The rules about dating

Don’t ignore any warning signs that tell you this relationship is not right for you.

You don’t want a child for an intimate partner do you? When I saw the wounded child inside him, I thought he just needed someone to rescue him.

Butterflies in your stomach, I now realise, aren’t a sign that this is love. If your stomach starts churning a little, don’t override it.

Listen to what it’s telling you and don’t minimise anything your instincts say.

And fall back in love with yourself, Fadal advises in .

Whether it’s doing yoga, traveling, taking up a new hobby, or spending time with family and friends, do what gives you energy and makes you happy.

This will help you rediscover your power, she says, and live your best life.

So, don’t go into rescue mode and slip into a mother or father role. to try to make him happy, it was an impossible task. Worse, the more the fantasy man I had projected onto him slipped away from sight, the more desperate I became trying to find him again.

Dating rule four: if there are any hints that this person needs rescuing or fixing run a mile!