You don’t need to be perfect to be lovable.

You don’t need to be perfect to be lovable. So, please stop striving for perfection. Instead of denying the hurt and the failed expectations, instead of trying to seem like you have it all together, what if you let it all out and showed off the soft, vulnerable parts begging to be recognized? It’s not your fault that awful things happened to …

There is no short cut for talking about the scary stuff. It’s just scary.

There are some things that I really don’t like talking about with my sweetheart. Things I feel deeply ashamed of or embarrassed by. Things that I think could be the final straw in him choosing something other than our marriage, and so I avoid them as long as I possibly can. It’s unhealthy, unhelpful, and creates distance between us But, …

Desire and intimacy require constant tending

Have you ever been in a relationship that started hot and heavy, and then as you settled into your routines as a couple it started to taper off and become something a little more mundane and lukewarm? Yeah. Me, too. That’s because most of us are never taught that desire takes constant, on-going attention in order to thrive. It’s like …

Sometimes it takes a broken heart to find the tenderness you so desperately need.

This is a vulnerable post for me. To be honest, the last thing I wanted to do today was write because it’s a high-feels day. But, then I thought, maybe that’s the perfect time to write. Maybe by letting my pain be a real, valid thing, someone else will feel seen. As easy as it is to tell myself I’m less worthy, …

Are criticism or sarcasm showing up in love? The balm is kindness.

How kind are you being to yourself? How kind are you being with the people that you love? The answer says an awful lot about your life, your needs, and what isn’t working. Why? Because as soon as kindness takes a hike, it’s time for massive change. Over and over again, this has proven to be true in my own life (and …

What if sexual validation comes from within?

The day I realized 95% of my sexual distress, pain, and shame has been the result of other people telling me what my sexual experiences should look like and feel like, everything shifted. I can’t tell you how many hours (years?) I spent worrying about how my boobs looked or my tummy moved during sex instead of surrendering to the …

Dawn Answers: How do I talk about herpes?

How do I tell someone I have herpes? How do I talk about STIs? Let’s talk about how to disclose our status and why the stigma of STIs is so harmful.

What are you prioritizing in love?

Relationships are not complicated. They take practice. They take prioritization. They take choosing to show up in love, even when it’s awkward.

Sex Gets Real 92: A wife blows up over a request for group sex

What do you do when you have that scary sex conversation and it blows up on you? Be sure to sign-up for the Explore More Summit at exploremoresummit.com. It’s free, and Dawn has 30 interviews for you to watch over the course of 10 days, starting January 28th. It’s amazing and even has celebrity guests. We’ve got listener stories about …