How Should Single Women Prepare for the Right Relationship

As my single anniversary date drew nearer, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Am I prepared for a relationship in 2025?” Today, men and women are looking for support from one another—whether it’s financial, mental, or emotional, help is needed. A young man took to his TikTok account to share the story of himself and a woman he recently started seeing. He recounts that after taking her on multiple dates, she finally suggests cooking him dinner at her place. Of course, he was ecstatic about this because he felt progress was being made in their courtship.

Well, once the day arrived, the young lady contacted him to ask what he would like, to which he replied, “Steak would be nice.” She then agrees and asks him to meet her at the nearest grocery store. As they’re making their way around the supermarket, the young lady picks up all of the items they need for the meal, including some additional things she enjoys, which bring the total to $72. Once the cashier rings up the groceries, she turns to face him, expecting him to pay for the food… he walked away.

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Making the decision to put yourself out there again after being single for a long time can feel intimidating because you’re opening yourself up to be judged and picked apart by strangers, hoping that someone will find you worthy of a relationship and even marriage. We should always take these things into account and give ourselves grace because it’s not easy.

Not to mention, over time, we evolve—our minds change, and even our bodies. Things are going to naturally progress as we age, and aside from hoping that someone will love you at your best, you need to hope they can love you at your worst. Single women should remember two important things: no one is obligated to do for us, and no one can love us more than we love ourselves. With these two things in mind, you will find that navigating the dating pool is far easier.

The woman from the story above feels entitled to this man because he is courting her, and yes, we do talk about the importance of allowing a man to properly court you during the early stages, but after some time, it is okay to reciprocate the effort. Cooking a man dinner as the first act of reciprocity can be a bit much because you’re already domesticating yourself without having had a chance to grow into a relationship. We recommend taking advantage of our Men’s LUEQ card collection.

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The collection features simple yet stylish options to gift a man when he’s been consistent, generous, and all around taking the proper steps to court you. When you’ve decided that your potential bae deserves his LUEQ card, you can go to our Missie’s Store and purchase an item or two. The items will be packaged neatly and sent to his home or yours. Inside, it will contain a LUEQ card, which lets him know that he is receiving the gift because he’s earned it. What does this do for him and you?

This signals to him that you believe he has what it takes to be a great partner, and it signals his ability to take care of his woman to the outside world. Men are all about impressing the people around them—they want to be recognized for dating a beautiful woman and making a lucrative income, so add earning his LUEQ card to the mix, and you’ll have a man who will continue to go above and beyond to show the world that he’s a catch.

Women love gifting the collection because it’s a fun and meaningful way to show appreciation, and it subtly raises the dating standards, making effort the new norm. When women praise men for doing what they appreciate, men will continue to do it. Deciding to cook for a man as a way to reciprocate his efforts in courting you will only show him that you are good at being at home, making meals, and looking after his needs. Gifting does something different this early on—it shows him that you’re not selfish, and while you may be able to cook and clean, you’re not willing to lead with that. You’re leading with something that keeps his interest piqued and the dates coming.

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Respect is earned, and no man likes a loud, aggressive, and entitled woman. As women, we tend to think that a man may be intimidated by our success or our accolades when, in reality, it’s not the success that will push him away—it’s how the success affects the way you treat him. Most women who earn a substantial income are not lenient when it comes to the men in their lives, which comes with high standards and expectations, along with making a person feel obligated instead of appreciated.

Yes, he approached you. Yes, the burden to impress you is on his shoulders. And yes, he should be the one to lead. But can we all agree that men are human too and have feelings just like we do? A woman will never earn the respect of a man if she does not first respect herself—it’s in the way you walk, talk, act, and treat the people around you. He is not exempt from this treatment. As a woman, it is your responsibility to decide what works for you and what does not and to remain adamant in your decision.

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If he’s not consistent, cut him off. If he leaves you feeling confused or triggers your attachment wounds, cut him off. If he’s not ambitious and grounded, cut him off. If he’s not taking the necessary strides to put you first since he’s the one who came into your life, then it’s safe to say that you need to respect yourself enough to remove him from your life. He may not respect you until it’s too late, but by then, it is no longer your problem.

From day one, you need to establish clear boundaries and deal breakers—and stick to them! If a man is willing to test your boundaries, it means he’s not afraid to lose you, and that is the first sign you need to know that this person does not respect you and never will—he must go. Deciding to go back out there can be scary, but don’t give too much too soon, don’t overcompensate and overthink, and most importantly, don’t compromise on your standards if and when you think he’s trying to "test the waters."

by Danielle Wright