The Date with Confidence Podcast

I’m not sure you’re ready to hear this story….

Let me set the scene: it's a Thursday evening in London, and I'm gearing up for a first date with someone who isn’t my type but seems promising. I've had my fair share of dating adventures in the past four years of single life, but this one... well, let's just say it's one for the books. 

In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I’m sharing the comical and cringe-worthy story of a first-date experience I recently had. Get ready to cringe along with me as I reveal all the gory details of the hilarious nightmare that was a first date. 

Here are the key topics covered:

1. Accepting a New Date: Just days after being rejected by the guy in the previous episode (Am I Delusional?!) I start chatting with a new guy who asks me out on a date. The way he asks me out is hot. Things look promising.

2. Preparation for the Date: I’m putting in all the effort; the fake tan comes out, the outfit’s on point and I spend a couple of hours doing my hair and makeup, anticipating an enjoyable date with a genuinely nice guy.

3. Meeting at the Station: Discover why I always opt to meet my dates at the train station and why I think it’s the secret to breaking the ice and kicking the date off in the best way possible.

4. First Impressions Shattered: Learn how my hopes were instantly shattered when I met him outside of the station. I promise I’m not a snob!

5. Persistent Nose Issues: I can’t even believe this happened! I reveal exactly why this was the worst date I’ve been on and how the dinner table etiquette was far from ok.

6. Awkward Bill Moment: Is this not the most awkward ending to a first date?!

7. Rejection: I don’t believe in ghosting so I’m sharing exactly what I said to him two days later to let him know I wouldn’t be going back for seconds (and why I felt like such an arsehole afterwards!)

This date was certainly one for the books! While it didn't end in romance, it’s given us something to laugh about. There are people out there who’ll think he was an amazing date but on this occasion, he wasn’t for me.

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Visit The Date with Confidence website here. Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Am I actually delusional? Did I make this shit up? Am I just living on a whole different planet?!

These are just some of the questions I was left asking myself after a recent dating experience that ended as quickly as it started. It was the first time I’d caught the feels for someone since my breakup 4 years ago and it was an experience to say the least.

In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I take you through a whirlwind of emotions as I recount the recent dating experience that left me questioning everything. It's a journey filled with excitement, vulnerability, deep conversations, unexpected twists, old wounds split wide open, self reflection and yet more personal growth (are we not done with this shit yet?!).

Here’s an overview of what you’ll hear:

1. The Connection: I recount my recent + intense connection with a guy I met on a dating app, highlighting the deep conversations + intellectual chemistry that attracted me to him.

2. Healthy Communication: I emphasise the importance of open + respectful communication, sharing a pivotal moment where we resolved tension by addressing our feelings honestly.

3. Exploring New Territory: We progress from intellectual connection to physical attraction, marking a significant milestone in my four-year journey of being single.

4. Aligned Values: We explore our compatibility, discussing shared values, love languages + potential future plans, hinting at the possibilities ahead.

5. Emotional Investment: Reflecting on how we discussed meeting parents, trips together + the complexities of love, I contemplate the depth of our connection.

6. Rollercoaster Dating: I share the ups + downs of a four-date journey that seemed promising at first but took an unexpected turn.

7. Empowerment & Self-Worth: I explore my newfound strength in handling rejection + the importance of self-worth in dating.

8. Personal Growth: I emphasise the growth and self-awareness achieved through this dating experience, ultimately leading to a stronger sense of self.

Make sure you’re subscribed to The Date with Confidence Podcast so you don’t miss the follow up episode where I reveal whether I did, in fact, send a follow up message to him…. 👀

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who should pay on a first date? How do you deal with rejection? And most importantly, do you swipe right if their mate’s more attractive?! 

In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I’m hosting the first ever dating Q&A and answering the questions you submitted via Instagram. I hope you enjoy hearing my answers as much as I enjoyed recording this!

Here are the questions I answer for you:

1. How do you deal with rejection and turn it into something positive for the next date?

2. How do you stay consistent on dating apps?

3. Dating apps bore me, how can I make this more fun?

4. Are there really some apps better than others?

5. Who should pay on a first date?

6. Do you swipe right if you fancy their mate in a photo?

7. Do you give people your WhatsApp number?

8. How can you trust someone to set you up on a blind date?

9. How do you reject a friend of a friend without making it awkward for everyone?

I’d love to do more of these Q&A style episodes in the future so if you want to get involved, use the form below to submit your own dating questions.

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Getting ghosted can be a bewildering and disheartening experience, but before you let it shake your confidence, let's break down what's really happening behind those silent screens and unanswered messages.

In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, we dive into what it really means when you get ghosted by someone and the key thing you need to remember the next time it happens to you.

Here are the key topics we cover:

1. Ghosting Experience: I share my own personal experience with being ghosted by someone I’d agreed to go on a first date with - what would have been my first date in 7 years!

2. Burnout and Ghosting: I reveal how my own personal challenges with burnout led to me unintentionally ghosting someone after a first date.

3. Learning from Experience: I reflect on my actions and how it helped me to understand what it really means when someone ghosts you - spoiler alert: it’s not about you!

4. The Courage to Be Honest: I emphasise that ghosting often stems from a lack of courage to communicate that you're not interested and the important thing you need to remember if you’re ever ghosted again in the future.

5. Remember Your Worth: We reinforce the idea that being ghosted is not a reflection of your value and that you deserve someone who treats you with respect.

Remember, if someone ghosts you, it's their loss, not yours. You’re brilliant, you’re amazing and you deserve someone who recognises that!

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve matched with someone, had a bit of a chat back and forth, and they’ve asked you out on a date - yayyy! Whilst you’re excited at the prospect of meeting them face to face, there’s a part of you that feels anxious and worried about making a good first impression.

It’s completely normal to feel nervous before meeting someone for the first time and in this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I’m sharing how to act and feel confident before a first date so you can leave the anxiety at home and focus on having fun with your latest match.

Here are the key topics we cover:

1. Act Confident: Taken from the third core principle of The 90/90 Mindset Concept, we look at the Act Confident layer which is all about practical actions you can take to help you act confident on a first date. 

2. Feel Confident: We explore how the Feel Confident layer is about nurturing inner confidence. I reveal the techniques I use to get my energy into a confident state before a first date.

3. Confidence Anchors: Discover the importance of confidence anchors and how they can enhance your self-assuredness to help you create a lasting impression on your date.

4. Mirror Work: Learn the power of looking at yourself in the mirror and understand how this simple practice can help you connect with your inner self to reinforce your self-esteem.

5. Feel-Good Rituals: Find out how playing your favourite songs or listening to a grounding meditation can calm pre-date jitters and leave you feeling energised.

6. Adaptability: Understand that these confidence layers can be applied not only to dating but to various aspects of life. It's about empowering yourself to exude confidence in any situation.

I'm thrilled to share these confidence-building techniques with you, so you can approach every date with a newfound sense of self-confidence. Remember, you've got this!

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Going on a first date can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. The anticipation, the butterflies, and the desire to make a great impression can lead to anxiety. However, the key to a successful first date lies in your mindset.

In this episode of The Date With Confidence podcast, I’m sharing valuable insights and practical tips for boosting your confidence before a first date including the important things I tell myself before I go on any date.

Here are the key topics we cover:

1. The 90/90 Mindset Concept: I introduce you to my unique concept aimed at helping you feel confident every day. It involves three core principles that’ll change the way you date from now on.

2. Changing Your Mindset: I emphasise the importance of maintaining a positive mindset before a date and highlight the significance of avoiding negative "what if" thoughts.

3. Managing Expectations: Why I’m against building up unrealistic expectations before a first date and what you should do instead.

4. Repeating Affirmations: Discover why I’m such an advocate of using positive affirmations to boost self-confidence and learn the exact affirmations I use before a first date.

5. Mindset Monologue: Learn the powerful exercise I teach inside of The Confidence Course that sees you spiralling upwards with positive "what ifs" to counteract any negative thoughts that may arise.

6. Reflecting on Past Experiences: I reminisce about past dating experiences, including both good and bad dates, highlighting the importance of maintaining a sense of humour and an open mind when approaching new dates.

Remember, going on a first date doesn't have to be daunting. By adopting these mindset techniques and preparing yourself mentally, you can increase your confidence and make the most of your dating experience.

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you stuck in a dating rut, feeling like you're trudging through an endless cycle of disappointment and frustration? It's time for a change, and that change starts with your mindset.

In this episode of The Date With Confidence podcast, I’m exploring the importance of changing your mindset when it comes to dating so you can stop feeling like dating’s a chore and start to view it as something FUN.

Here are the key topics we cover:

1. The Power of Mindset: I highlight the influence of your thoughts and beliefs on your dating experiences.

2. Common Negative Beliefs: I address the common negative beliefs that people hold about dating, such as thinking "men are trash" or that dating apps don't work and how they impact your dating life.

3. Shifting Your Energy: I encourage you to change your perspective and approach dating with a positive, open mindset so that you enjoy every date you go on, no matter how it ends.

4. Letting Go of Expectations: We look at why you need to stop putting too much pressure on dates to be amazing and how a relaxed attitude can lead to more meaningful connections.

5. The Impact of Self-Talk: I share the importance of changing the way you talk to yourself and why you need to start believing in the possibility of finding the right match.

By shifting your mindset and embracing a more positive perspective on dating, you can create a more enjoyable and successful dating experience. 

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Healing is an ongoing process; it's not a quick fix or a magical transformation that happens overnight. It's a journey, a series of steps towards rediscovering your best self and finding the love you truly deserve. 

In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I’m sharing my personal journey of healing and growth after toxic relationships.

Here are the key topics we cover:

1. Recognising Toxic Relationships: I reflect on past toxic relationships and highlight how it's common not to realise the toxicity until after leaving them.

2. Taking Time for Healing: We discuss the significance of taking ample time to heal after a toxic relationship, emphasising the ongoing nature of healing.

3. Self-Compassion: I share why being kind and compassionate with yourself when triggers or old wounds (inevitably) resurface during the dating process is crucial.

4. Seeking Healthy Relationship Examples: I reveal the exercise that’s helped me to believe in the possibility of a healthy relationship and how important it is to find examples of what you desire.

5. Boosting Self-Confidence: We discuss how self-care, including practices like meditation, affirmations, and self-grooming, can help boost self-confidence and ease anxiety while dating.

6. Dating at Your Own Pace: I examine my own dating life and share why it’s ok to take dating at your own pace, even taking breaks when needed, to avoid burnout and prioritise self-care.

7. Seeking Professional Support: We remove the stigma around seeking support in the form of therapy, counselling, coaching, or healing sessions when you re-enter the dating world.

8. Using Fear to Your Advantage: I uncover the surprising strategy I used to help me overcome my fears around dating and falling in love again.

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2012, I went through my first of two catastrophic breakups. To help me process the breakup, my friends thought it’d be a good idea to take my phone and delete all evidence of the relationship. 

They deleted every message he'd sent. They deleted him off Facebook. And they deleted his number. But I couldn’t handle it. I was not ready to stop re-reading our conversations. 

In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I’m sharing my thoughts on the commonly asked question “Should I delete everything after my breakup?” and comparing my own healing process when everything was deleted just weeks after my first big breakup versus me steadily deleting things over a period of a few years after my second big breakup 7 years later.

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve been in 5 relationships since I was 17. One fizzled out after two years, one was destined to be temporary, one ended in a screaming match and me moving to another island, and two ended in catastrophic heartbreak. 

They were unexpected and shook me to my core. 

After both of these breakups, I kept repeating the same thing to myself “But he was my best friend”. I felt like I’d lost more than just a lover and if you feel the same, you should listen to this.

In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast  we’re exploring the question: were they really your best friend? I’m also sharing 6 signs your ex wasn’t ‘The One’. My hope for you is that after listening to this episode, you’ll feel stronger, more empowered and ready to move on from the one(s) who didn’t deserve you. 

Get Involved!

You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  

Resources

• The Breakup Bounce Back
• Attract on the Apps
• The Confidence Kit
• The Confidence Course

Get weekly-ish updates, exclusive offers and access behind the scenes gossip when you become a podcast insider.

Visit The Date with Confidence website here.

Follow The Date with Confidence Podcast on Instagram + follow your host Rebecca Hawkes here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.