This is a new series that I am starting – Dating Advice for Guys (DAfG).

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Often in your dating journey, you will encounter someone whom you are deeply impressed with. Your friends will ask you to stop dreaming as they think that she is out of your league. Well, truth is, there is no harm trying right?

So first and foremost, the F word. How do you conquer the fear of disapproval and rejected?

Fear of rejection is detrimental to your dating life as it will make you freeze and stop you from functioning properly. You might be so uptight that you might start stuttering, your words coming out all wrong etc. Chances are you fear rejection because you have been rejected so many times and you are afraid that it is going to happen again. The thing is you are probably lacking in confidence. So if you build up your confidence using the steps stated below, you probably would have a foot in.

Step by step guide to boost your self confidence:

(a)    Change your mindset: Often, it’s all in the mind. You have to change the messages that you are telling yourself over and over again. Instead of saying thing such as, “I am such a loser, no girls will like me,” or “I am not successful enough, I am not funny enough,” try changing these lines to positive affirmations of yourself. Be positive. “I am sociable.” “I am confident.”“People will accept me.” “Girls will find me attractive.” Once you start to believe them, the way you carry yourself would be different.

(b)   Step by step: Do not jump into the deep end. If you are shy approaching women whom you are interested in, or your long-time crush, start taking baby steps by talking to women whom you meet on a daily basis e.g. the cashier at the supermarket. Just by saying hi and asking them how they are doing, will eventually help you build up confidence on approaching ladies.

(c)    Keep at it: Along the way, you might feel uncomfortable with all the changes that you are making to your life, or you might not see any improvement despite having make changes. Like anything else in life, it takes time. So set a medium to long term goal, and keep at it. Do not give up like after a week.

The secret is really to just get a conversation going. And once you do that, things will just fall into place. Even if she does not happen to immediately agree to go out on a date with you, you have made a new friend, and who knows where that would lead to. If you have been using rehearsed pick-up lines, maybe it is time to stop and be more genuine and more natural.

Now that you have boosted your self-confidence, here is your game plan for snagging a girl who is ‘out of your league’:

(a)    First and foremost, realise that beautiful, smart, rich women are people as well. They are not goddesses, even though you might see them as such. Hence, stop being intimidated. If you cannot get over this fact, you are unlikely to succeed.

(b)   Next, do your research. You might be surprised but the more beautiful or attractive or rich or smart a woman is, chances are she can be quite insecure. She is constantly worried that guys are only after their looks, or their money etc. Hence, the question is, how do you make her feel self-assured? Be a good listener, be a good conversationalist.

(c)    Women who are “out of your league” generally would have many suitors. Hence, they have had many experiences listening to bad pick-up lines, or men trying to flatter them, or men trying to worship the ground they walk on. Hence, do not ‘suck up’ to them. The more you do it, the less value you have in their eyes.

(d)   Know your strengths and play them up. Create situations or scenarios where you can show off your unique qualities and impress her. E.g. if you are a talented singer, or if you can cook really well. When you are doing something you are comfortable in your own skin, you will appear confident and attractive.

(e)   Last but not least, re-examine your objective of approaching women who are out of your league. Is it because you are looking for a trophy girlfriend or wife? Is this girl truly compatible with you? Do you like her for the right reasons? Because sometimes, there are girls whom you might not be attracted to initially, but you guys are actually a match made in heaven.

Happy dating!

(First appeared in New Man Magazine August 2009)

After 3 agonizing days, my blog is finally back up. My previous host screwed up big time and lost all my data. And with the help of my blog designer Lionel, I have managed to transfer my hosting, and also managed to restore my blog! Thanks a million Lionel! You are the best! Now, I just need to upload all the missing photos, and we are back on track. Meanwhile, welcome back!

When meeting up with potential clients, I will ask them what they are looking for in a potential partner.

Must be attractive. Big eyes. Slim.

Tall, broad shoulders, extroverted, must make me laugh.

These are just some examples of basic dating preferences.

Many a times, when singles list down their ‘I-Want’ list, it is based on things that would spark off infatuation, or chemistry. The things that make our hearts race.

However, the truth of the matter is, infatuation lasts, on average, 3 to 12 months. When the chemical reaction in our brain subsides after a year or so, you begin to see your partner in a different light. All of a sudden, the things you used to think was really endearing becomes really annoying.

And you suddenly realise that you do not even know this person. You have nothing in common. You have nothing to talk about.

People often say, it is different when you are looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend vs. when you are looking for a husband/wife. I believe that there is some truth to that.

When you are looking to spend the rest of your life with someone, we are looking for long term qualities.

For some, the question might be, “Is he reliable and dependable? Is he patient and kind?”

For others, it could be, “Would she be a supportive wife and a nurturing mother to our children?”

And a very important question to ask, “Do we get along well? Can I imagine him or her as my best friend?”

After all, a good marriage should be friendship on fire or friendship magnified.

What is your list of traits and characteristics that you want in your long-term partner? Most companies have a mission statement. Lunch Actually’s mission statement reads:

Lunch Actually exists to create a solution for single busy professionals who do not have the right environment to meet other like-minded people as a result of their busy and hectic work environment.

We believe that every individual deserves love, respect and companionship. Thus we strive to create supreme value and provide immaculate service to address the needs of the people we serve.

Jamie and I created this mission statement to remind ourselves why we started this business in the first place. Because in business and life, sometimes, you will lose your way. And you will forget, what was the purpose of it all?

Same with finding love.

What is your dating mission statement?

What are the traits you are looking for in your long-term partner? Ponder upon it. It would be even more powerful if you could write it down. Because along the way, you might be swayed by your biological and short-term needs. These short-term needs unfortunately do little to contribute to the success of a long-term relationship.

You might ask me at this point.

“Violet, why can’t we have it all? Someone who will fulfill our short-term biological needs as well as our long-term relationship needs. “

Of course that would be most ideal. But when we are searching for a partner, we make our choices, and others make their choices as well. He/she is your cup of tea, but you might not be theirs. And at the end of the day, do we want to be going around in circles and never meeting the right one, when the right one could be just right under our nose?

When I was looking for a potential partner, I thought I definitely wanted someone who is muscular, extroverted, and the life of the party. Those who know my hubby Jamie would know that he is anything but those criteria. I was looking out for my short-term biological needs when I put down those criteria. Muscular and well-built so I feel secure and protected. Extroverted would suggest that he’s fun to be with.

But when it comes down to it, all of these are not important because he might not be much of a talker in front of others, we can talk and talk and talk. 9 years after we first met, we still spend hours talking to each other every day. Does not matter he might not come across as the most witty and fun person, but we sure have lots of fun hanging out with each other.

And I am definitely very different from his initial list of ‘I-Want’. You can ask him to share them with you when you meet him.

So, what is your dating mission statement?

Are you looking for a short-term biological relationship?

Or someone whom you can share the rest of your life with?

Happy contemplating!

P/S For my readers who are already dating, or happily married, do you have any related stories to share?

Po-po said,”Corum, follow Po-po say… Wo Ai Ma Ma (I love Mum in Mandarin)!”

Corum said,”No Po-po! It’s Mummy!”

He had my mum and I in stitches!

Having a chat with hubby just before we go to bed. And we were talking about what some singles are looking for. And sometimes, why some singles have so much difficulty finding love even though they keep searching for it.

Hubby said,

“What they are looking for is happiness…”

“Yes, I agree…” I quipped.

“Maybe you should tell them that sometimes, happiness does not come in 1.75m.”

Often, many of us girls are wired to look for the perfect package. Tall, handsome, witty, charming, sense of humour, confident…

But when it comes down to it, does it really matter how tall he is, or how witty and charming he is if you cannot find happiness with him?

Happiness can be lurking around the corner, and sometimes, it comes in the most unassuming of “packages”.

Trying out this app on my BB Bold! Let’s see if it works. If it does, maybe I will be blogging more frequently.

Last Saturday @ 10pm, I appeared on the TV program Ladies Sdn Bhd on Astro Wah Lai Toi.

The Trailer:

It was a really great filming experience for me even though I have done some other shoots in the past.

Part 1:

The filming was done at a brand new bungalow at Puchong. It’s absolutely beautiful! It has to be, as it costs a whopping RM3million! And of course, I got to meet up with the three wonderful hosts, the three ladies – Chui Ling, Lynn and Vivian. People often do not have good impression of celebrities/hosts etc., but they are really nice, funny and down-to-earth! I had a great time getting to know them on-screen and off-screen.

Part 2:

The only setback for me is that I look really ‘BIG’ because I did the shoot 3 weeks after I gave birth to Cara. That was sometime in May. Some friends were appalled that I ‘ran away’ from my confinement! But come to think about it, I do not regret having made the decision, as it was such good fun!

Part 3:

And to top it all off, this is the first shoot that I have been invited to that I actually got paid for! Haha! Feels good to earn my first pay check from TV!

Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure! Did not manage to get a pic with Vivian as she had to rush off…

And for those of you who know about me from the program, welcome to my blog!

Have you watched Transformers 2?

Apart from the big machine slugfest, one of the highlights of the Hollywood movie is of course the love story between the two leads. And in the sequel, the guy and the girl are bickering over who should say I love you first. Both sides are not willing to say it before hearing it from the other person.

Hence, one of the questions that people ask when they are in a relationship…

“Who should say ‘I love you’ first? The guy or the girl?”

Many guys and gals are worried about being the first to say ‘I love you’. Because..

• they do not want to lose face, just in case the other person does not feel the same.
• they do not want to jump the gun, because it might be too early in the relationship.
• they are worried that they will lose the upper hand in the relationship.

The reasons are endless.

I think there is no hard or fast rule to it.

And sometimes, one party just has to take the risk. Afterall, not everything in life is about ‘face’. If your boyfriend or girlfriend is going to perceive you differently just because you are the first to say ‘I love you’, then he or she is probably not worth your time. Frankly, I will be really flattered if my guy has the courage to tell me he loves me, and not worried of coming across as not being macho enough.

Of course, there is a time and place for everything. If a guy tells me he loves me on a first date, I would really freak out.

At the end of the day, just do what feels right for YOU. Do not play mind games.

Because after all, you do not want to be like the guy and gal in Transformers 2. Uttering the 3 little words only after almost going through the valley of death!

P/S: Want to be informed when I update my blog? Remember to subscribe using the subscibe box on the left sidebar!

If you have not noticed, VioletLim.com just had a makeover, and I absolutely love it! Cos it’s customised to the way I wanted it to be.

We are still working on the finishing touches, but other than that, my spanking new blog is up and ready to go! Hooray!

If you still have not subscribed to my blog, perhaps this new design would entice you to do so. Just enter your email at at the ‘Subscribe Me’ box on the left side bar.

Meanwhile, stay tuned!

Recently, Jamie and I have come across the story of little Charmaine. We are both very touched by her story and have decided to do our small part to help by donating in our personal capacity as well as sharing her story with others in hope of helping her get more donation.

Charmaine has been diagonsed with 4th stage of neuroblastoma, a debilitating cancer that occurs in children and has been given a 10% chance of survival by her doctors in Singapore.

To increase her chances of survival, her mum Cynthia is raising money to send her to US for treatment. A new trial drug by the name of 3F8, available in the United States, has been known to dramatically increase survival rates by up to five times. However, it comes with a hefty S$500,000 price tag – a big sum for Cynthia who is a single mother with two children. She has also recently quit her job to look after Charmaine.

As parents, we understand how heartwrenching it is for Cynthia. We admire her fighting spirit, and hence in our small ways, we want to support them in their fight.

If you do too, please visit her website to find out how you could help. Thank you in advance!

The lighting of the unity candle.

A very meaning symbolism of the merging of two families, the coming together of two individuals. The 2 tapered candles are usually lighted up by the mothers of the bride and groom. And after the lighting up of the unity candle, the tapered candles will either be blown out to indicate two lives have been united permanently or left burning to indicate that the two even though married will still retain their individuality.

Personally, I like the idea of the merging of the two flames, and the blowing out of the individual flames. Not that I do not believe in individuality. But I believe that marriage is a covenant. And from this day onwards, nothing will be as important as your marriage. The marriage will always come first, no matter what. I remember a sermon I heard in Hong Kong. The pastor, a very wise man said…

“If you cannot put your marriage and your spouse first, do not get married.”

It sounds like such a simple piece of advice. So straightforward, so precise… that you would think that it should not be too difficult to follow. But I am beginning to see that it is easier said than done.

In our modern life right now, there are so many things, so many commitments that compete for our time. We have our job, our interests, our friends, our need for space, our quest for freedom, our ambition for success, our lust to travel around the world…

And when there is a conflict, we usually find a way to justify our own decision. Even if the right answer is pretty simple and straightforward if you follow the wisdom of the above advice.

Is that why divorce rate is on the rise?

For the past week, I have been travelling. However, I have been very hesitant to tell people where I am going. Because telling people that you are going to US, is like telling people you have AIDS. The reason that despite the H1N1 flu, I have decided to make a trip to US is to attend my best friend’s wedding.

Tsiao Yi and I have been best friend for the last 16 years. And that’s actually more than half of my lifetime. So, even though I was quite concerned about H1N1, I thought about it long and hard. I knew that if I make the decision not to go, when I look back in the future… I will really regret not attending my best friend’s wedding. And by then, it would be too late to turn back the clock.

Tsiao Yi and Tow Shung have dated for 9 years. They have decided to get married on 06.06.2009. And actually, this is the exact date that they got together 9 years ago. So they are actually celebrating their 9th year anniversary!

If you look at them on their wedding day, they look like any other blissful newlyweds. But the truth is, Tow Shung is actually battling cancer. For the past 2 years, he has been undergoing chemotherapy. At an age where most of us are thinking about advancing our career or planning for our next holiday, Tsiao Yi and Tow have been going in and out of the hospital. Not that it is an alien concept to them as both of them are doctors. But this time, he is the patient.

One of their friends May Ling (an extremely nice lady, and a mother of 5) put it very succinctly. Most brides to be would be very flustered before the wedding worrying about the flowers, the makeup, or the dress. But Tsiao Yi is worried whether Tow gets his chemo on time. It really helps the rest of us put things into perspective.

One thing the pastor said really put tears into my eyes. He said, “Tow, I look into the eyes of this woman standing next to you now. And I can see that she loves you very much.” When he said that, tears just welled up in my eyes. And I had to try very hard not to cry as I was part of the wedding party standing at the altar.

In my matron of honour speech, I said:

Tsiao Yi and Tow Shung have been through many ups and downs. But most important of all, when life dealt its harshest blow, they held on to each other, supported each other and spurred each other on. This has made their relationship stronger than ever. And their love, their commitment, their devotion for each other, has been an inspiration to us all.

My best friend’s wedding is a reminder… to not take the little things in life for granted. And also to not sweat the small stuff.

Dearest Yi, once again, thank you for asking me to be your matron of honour. I am so extremely honoured to be your best friend, and thank you so much for your unwavering friendship. May your marriage be blessed with much love, laughter and happiness! I have no doubt you and Tow Shung will have a blissfully happy marriage…

The reason why I have not blogged for like ages is because… I have been extremely busy with work, travelling for work, and of course my 7 weeks old princess Cara Krysania.

Finally have some time to myself where I can kind of have ‘a lazy Sunday afternoon’, so thought I will just post a short note. Will be extremely busy in June. Hopefully will have more breathing space in July…

Meanwhile, stay tuned…

SINGAPORE: Man – with a few grey hairs – meets woman. But instead of asking for her number, quietly hopes to see her at the next social gathering.

Welcome to the world of dating for singles over 40, where the norm is intense rumination instead of a headlong plunge into a relationship. read more

Violet’s Comments: Read this rather interesting article in today’s TODAY newspaper. Think it’s really heartening to know that this lady Dr Liu has started a social club for singles who are over 40. Being in the dating industry for the last 5 years, I know that it is not easy for ladies over 40, and also men who are in their late 40s and 50s to meet like-minded singles. Especially when you are a divorcee with children. For singles over 40 who have been reading my blog, do check out Dr Liu’s site.