Jen A. Miller Consulting

Tag: love

In It For the Long Haul | A Reflection on a Long-Term Relationship

6 lessons in a 6-year long-term relationship from Angelo Ignacio, our first male contributor

PHOTO: Angelo Ignacio.

This year I celebrate six wonderful years with my girlfriend. Leezel and I are now often the longest running couple among our friends, but we continue to learn new things about each other and what it takes to keep building this love fortress that we have invested in over time.

In reflecting about our relationship thus far, I immediately thought of sharing some of the past years’ biggest learnings. In the advent of sites like BuzzFeed and Thought Catalog, I read some pretty corny articles that have attempted to portray the beauty of relationships. While some of it is true, I find most of them so one-sided; they never talk about the hardships that are absolutely imminent. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that love takes work, not dreams. This woman has been worth every bit of it.

In the spirit of a young love still eager to learn, here are six important truths I’ve discovered about playing for the long run. They are very real to me and may take a second or even third read to wrap your head around. I’ve come to understand that these ideals are what have elevated Zel and me in the game of hearts. I hope you’ll take something from what has taken me 6 years to find and accept. (more…)

August 13, 2014
10 Ways To Get Over Heartbreak in 1 Day

Superbly Single Girl Monique Shares Her Advice for Healing a Heartbreak

I thought the weeks after we broke up would be terrible, lonely, and sad. Instead, I created an experiment to test how quickly I could get over him.

Photo Courtesy of Femcafe

I once had a friend tell me, “I like getting dumped. At least it means I tried.”

I met a guy, I tried, and I got dumped. I really liked this guy. I never once thought he wouldn’t want to make things work with me. I was crying. I had to get on a flight home. I sat there in the airport terminal dreading the emotions I was going to have to suffer through until I got over him. Disappointment. Loneliness. Confusion. Sadness. More crying. Then I thought “STOP.” I don’t want to suffer through that. I want my life to be happy. And I created a plan. I called it “How I’m Going To Get Over Heartbreak In 1 Day.”

I chose “1 Day” because I didn’t think he deserved to take any more than 1 day of happiness out of my life. Life is short. I don’t want to waste it being unhappy. I have to protect my happiness. If I lose it, I have to get it back as quickly as possible.

So these are the 10 things I did to “Get Over Heartbreak in 1 Day”…

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March 5, 2014
10 Ways to Show Your Love this Valentine’s Day

Inspired by Celebrations of Valentine’s Day Around the World

Here’s a fun fact, did you know that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in nearly every country across the world? The exact date and the name of the holiday may differ but almost unanimously our global society recognizes a day to celebrate love. For some nations the focus is on romantic love, for others friendships or family. Yet, at the heart of every celebration is a desire to show and grow our love for each other. Pretty spectacular when you think about it.

By now you’ve probably run through all the traditional ways to celebrate V-Day—quirky cards, boxes of chocolate, teddy bears. This year, why not approach Valentine’s Day not just as a reason to give a gift but as a reason to sincerely show your love for all the people you appreciate in life? The holiday may seem frivolous at first, but with the right mindset it can be an annual reminder to have fun, celebrate life, and enjoy the gift of loved ones.

If you’re looking for a little inspiration, here are 10 ways you can show that special someone you care, inspired by different celebrations around the world.

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February 14, 2014
Lessons in Breaking Up

Zoe Crook of The Uncuffed shares her lessons on ending relationships and why a break up can actually be a good thing.

“The only thing you need to focus on is yourself, and I promise everything will fall into place.”

Breaking up is like skydiving. Leading up to the jump you feel anxiety, uncertainty and fear. The moment the door opens you ask yourself, “What the fuck am I doing jumping out of a perfectly safe plane?!” Suddenly you want to take off your parachute, climb back in, and chomp on some complimentary nuts.

But you don’t. Instead, you jump. Suddenly you’re free and it’s exhilarating. And look at that, you landed safely with both feet on the ground in a completely different place than where you started. Sure, you may have a scrape or two and your head might be spinning but those things heal, just like a broken heart.

Whether you’re doing the breaking or you’re being broken, neither role is easy, and both people generally known deep down when the relationship has ended. What’s scary about a relationship ending is the unknown but even scarier is knowing that if you don’t jump you’re going to miss out on new experiences that are critical to your personal growth.

I’ve just gone through a breakup of my own and come out on the other side better for it. Though it has been an emotional roller coaster, I’ve figured out how to ride it out and want to share the lessons I’ve learned about moving on.

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November 25, 2013