How I’m Approaching My Next Relationship

I’m confident there’ll be another relationship in my future. Not in a rushed or desperate way, just a steady belief that connection comes around again when you’re ready for it. And when it does, I’ll be walking into it with a clearer idea of what matters most.

For me, that means keeping communication up front and more listening than talking (Wait a minute…). I am working on, at least once a week, we have a proper sit-down together to determine where and how we are doing.

That’s right – no phones buzzing, no tablet buzzing in the background, no unnecessary distractions. Just the two of us, face to face, having a real chat. It doesn’t need to be heavy or formal – more like pressing pause on our busy lives and checking in with each other.

Because, as I have learnt, many relationships don’t falter from lack of love.

They stumble from a lack of conversation, on issues where both people need to listen, ask questions about each other not just themselves. As I have learnt from recent personal experience, wbe things that get left unsaid, assumptions pile up, and before long two people stop seeing eye to eye. I don’t want that to happen. Not this time. Never again.

That weekly sit-down is about keeping things clear and kind.

Talking about what’s going well, what could use a tweak, and what we might need to let go of in order to move forward. It’s not about fault-finding; it’s about staying in tune and enjoying the melody between us.

To keep it practical, I’d be asking these three questions:

How can I love you better this week?
What did I do that left you feeling unheard?
What can we work on together as a team?

They’re not interrogation points, just prompts to keep us connected. A chance to make sure neither of us is running on guesswork nor uneducated assumptions.

And here’s the thing: One meaningful conversation a week can do more for a relationship than all the flowers and big gestures combined (Another lesson I learned the hard way!). It’s not about being perfect, or trying to script life like a romance movie. It’s about being present, consistent, and willing to grow together.

That’s how I see my next relationship unfolding.

Not fragile or fleeting, but something grounded. Two people showing up for each other in simple, intentional ways.

So yes – I believe love will come again. And when it does, I’ll be ready to meet it with clarity, patience, and a bit of humour. The kind of love that lasts because both people choose it, week after week.

To those that know I am just out of a long-term relationship:

This post is to keep myself motivated, to keep moving forward, and to not ruminate any longer on what happened (and didn’t happen) in that relationship. I need to more forward.

Thankfully I have great family, amazing friends, a willingness to learn from this situation, and a passion for being the best Dad I can be for my two sons.

“I’m probably no better than you, but I’m certainly your equal.” – Harper Lee

Think of this as your daily pep talk. It’s not empty rhetoric. It’s the spark that ignites self-respect and mutual understanding. Because, let’s admit it, no one’s got a backstage pass to perfection — even Harper Lee knew that.

Start saying those words to yourself. Watch your isolation lift, your self-esteem rise, and your connections deepen. It’s a small shift, but a mighty one.