. You most often ask for it because it will bring you joy and satisfaction. No matter how petty and small it is, you would fight for it, just to have it. It’s the way you want to be loved by your partner. The quantity, amount and frequency may not be counted and may not matter as long as love is expressed in the manner you want to be loved. Have you noticed your partner wondering why you’re crazy about a cheap chocolate being given to him/her on special occasion? Is your partner perplexed why you love to be with him/her for hours, doing nothing and talking about nothing?
Now, you know your love language, it’s time to know your partner’s love language. In my next post, I will be sharing with you a quiz/survey you have to take, or let your partner take to know your or his love language.
I recommend that you read this book to know more how you can deepen, strengthen and save your relationship. This has helped thousands of people. Buy this at affordable price. Click on the link and invest in your relationship.

Watch our for my succeeding posts. I will be explaining more what love language is. Subscribe to my Newsletter and Feeds to be updated.

If you want to know more how to deepen and improve your relationships, I strongly recommend that you consult this resource. I will be posting more recommended resources in my next posts. Invest in your relationships. Reap the fruits of your investment in the future. Have a great and love-filled day!

People in a long distance relationship should first overcome the hurdle of physical distance.  A person should get into a long distance relationship with the mindset that the distance will not be a hurdle and he/she will treat this relationship just the way they would a normal one, with a few adjustments here and there.

To make long distance relationship work people should set some ground rules and expectations. Rules will define how the relationship will be handled and expectations will define the emotional involvement aspect.  Rules around the communication channels used, frequency of communication, how often to meet, what activities to share, extent of involvement of each in the other’s lives, handling of disagreements, etc. Expectations of where the relationship is going or what each one wants out of the relationship and how each will contribute to helping the other reach their goals.

When people live in different locations then the mode and means of communication becomes very essential to how the relationship shapes up. People should try not to limit the relationship to just phone conversations or emails or chats, etc. Using a combination of the modes available will be more effective, especially for people living in different time zones.

Set a finite schedule for meeting so that each will have something to look forward to. Waiting for something to happen without knowing when is always frustrating. This doesn’t imply No Surprises. Surprising your long distance partner with a sudden visit is wonderful, but that shouldn’t preclude a schedule. While making a meeting schedule remember to take turns for travelling. Only one person doing the travelling is frustrating and will take a toll on the relationship. So be fair to each other by deciding when and who will do the travelling.

Having common activities that can be shared and done together will help keep people stay connected. People need to have something in common to do, as a way to overcome the distance. This could be playing a game together online, reading a book and talking about it, solving puzzles, etc. Get creative and come up with something interesting for both.

Involving in each other’s lives will help understand and relate to each other better. Accept that the even though each lives in different locations they will remain connected and involve the other in their goings on.

Getting to know a person better will inevitably include some disagreements. Arguing over the phone or email or chat will only make matters worse. Try to hold off the argument until you meet each other. If the matter can’t wait that long, try to not let anger drive the argument. Be careful with your choice of words and mellow down the tone.

While I would say that making any relationship work is completely dependent on the people involved, I also believe that if certain standards are set and followed then any relationship can bloom. Long distance relationships are no exception to following some guidelines to be successful. Make distance a factor in the relationship not a drawback.

By
Mary-Ann Roche.

In understanding intimacy one needs to firstly understand that true intimacy is about connecting on a deep and intimate level with someone . Intimacy is about sharing your needs and desires and your inner most feelings with someone together with sharing your body.

Why do so many of us have trouble understanding Intimacy?

I suppose intimacy is not really someone we learn at school and sometimes things happen to us in our journey through life that cause us to fear intimacy.  For real intimacy to be achieved the basis is trust.  Trusting in yourself and trusting another person enough for them to know everything about you.  Everything about how you feel, what you like, what your fears are, to know and understand you physically on a sexual level.

Understanding intimacy and wanting to achieve it with someone takes courage and commitment and of course love. Courage to expose yourself to someone else, so they can truly see you for who you are. Understanding intimacy and wanting to achieve it certainly takes commitment, a dedication to the relationship, a willingness to grow and learn with and about the other person.

More tips on understanding and achieving intimacy can be found here.

When we begin a relationship intimacy is simple, we cannot seem to get enough of that person!  As time passes however and the relationship continues it is very easy to slip into complacency. Remember being in a relationship and being intimate with someone takes effort!

One of the most important ingredients in a successful intimate relationship is the ability to communicate.  Communicate when you like something the other person does not just when you don’t!  Communication sexually is just as important.

Understanding intimacy and achieving it with a partner brings a special bond, its the very basis for getting up each day, that passion and desire for another!

By

MaryAnn Roche

 These little girls grew up and today they are thirty, forty, fifty. They are experienced, self-confident and educated. But even today they are subconsciously afraid of admitting that something is wrong. They fear that their partner will blame them for creating problems, get upset and eventually stop loving them. However, being tight-lipped is one of the most destructive relationship mistakes. And if you don’t dare to talk about what bothers you and to express your wishes, you’re not being a good girl at all. On the contrary.

We all know that communication is the key to a happy relationship. Usually, women are considered more communicative, while men tend to find it more difficult to open up, show their emotions and discuss relationship issues.

However, there is one communication area in which we, women, often do not excel. Many of us have problems telling the truth when something is wrong and expressing exactly what we want. Instead, we expect men to see what’s wrong and to guess what we want. The bad news is that men are no mind readers and most of the time they believe what we tell them.

Let’s have a look at this typical example: Your partner asks you if you’re okay. You say that you are. He’s happy and goes about his day. But in reality, you’re not okay. Maybe you had a bad day at work, maybe you’re sad, maybe you have a headache, maybe he said something or did something annoying. However, you don’t say a word because you expect him to know, to see it, to feel it. He would, if he really loved you, right? So you get frustrated and furious. He doesn’t understand why you’re snapping at him, and he says you’re hysterical. It makes you even more furious because you’re angry for a reason. He still doesn’t understand. You end up fighting for nothing. Does this situation sound familiar to you?

It’s quite possible that your mum or your best friend really see when something is wrong and don’t leave you alone until you tell them. However, most men are much more straightforward and a bit less empathetic than women, and when you say you’re fine, they take your word for it.

So my advice is: Speak up and tell your partner how you feel and what you think. Believe me, he can take it. Actually, he’ll be happy to listen, advice and help, or just to hug you and support you.

The same rule applies to relationship issues. Maybe something he does (or did) has been bugging you for some time. Maybe you would like to spend more time together or do different things. Maybe his habits are ticking you off. He can’t know it unless you tell him, and such little “secrets” have ruined many good relationships. The tension keeps building up, you’re not happy, he can see that but he doesn’t understand why. It leads to unnecessary fights and even to break-ups.

Your partner wants your relationship to work, just like you do. He wants to be happy, just like you want him to be happy. And he wants to know what’s going on in your head, just like you want to know what’s going on in his. Talking about things that bother you and about those that you want or long for should become a natural part of your relationship. So start today. Tell your partner you want to discuss something over a good meal on Friday night and believe me, he’ll be ready to listen. Don’t accuse each other and don’t complain, just talk about things that you would like to change. Stop keeping your worries to yourself. You’re in this together, it’s your relationship and you love each other, so be honest and open. And remember, hints are useless and they don’t work, so don’t expect your partner to read between the lines. You will see that straightforwardness is something that men deeply appreciate.

 Written by Barbora Knobova.

The harsh reality is that the addict themselves are really the only ones who can overcome their addiction.  Here is a list of what you can do to help them with their battle:

1. Help Them When Making Choices.

Sometimes it’s not so easy to make a good choice or decision yourself and often it helps if someone else can give you a fresh or new perspective on things helping you to see things more clearer and hence make a better choice for yourself. Perhaps suggest alternatives to their addictive behaviours and ensure that at no time do you make them feel stupid or judge them for their choices.

2. Offer Them Your Love and Support.

Often your loved one suffering an addiction has very vulnerable moments and they need to know they can rely upon your unwavering love and support. The support of a loved one can make or break it when it comes to a person trying to overcome or break their addiction.

3. Help Them When They Are Craving.

When first trying to withdraw from their addiction the person you love will crave their drug of choice badly.  Be there to help and support them through this so they dont give in to their addiction. Suggest activites or alternative choices they can engage in rather than return to the addiction.

4. Seek Medical Help.

Understand that overcoming an addiction is a trememdous hurdle, and that you are not equipped to help your loved one alone.  If you can engage the assistance of a medical professional early on in the withdrawal phase then this is advisable.  Keep the phone numbers of the medical advisors handy so that you can call
upon assistance as and when its needed.

5. Organize an Intervention.

A great way of showing your loved one that family and friends really care, organising an intervention, although terribly confronting does help the addict to face their addiction and understand its affect upon their loved ones. Facing it in such a confronting manner by their loved ones, often helps the addict to come
to terms with their denial about their addiction.

6. Attend a Support Group Meeting.

There are meetings everywhere all the time that are designed to support the addict and those around the addict who are affected by their addiction. As a support person, attending these meetings is of enormous benefit as you find and learn ways in wich to support they addict and understand how the addict
can be enabled, and by whom.  You also have the opportunity to meet other support people and discuss and learn how they cope.

7. Understand the Process of Withdrawal.

Educate yourself on the addict’s drug of choice, and in particul the process of withdrawing from this particular drug.  Educate yourself on the physical aspects of withdrawal such as vomiting and headaches and more.

8. Avoid Boredom and Stress.

Once your loved one has endured the withdrawal stage their physical symptoms have settled down try to slowly introduce structure into their day.  Remember an addict simply has no daily structure and will  have to slowly be introduced to this again to avoid boredom which can lead to temptation.  Remember too that a recovering addict will have tremendous trouble sleeping, as their addiction has greatly affecting their sleeping routine.

Lastly ensure that you take time for youself to relax. Caring for a recovering addict is extremely challenging and without adequate rest and relaxation, you will not be able to assist them through the trying times ahead.

Remember too, that a person wanting to overcome their addiction, as a much HIGHER success rate, with the unwavering support of a loved one.

Suggested Reading:

This workbook is based on proven success by many people. If you have tried traditional treatment and still don’t understand why you can’t stop alcohol or drugs, or if you are attempting to quit for the first time, this workbook can be of assistance to you.

Put an End to your Gambling Addiction Forever.

Grow out of your gambling habit and never relapse.

Written by an EX-alcoholic and EX-drug user (no longer a “recovering” one for 24 years now after 18 years of use)

By MaryAnn Roche

The journey I have been on over the last five years is something most people, me included, only read about or see in the movies.  It has been a journey of highs, lows, laughter, tears and mostly of survival and self discovery.  A journey of developing into the person I have become today.  From the lows of lying in a Spinal unit to the highs of seeing the sparkling lights of the famous “Las Vegas Strip”.

It all began this time 5 years ago with a slight nagging pain in my upper arm.  I came home from my working day and commented to my partner that my upper arm was sore.  This progressed quite quickly to a pain that affected my daily routine, stopping me from working, sleeping and socialising.  I found myself at the emergency department of our major hospital, to be given the diagnosis of a massive bulging disc on my C5/C6.  After trying so many lotions and potions I was advised  by my doctor that the only option was surgery.  I was then booked to see a “Very well known and experienced” Neurosurgeon.  I was excited to be seeing this person who would take away my pain and give me my life back.  He assured me it was a very simple operation, and I would have more hope of being hit by a bus when he discharged me, than of anything going wrong.  I was so full of hope and could hardly wait until this wonderful person was going to give me my life back, 9th February 2005.  I could never had known how his words would ring in my ears for the rest of my life………3 to 5 days, you will be back home, pain free.  Those words started me on a journey of self development into the stronger person I have become today.

Hope you enjoy my story….

Kind Regards
Lisa Monaghan

Out with the Old In with the New

9^th February, 2005, a day forever in my memory, a day I was so looking forward to. Arriving bright and early keen to get the process going, I could never have imagined how devastated my family and I would feel by late this afternoon. I really don’t think there are any words that could describe my mortal fear when I realized that I could no longer move, I was so happy as I waved to my mother at 10am that morning as they wheeled me away smiling, to the operating theatre.

 Somewhere, somehow during my operation something had happened that would change everything in every aspect of my life. My body, mind and soul were no longer as I had always known them to be. My first realisation that all was not well was saying I felt pain in my arm, I just kept repeating that something was wrong. My family were downstairs unsure of what was going on as I was due out of theatre three hours earlier.

I remember waking seeing my Son, Daughter, Mother and Partner standing there smiling, huge bunches of flowers in hand, happy to see me at last. They had no idea of the horror we were all about to face. I was so sure that this was going away and all was going to be good again. Why wouldn’t it be-I was getting a new car and had a planned holiday to the Reef. Just a day or two should see all of this go away, after all the awful pain I felt was gone. I will be home again in 3 to 5 days, the Surgeon had assured me of that.

Never could I have imaged the journey I was about to undertake, a journey of digging deep and finding survival tactics I never knew existed. It is amazing the inner strength you can find when you are faced with adversity. Look out Lisa, out with the old and in with the new……….

07/02/10

As you can see by the date on my column today it has been some time since I last wrote and things have come to light of which I could never have imagined, but for now back to my hospital stay.  My three day visit lasted for nine long agonizing months, agonizing for me, my children, my parents, family and friends.  To see the pain and helplessness on their face day after day is really hard and sad.  To see their glee is also sad, their glee because you can now hold a pen or a cup or you can brush your hair, they feign excitement but really their heart is just as broken as yours, but they have to be as happy as they can be for your sake.  You do have your happy moments of course when funny things happen and you can even laugh at yourself and as time goes on you learn to do this more and more.  As much as you don’t like being in hospital it almost becomes a safe haven or another family and leaving it, even for just a few hours can be quite traumatic.  

My first trip out of the hospital was amazing and I almost felt like an alien!  Allan, my partner at the time, had asked me to marry him and he wanted to take me for a champagne to celebrate.  I had been practicing for a few weeks with my physiotherapist, Josh, how to transfer in and out of a car, so here was my opportunity.  It was slow, difficult and painful, but with the help of my Physio’s and Allan I was in the front seat of the car, the same car that had dropped me off a few months ago to start this painful journey.  Oh how excited I felt, it felt so weird to be in a car, yet I had been driving since I was 17.  We drove off leaving the hospital behind, so excited at something so seemingly small, I immediately called my mother and said excitedly “You will never guess where I am Mum, I am in the car with Allan”, such a big moment, we were so happy.  We stopped and picked up some piccolos of champagne and went and parked down by the river and drank to our excitement, to getting engaged, to being alone together, to being back in the real world, sitting in the car like a ‘Normal’ person, life just didn’t get any better.

Unfortunately, reality has a way of biting you when you least expect it, after we had finished drinking our champagne, it was time for me to remember that I had to go back to the Spinal Unit, Allan had told me something that had broken my heart and the Physios gave us a scolding as in our haste to get away from the hospital we had forgotten to take my wheelchair.  It seems my spinal injury was going to be with me wherever I went for the rest of my life……..how could I deal with that?

Kind Regards

Lisa Monaghan

For those of you who are the same vintage as I am, you would remember this as a very popular song title. It may bring back some very different memories of a time when things seemed much simpler and life was generally pretty easy. Our youthful memories, should be filled with heady romances and first kisses. Sadly though, we form habits in relationships, that are hard to break, or routines that are hard to put behind us.

We all at around the age of twenty to twenty five start to mature and partners or relationships that once we thought were sweet and tender, suddenly become manipulative and controlling. We can feel this happening but tend to keep telling ourselves that our partner is tired, stressed or even worse, we are doing things to make them unhappy and insecure. Mind you, this behavior is not age restrictive. I have to say that I know many people in their 40′s, 50′s even 60′s who are still repeating this pattern, over and over again. This type of relationship is very hard to walk away from, especially if you have a soft easy going nature, or have self esteem issues. You start to think that this is what you deserve. WRONG!

Rarely do you see strong confident types of people caught up in relationships they are not enjoying, they have the strength and self confidence to make a life for themselves, with or without a partner. If you ever find yourself in a situation where everyone around you can see these signs and they are prepared to put themselves in a vulnerable position by addressing it with you, be rest assured this comes from a place of love. Nobody wants to sabotage your happiness, least of all those who love you.

Naturally, everyone one will come across someone they think is unsuitable for their friend, daughter, son, parent, BUT if this is the majority and not the minority then we really need to take stock, listen and find the strength to move on. The old adage that “Life is too Short” is very true indeed.

Each new day is a gift and not a given.

Naturally, every aspect of our lives cannot possibly be perfect, but the person we choose to be ‘The One’, should make our heart skip a beat, make the room light up when they smile. Life offers us no guarantees, so we need to be as certain, as we can be of the person we choose to be our lover and our friend. God created something wonderful and unique, YOU!. You would not buy a BMW for your worst neighbour, so don’t give the greatest asset you have to someone undeserving.

Walking away from something that isn’t working takes an awful lot of inner strength and it is so much easier to stay and keep the peace, your partners peace, not yours long term. Find the inner strength, combine it with the love and support from family and friends and you will soon be on your way to a happier, healthier life, with or without a partner.

By MaryAnn Roche.

I am sure it is easy for all of us to stay in a negative relationship, one which started out perfect,then, started to change almost overnight. There comes a time where you have to decide whether or not the positive attributes outweigh the negative ones when it comes to your relationship choices. When you are feeling unhappy and emotionally drained after a break up, you might not be too optimistic about getting yourself back out there. It is not easy to open yourself up to new opportunities, but it is the only way you’re going to reach the happiness we all seek.

The most beneficial thing you can do is to educate yourself to the point that you know what to look for and what to avoid. This is not by any means a fail-proof plan, but by applying certain strategies, you stand to increase your chances of finding a fulfilling, lasting relationship.

1000 Questions For Couples By Michael Webb Relationship Expert.

Try taking these steps to avoid negative relationships:

Step 1

Avoid going back to the wrong person. When you’re feeling particularly lonely, it is hard to fight the urge to fall back on someone that you feel comfortable with even though you know they not right for you. Your head tells you that this person is not “the one” and yet your heart tells you to go crawling back anyway, convincing you they can change. Chances are, they won’t.

Step 2

You need to spend time getting to know your partner well. Focus on getting to know your partner first before it becomes a more serious relationship. You need to try the in depth conversations close to the start of the relationship. This gives you the scope to decide to work through it or move on quickly, if there are any nagging doubts.

1000 Questions For Couples By Michael Webb Relationship Expert.

Step 3

Get an insight into your partner’s history. Did you find any disturbing events in his or her past? You need to move on quickly from people who have a history of violence or intense form of addiction. If you have this knowledge and you choose to pursue the relationship, you must set ground rules and proceed with caution.

Step 4

Manipulative people are best avoided. It is not easy to realize it at first, but being manipulated often can be seriously draining on your relationship. If your partner is controlling, and their motives seem to be selfish, it is not the most pleasant relationship to be in. You must recognize the behavior and move on before becoming attached to this type of person. Recognize these red flags!

Step 5

It is important to prepare a list of the qualities you desire in a partner. By including the qualities you like and also dislike, will make it easier to determine if this is the right relationship for you.

1000 Questions For Couples By Michael Webb Relationship Expert.

Here’s a tip:

Superficial things such as looks, are best avoided, because these types of things will likely change with age. You need to be attracted to their personality, genuinely liking them as a person. Just pure human nature tells us relationships are difficult to maintain. We shouldn’t base our future hopes on the fact that many relationships just come to an end. The world is full of people that will be a perfect match, have faith. It is important to avoid relationships that drain our energy and destroy our soul.

Remember:

We all have a right to make choices. Focus yourself, walk the path to finding the right partner for you and then take the steps to make it the positive relationship you’ve always dreamed of!

Love & Passion Relationship Program

A really great Relationship Program by Anthony Robbins, for anyone wanting to improve their existing relationship or to find that special partner!  This program provides you with the tools you need to attract and sustain a passionate, loving relationship.  Find more information at the Anthony Robbins website.

By MaryAnn Roche.

I am sure at some stage or another in our many relationships that mould us into the person we are today, we have at some point suffered feelings of doubt and insecurity. Unfortunately, this can wreak havoc not only on your intimate relationships, but our whole world in general. There are so many different things that influence us into believing we are “Not Good Enough”. If only we all realized how full of worth and beauty each and every one of us are.

I think the best way to explain this is to give you some real insight into someone who has repeated this pattern over and over, throughout their whole life.

Boys and relationships start earlier for some people and later for others, but our pattern of feelings and actions start from the very beginning. Bearing in mind, the early partners we choose, and the way they treat us can lead us into a lifetime pattern, of insecurity and self doubt. Other times I think it is something in our make-up that we can only strive to conquer and improve.

I started my very first long term serious relationship at the tender age of 15, and it lasted until just before my 19^th birthday. I remember from the start being very needy and seeking constant reassurance. He was very devoted, spoilt me and paid me so much attention, so why did I still feel like I wasn’t good enough, that every girl that walked past was better. Why did I always think there was something better out there for me but yet try so hard to have his approval. I was so sure when we dined out or went to public places that people were thinking I looked silly and wasn’t cool enough to be there. I am still working on conquering these feelings today. It would turn out to be something I repeated in most of my intimate relationships.

I married at 20, happy but not quite as in love as I knew I should be, but once again tried to make sure I looked perfect all the time so he couldn’t possibly desire anyone else. I had felt from an early age that I would be “Left on the Shelf”, so in all reality I had everything I had thought I had wanted. A man totally devoted to me, so why did I always think I wasn’t good enough. My marriage ended when I was 39, again I found myself searching for that elusive relationship I was sure I could find.

Insecurity comes and rears it’s ugly head, no matter how perfect you think you are being, and you find yourself wondering how you can make this person want you more than life itself. You can throw yourself into their life to a point where you feel you are indispensible to this person. Insecurity drove me to do things that I would be appalled at if my daughter was doing them. I cooked meals and delivered them, picked up children and baby-sat, formed relationships with family members carefully placing myself at the centre of his world. How could he live without me, I was charming, witty, attractive, yet so desperately seeking approval. Unfortunately this type of behavior eventually drives a person away, in turn achieving the exact opposite of what we so desperately desire. A person who is strong, confident and independent is so much more attractive to other person, which in turn leads to the very thing we are striving for. But how do we find this? What can we do to get to this point…….It takes time and hard work to find that true inner strength, which believe me is in all of us.

I look back now and see all the wonderful promise I had, but never believed in. When I found myself alone, for the first time since I was fourteen, I was devastated and was sure I couldn’t go on. A very dear Uncle of mine said to me at the time-What don’t you get Lisa-You are the catch now, you have your own home, a great job, nice car and are great company. I smiled and agreed, but inside was that nagging insecurity again. It was only eight years ago that these words were spoken to me, and to this day I wished I had the strength back then to believe I was worthy of a great relationship. You can have so much if you can fight your way out of your inner most self doubt.

Today I know that I am a ‘Catch’ and that I will find that true happy relationship. I urge all of you to fight back against these awful feelings of doubt after all, we, each and every one of us has something to offer the world that is truly unique and beautiful…….Ourselves!

By MaryAnn Roche