To Date Or Not

Mental health and pod updates. Let's talk about it.

I'm getting raw and real about a few things I've been struggling with. While being vulnerable is not easy, it's absolutely worth it. Moving forward, I will also be taking the pod bi-weekly to give myself some breathing space and give all of you the opportunity to listen to each lengthy episode over a longer period of time.

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNotPodcast on Instagram!

Dating apps are weird. Let's talk about them.

In today's day and age, finding love is fairly difficult. But, it is possible. Good friend Christina and I dive into terrible dating app stories, app popularity by the numbers, app differences, dating in quarantine, non-negotiables, and the Dos and Don'ts of dating profiles (brought to you by numerous studies and the apps themselves).

NOTE: This episode was recorded in January (before episode 10). Today, I'm sending a HUGE congratulations to Whitney Wolfe Herd for becoming the youngest female CEO to take a company (Bumble) public on February 11. Whitney is 31, her board is 70% female, and she co-founded Tinder!

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNot on Instagram!

Dating a narcissist? Let's talk about it.

Narcissist personality disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition characterized by:

-an inflated sense of importance

-a deep need for excessive attention and admiration

-lack of empathy for others

-often having troubled relationships

However, it's not all black and white. Good friend, Kaylee and I dive in to what it really looks like to date someone on the spectrum of NPD, psychological breakdown, and how to spot these tendencies in your future relationship.

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNot on Instagram!

Brad's back. But this time, it's official.

You read that right, I have a boyfriend. Brad and I cover what's happened between us since episode 2 (spitting in my mouth included), We're Not Really Strangers the card game, our differing opinions on porn, thoughts on kissing the same sex in our relationship, and saying I Love You.

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNot on Instagram!

Being honest about abortion shouldn't be taboo. So, let's talk about it.

Long-term friend, Heather and I dive into laser hair removal, expectations from men as we first enter the dating sphere, weird sex stories (yes, hot Cheetos included), and everything you need to know about abortion. As we navigate this vulnerable space, Heather shares her experience, the benefits of Planned Parenthood, navigating the topic with your partner, knowing your body, and being gentle with yourself in the process.

Important time stamps and links below.

Abortion discussion: 41:54- 85:48

Planned Parenthood Facts Sheet and Report

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNot on Instagram!

Love is not linear. Let's change the narrative.

Social media queen and good friend Hannah is no stranger to toxicity in relationships. In this episode, we break down the story of her ex-engagement, alcoholism, abuse, following your gut feeling, and finding healthy love again.

"As women, we are taught at a very early age that getting married and having kids equates success. I consider myself a modern day woman and I was even buying into that notion. My entire relationship with this person looked stellar on paper, yet it was soooooo wrong. It FELT wrong. Women are shamed for feeling. When it’s our primal superpower...I trusted my intuition. And it paid off. I often think about all the women (and men) who suppress this intuition. This was powerful. This was stepping into my worth."

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNot on Instagram!

There's a revolution for equality. Let's talk about it.

After an eye opening documentary viewing of The Gender Code, Noah and I dive into femininity, masculinity, and what we're attracted to. We cover topics ranging from dating apps and pressures in the gay community, exclusion, love, identity, coming to terms with what we want in relationships, and what the fluidity scale truly means to us. All discussed resources are shown below.

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNot on Instagram!

Resources to watch (on YouTube):

1. The Gender Code 

2. Homosexuality: It's about survival, not sex.

Relationships aren't easy. Let alone 12 year relationships.

In Episode 5, dear friend, Marketing Maven, and Spin Instructor Issy and I sit down to talk about her journey with an open relationship, loving more than one person at once, honesty, trust, humility, and advice in cultivating a thriving long-term relationship.

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNot on Instagram!

Addiction is a disease. Addiction is a coping mechanism. Addiction is a lifelong process of ups and downs.

In episode four, dear friend and talented Hair Dresser Amanda and I sat down to talk about our experiences with dating individuals who were recovered or active addicts. We get raw and real about manipulation, addictive tendencies, unconscious repetition of self-harm, patterns of "the chase", and so much more.

Trigger Warning: cases of mental, emotional, and physical abuse as well as suicide are discussed. Be gentle with yourself while listening.

Get weird with me at @ToDateOrNotPodcast, @Mariyeah, and #ToDateOrNot on Instagram!