This Is My Emotional Lie-Detector Test 🤥


Notes From a Relationship Coach
(Big ideas in a small email)

“When someone really hears you… it feels damn good.”

–Carl Rogers, On Becoming a Person

A client asked me about dating a rich guy who wanted to fly her places for dates that involved yachts, horses, champaign, and the like. Very exciting stuff, obviously… but how do you cut through all that noise to suss out a serial killer, narcissist, or dullard?

I told her to get that sucker on a park bench for an hour or two – far away from his stock portfolio – and see what his authentic human connection game is like.

•Can he simply BE with you? Or is he constantly reaching for something?
•Does he ask questions? Interrupt? Listen? Monologue? Seem comfortable with silence?
•Is your connection enough? Or is it only tolerable in Fiji?

If you can’t have a wonderful date on a park bench, bro might be an empty suit. And his Rolex for sure ain’t gonna meet your emotional needs.

Not to imply there’s anything wrong with fancy things and fun adventures. Just don’t base your relationship on something that’s not relational.

That’s how you starve to death at a buffet.

Give someone The Park Bench Test – a new love interest or a spouse of 20 years – and tell me about it. I LOVE data.

May the emotional attunement be with you,

*This email contains Amazon affiliate links to the books mentioned.


If an amazing friend forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here.
If YOU are an amazing friend, go on and forward this thang.

Adam Murauskas

Help me help you. Sign up to receive free relationship coaching content.

Read more from Adam Murauskas
Cover of Melody Beattie's book Codependent No More

Notes From a Relationship Coach(Big ideas in a small email) “Rescuing or caretaking is not an act of love.” –Melody Beattie, Codependent No More One of my very best friends (I literally cry when I think about how much I love this man) got injured and lost his job recently. His wife texted me the news and added “He could really use you right now.” I was like, “Say no more, I’m looking at flights.” Not gonna lie, I started thinking of all the ways I could help and therapy and coach and advise....

Cover of Mira Kirshenbaum's book Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay

Notes From a Relationship Coach(Big ideas in a small email) “Love alone is never enough to sustain a relationship.” –Mira Kirshenbaum, Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay Kind of embarrassing to admit, but I can love damn near anyone. Weird flex, I know. I suspect it has something to do with the unyielding rejection and alienation from the people I most wanted to love me during my formative years. Whatever natural human instinct says “I want you to like me” is just a beat dog, cowering in the...

Cover of Buddy Wakefield's book Stunt Water

Notes From a Relationship Coach(Big ideas in a small email) “Don’t let anyone talk to you like you don’t know what you went through.” –Buddy Wakefield, Stunt Water I love this quote. Sometimes, however, we may not even realize what we went through or exactly how awful it was, simply because survival was the only option. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 8 years old. Overnight, I went from “Yay, childhood!” to “My body doesn’t automatically stay alive anymore.” For those of you who don’t...