Table of Contents
Introduction 10
How to Use This Book 12
Chapter 1 Modern Dating Basics 13
Okay, So What Is Modern Dating Anyway? 14
Modern Dating Terms You Need to Know 16
Dating App 101 18
If Dating Apps Aren't Your Thing… 20
What Language Does Your Heart Speak? 22
Attachment Style 101 24
To the Overthinker Who Fears Rejection 26
Elements of a Healthy Dating Life 28
What's Your Current Love Story? 30
Go from Insecure AF to Empowered As Hell 32
Deal Breakers and You 34
You're Never Going to Be Fully Ready 36
Chapter 2 Embracing Singleness and Practicing Self-Love 39
How to Answer the Dreaded Question: "Why Are You Still Single?" 40
Alone, Not Lonely; Lonely, Not Alone 42
When Love Is Running Late, Double-Check the Time 44
You're the Main Character 46
Actually, No, You Don't Need to Love Yourself First 48
Romanticize Your Life 50
Who Are You Outside of Someone Else? 52
You Are Whole on Your Own 54
Therapist-Approved Self-Love Activities 56
You're Your Own Constant 58
Intentional Singleness 60
Read This When Everyone Is Getting Married 62
Chapter 3 Putting Yourself Out There 65
Cultivate an Authentic Dating Style 66
How to Not Overthink Your Way Into Canceling 68
Study These First Date Tips 70
Make Your Own Dating Rules 72
If Confidence Was a Song, Which One Would It Be? 74
Hot Is a Mindset, and So Are You! 76
Throw Away Your "Type" 78
Disrespect Is Their Problem, Not Yours 80
Some People Are Just a Dinner Date, and That's Okay 82
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff 84
In Defense of No Chill 86
Signs You're Overthinking Again, and How to Stop 88
Address the Red Flags 90
Are You Attracting or Chasing? 92
So, You've Reached the "Talking Stage" 94
Stop Putting Up with BS Behavior 96
What Are Your Sexual Boundaries? 98
Stop Looking Too Much Into Texts 100
Send the Damn Text, OMG 102
It's Okay to Have Standards 104
They're Just a Person, Not a Judge 106
Don't Let a Ghost Haunt You 108
Chapter 4 "So What Are We?" 111
Why Do You Like Them? 112
Signs You're Totally Into Them 114
If the Shoe Fits 116
It Doesn't Need to Hurt in Order to Feel Real 118
Read This If You're Afraid to Tell Them How You Feel 120
Trust the Free Fall 122
Insecure Moments Happen (Here's How to Not Let 'Em Derail You) 124
Communication Is Everything 126
Same Book, Different Pages 128
First Fight Problems 130
Signs of a Nourishing Relationship 132
Manage Your Expectations 134
The Honeymoon Stage Ends, but Love Doesn't Have To 136
Chapter 5 Breaking Up F'ing Sucks 139
When Your Relationship Is Toxic Beyond Repair 140
On Letting Go of Someone You Still Love 142
Block Your Ex; No, Seriously 144
Contemplate Why It Didn't Work 146
Do You Really Want Closure? 148
What Will You Miss Now That They're Gone? 150
Write a Letter You'll Never Send to Your Ex 152
Don't Lose Yourself in Someone Else's Story 154
There's More to Life Than Falling Back in Love 156
You Can Miss Them and Not Want Them Back 158
Maybe You Don't Forget Them 160
Love Never Left You; It Just Changed Shape 162
Chapter 6 Almost Relationships and Situationships 165
Heartbreak Can Inspire You, If You Let It 166
Your Heart Is Your Own to Mend 168
Don't Change Yourself So They'll Love You Back 170
Fall Out of Love with the Idea of Them 172
Soon, They'll Just Be Someone You Once Loved 174
Your Feelings Were Real 176
Give Yourself the Chance They Never Gave You 178
Chapter 7 Finding The Real Thing 181
Your Person Makes Perfect Sense, If You Look Back 182
Remember It Can Be Difficult (But It Shouldn't Be Hard) 184
Ask These Deep Questions to Bring You and Your Partner Closer 186
Remember This: Your Person Isn't Your Everything 188
Find the Romance in Routine 190
Love Is a Verb 192
You, Them, and Us 194
Hold Space for Your Partner 196
Draft Your Vows 198
Think of Ways to Keep It Fresh 200
Imagine Your Dream Wedding 202
Show Up for Love 204