By Susan Winter for the Huffington Post Dogs have mastered the art of unconditional love. Forgiveness, curiosity, and playfulness are just a few of the life lessons we can learn from our beloved pets. They can also be wise teachers when it comes to a breakup. I remember the day I got a jolt of wisdom from my beautiful white sled dog, Diva. I should have been happy while walking with her but instead I was in a funk, upset and distracted. The guy I’d [...]
By Susan Winter for The Huffington Post What do you do when your relationship isn’t working? Whether you’ve been married for 15 years or dating for eight months, the decision whether to stay or leave is never easy. How long do you keep trying to make it right? And, when do you throw in the towel and walk away? The answer to these questions is easier to find when we start at the end and work our way backwards. There’s always the option to leave. [...]
By Susan Winter for The Huffington Post Why do we cling so desperately to a relationship that’s died? Because we’ve been told it’s the right choice to make. Leaving a dead relationship takes courage. Staying in a dead relationship takes self-sacrifice. We agonize over this decision; worrying about our future and the repercussions for those we love. Adding to our emotional struggle is the premium our culture places on sustaining a relationship. The underlying message insists that suffering is better than leaving, which makes the [...]
By Susan Winter for The Huffington Post First love is beautiful in its vulnerability. Our innocence allows us to feel without the hesitation of fear. With no cautionary memories to bind us, we advance toward all that is new and unlimited. We are, perhaps, at our finest when with our first love. We are pure. I met my first love in college. Having never had such intense feelings before, I was certain he’d be my last love. My experience was one of total surrender. I [...]
By Susan Winter for The Huffington Post There’s a point in every dating scenario when we know it’s over. Either they aren’t moving toward partnership, or we recognize they’re not the one for us. It doesn’t have to be tragic or sad. We don’t need to play the victim just because society sold us this “story.” We can see this experience as a natural occurrence of two people who aren’t on the same page, or we can allow it to destroy our self-respect. For reasons [...]
