Life Check Yourself 436 – How to Navigate the world of relationship and dating when you’re neurodivergent with Jeremy Hamburg and Ilana Frank
Marni welcomes Friendship and Dating coaches, Jeremy Hamburg and Ilana Frank. Having worked for years towards creating strategies that empower autistic and neurodivergent adults, Jeremy and Llana give in-depth insight on the dating world. The duo has come up with a program, dubbed Social Life 360, that teaches clients to confidently meet new people. In this conversation, they touch on our basic need to connect as humans and what that really means. They delve into the struggles faced when dating and making friends as a neurodivergent person. Much of the advice is applicable to people across the board.
* How to open your mind
* Why is timing important?
* The Impact of words
Are You Rigid? [11:10]
This rigidity in thinking when it comes to dating is not just limited to neurodivergent individuals. It is something we are all guilty of. And it reduces the dating pool and with it the likelihood of success.
One of the diagrams we have in our program is a diagram that shows how limited your dating pool is when you don’t open your mind.
How to be Present [15:03]
Many of us get overwhelmed by the unpredictability that comes with dating. However, there are little ways around it that help you spend mental energy on enjoying yourself and the person rather than getting anxious. By knowing what to expect and having your date in a more familiar setting, you’re freeing up that energy to really be present in the moment.
They’re going to know the sensory impact that that date is going to have. So, they’re in control. They’re prepared.
Recognizing That Inner Critic [25:27]
That inner critic voice in your head? Don’t listen to it. It stems from a history of rejections. Many individuals, neurodivergent or otherwise, face challenges as a result of past rejections. By identifying and understanding that inner voice, you can start working on changing it and moving forward in social and dating situations.
Part of it is understanding that recognition. There’s an inner critic voice in my head that’s keeping me stuck.
