There is almost nothing better than sharing how you feel about your partner, and this “dating profile” gift is a simple, but powerful gift that keeps on giving. This week, Jess’ cousins Annabella & Denise join us to share this homemade, no-cost, gift: A dating profile written for a loved one. Jess also shares one she wrote for her Mom, and Brandon and Jess share one another’s.

We encourage you to try this one yourself and let us know how it goes!

Rough transcript of the podcast below:

Welcome.

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Last year around this time, Brandon and I did an exercise based on a 2017 article in the NYT entitled, 'You May Want to Marry my Husband' by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. In the piece, which she wrote from her deathbed, Rosenthal writes about her husband’s many appealing qualities as though she is writing his dating profile.

Now back in 2017, I was away on a long business trip and I read her article on a plane — I was messy crying the whole time. She sings his praises after 26 years of marriage and she passes away 10 days later.

I was so moved by the piece and inspired that I used it to write Brandon’s dating profile — just in point form and I sent it to him via text and of course, we both ended up in tears. And so I ended up using the column as inspiration for a group exercise. I was working with a group of couples in Prague and I asked them to to read Rosenthal’s column and then write a dating profile for their partner as a reminder of why they love them and to help reignite the passion.

Every participant (and even their two Czech translators) struggled to contain their tears as they read the article and made a list of their partners best qualities. When they were done, they reported feeling more present, grateful, in love and intimate with their partners. The shift of energy in the room was palpable and they were grateful that I excused myself so they could bask in the afterglow without my clinical interference.

So last year on the podcast, Brandon and I redid the exercise. I wrote his dating profile, he wrote mine and we shared them with each other on the podcast. We’re going to briefly read these and you u can definitely go back and listen to that episode now (it’s Episode 89) to listen to our reactions, but this year, I wanted to try something different. I want to try this process for other folks we love in our lives because the expression of love, of course, extends far beyond romantic or intimate partners.

So I’ve written my mom’s dating profile, which I’m going to share.

And my cousin Anna is here and she has written her mom, Denise’s profile. And they’re both joining us now.

Anna’s dating profile for her Mom, Denise:

There's a lot to be said about my Mom which needs more than five minutes.

A quiet, calm, strong base of the family.

The best listener, and because of that - the best advice giver. She's so understanding it's annoying. She has this ability to see all sides even when tensions/emotions are high, and speak rationally about it.

She always helps me from cakes to school work.

She always gives her time, her emotional capacity, she ALWAYS cares.

She gives the best hugs.

She's funny in a nice way, she doesn't pick on people for jokes.

She's quirky.

She's able to enjoy the moment so well.

She's dedicated and hard working.

She's graceful like the fairytales.

She has a crazy amount of patience even when you don't deserve it.

Her baking and cooking :) And she loves to share that love.

I also wrote my Mom’s dating profile (she’s the best):