Sis, He Might be a Dog, but You Don’t Have to Catch Him.
No, not all men are dogs. Sure, there are some unsavory characters out there, but you just have to know how not to be a dogcatcher. So, just because there are some strays out and about, roaming the streets, that doesn’t mean you have to take them home. Here are a few steps on how you can avoid picking dogs and catching fleas:
Know Yourself
Honestly, how well do you know yourself? When you don’t know who you are, what you want or what you need, you’re more likely to allow people into your life who don’t need to be there. And when you have the wrong people trapsing in and out of your life, you’re probably catching dogs along the way. Knowing yourself will help you become more discerning as to who and what you need in your life.
Love Yourself, Know Your Worth
One of the best ways not to be a dogcatcher is to love yourself and know your worth. When you love yourself, you won’t accept anything less from anyone else, especially in your close relationships. Loving yourself includes knowing your own value, outside of what society or anyone else says. When you love yourself and know your worth, you’re not willing to accept being dogged out by others.
Is Your Picker Off?
If, over the course of your dating life, you take a step back and realize you’ve been unsuccessfully dating a different version of the same dude, your picker might be off. And when your picker is off, you’re probably picking wrong. Personally, I had my “come to Jesus moment,” if you will, when I had to acknowledge that the common denominator in all of my failed dating relationships was me. Sure, the men may have had their issues, but I was the one picking them. If you find that you’re habitually picking wrong, it’s probably a good idea to step back, come out of the dating game for a minute and work on yourself.
Listen to the Experts
You know one of the best ways not to be a dogcatcher? By listening to the advice and wisdom of a repentant, self-proclaimed former dog. Nobody knows a man like another man. Even better, nobody knows a dog like a former dog. Believe it or not, there are some truly sincere men out there who are trying to help women understand and avoid disastrous dating relationships. Two men, who have benefited my life greatly in this area, are R.C. Blakes, Jr. and Tony Gaskins. Sure, many of us are use to taking dating advice from our girlfriends, but really, how has that worked for you?
Take Your Time
Ladies, sometimes we become dogcatchers because we don’t take our time, by truly getting to know people, while we’re dating. Personally, I can admit that sometimes, I’d been more focused on being in a relationship, than the man I was trying to be in relationship with. A lot of times, had I taken my time, I would’ve seen relatively quickly I was about to be a dogcatcher. Slow down and take your time. Chances are taking your time can help you to avoid catching a dog.
Establish Your Standards
Another way to avoid becoming a dogcatcher is by establishing your standards and sticking to them. Standards are those non-negotiables that your perspective partner must have. For example, only dating partners with solid character and integrity would be standards. By establishing standards and using them as the measuring stick for your potential partners, you can avoid becoming a dogcatcher.
Stop Settling
Nothing good ever comes from you settling. Every situationship I’d ever found myself in was a result of me settling for what I could get, in the moment. No, the situation wasn’t truly what I wanted, but hey, something was better than nothing, right? Wrong! Every single time I settled, I turned into a dogcatcher and ended up with nothing but hurt feelings and regret. Sis, take it from me – stop settling.
Don’t be Afraid of Being Alone
Being afraid of being alone is a sure fire way to becoming a dogcatcher. When you’re afraid to be alone, anyone will do. Here’s the thing though – if you don’t want to be with you, how can you truly expect anyone else to want to be with you? Being alone doesn’t equal being lonely. Use your alone time wisely – invest in yourself, date yourself, focus on your personal growth, etc. When you’re not afraid to be alone, you limit the likelihood of you becoming a dogcatcher.
What are some other ways to avoid being a dogcatcher? Drop your comments below.