I Kinda Suck at Dating: A 2021 Reflection
The Refined Collective Podcast
Kat Harris
4.8 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 15 December 2021
⏱️ 62 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Thank you Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza for providing a place for me to record this episode for y’all! No more Brooklyn closet recording!!!
It’s here: the final episode of 2021. Last years final episode was about how dating has changed in 2020. (You can listen to that episode here.) I have felt recently exactly what the title says: that I kinda suck at dating. So I wanted to be honest with you about what I’m moving through. I struggle with what to share and when to share it with you. I really want to honor my own process and I also want to be vulnerable with where I’m really at. So here goes it.
Teaching From Scars
- I always try to teach from my scars and not my scabs, but maybe I’ve taken that too far and used it as an excuse to put walls up and not be vulnerable.
- I normally wouldn’t even tell you that I had a dating relationship this year that didn’t work out. But I decided to share it on Patreon a little while ago. And now I want to share it with you.
Where I Went Wrong
- I’m so used to being in community with women—I forgot what it felt like to have a man in my life. It was completely out of my comfort zone.
- I didn’t realize how many walls I had up until I tried to get to know one.
- I liked him so much, but I was terrified to let him know. I was afraid of rejection and became prickly, defensive, or always needed to be right.
What I Learned About Myself
- Honesty is different from vulnerability.
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- I share my mind with everyone. I share my heart with like 3 people.
- I am comfortable sharing truth with the masses and women, but I withhold the truth with men.
- All I wanted was him to make movement towards me. But I would resist. I would hide my heart, stiff arm, and ninja warrior away from those bids and invitations.
- I put walls up.
- To me, this person was my dream person. But the timing was off. You can meet the perfect person for you, but if it’s not the right time, it just won’t work. This is a really hard pill to swallow.
- Timing is everything.
- I have so many unhealed wounds from my father. I brought my trauma into every interaction + conversation: you’ll probably leave me.
- The work is never done.
- The #1 thing to look for is willingness to grow vs. perfection
Resources
- Here’s that throwback blog post I mentioned about a breakup I had years ago.
- Listen to last year’s podcast episode on how dating has changed here.
- Listen to last year’s 2020 reflection podcast episode here.
- Check out Rockefeller Center on IG at @rockefellercenter and Twitter at @rockcenternyc
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Refine Collective Podcast. I'm your host, Cat Harris. |
| 0:11.4 | This podcast is designed to hold space for honest conversations, from purity culture to |
| 0:18.1 | faith, sexuality, relationships, identity, culture, deconstruction, and more. |
| 0:25.8 | My hope is to look doubt in the face, be curious, seek God, and ask meaningful questions |
| 0:32.1 | to address any elephant in the room with openness, nuance, and grace. |
| 0:38.6 | I won't pretend to be an expert and definitely don't have all the answers. |
| 0:42.8 | And though it may feel easier and more comfortable to exist in the black and white, I invite you |
| 0:47.4 | to discover God with me in the gray and unexpected spaces. |
| 0:53.1 | So whoever you are, whatever you do or don't believe, you are welcome here and have a seat |
| 0:58.3 | at this table. |
| 1:01.2 | Make sure you're subscribed to the Refine Collective Podcast on iTunes, so each week |
| 1:05.6 | when a new episode drops, it'll download straight to those devices. |
| 1:10.6 | And while you're at it, if you feel so inclined, leave us a five star rating and written review. |
| 1:15.6 | It would be so helpful to get our message out there. |
| 1:19.1 | All right, let's go ahead and get to it. |
| 1:29.0 | Welcome to the Refine Collective Podcast. |
| 1:31.3 | I am your host, Cat Harris. |
| 1:33.2 | And first and foremost, a special shout out and thank you to new stand studio at one rock |
| 1:38.6 | center in Manhattan, New York for sponsoring and producing this podcast. |
| 1:43.9 | I'm incredibly grateful. |
| 1:45.5 | And also a special shout out to the incredible Patreon community that helps keep the |
| 1:51.2 | metaphorical lights on for the Refine Collective. |
... |
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