The Date with Confidence Podcast

EPISODE 72: This Is The Energy You Need To Take With You On A First DateBe honest—have you ever planned your wedding with someone you haven’t even met yet? And then felt totally let down when they rocked up in a tracksuit and picked their nose through dinner?(Yeah… I’ve been there too.)After a 4-year dating break, I made a huge mistake: I over-romanticised first dates before they even happened. I’d build a whole fantasy based on a few messages, imagining instant chemistry and fairy-tale moments… only to feel disappointed when reality didn’t match the story in my head.In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I share why this mindset is unfair to both you and your date, and how shifting your energy, expectations, and self-talk can make first dates more fun, pressure-free, and genuinely enjoyable.I also answer a listener’s dating dilemma on how to look and feel confident for a first date (even when you’re not feeling it inside). From go-to outfits to pre-date mindset hacks, you’ll walk away with simple, practical tips you can use straight away.Tune in now to hear:1. The biggest dating mistake I made after a 4-year break2. Why over-romanticising first dates sets you up for disappointment3. How to bring “open energy” instead of pressure to your dates4. Simple mindset shifts to leave past bad dates behind5. Dating dilemma: “I’m a single mum who’s just started dating, how can I look and feel confident even when I don’t feel it inside?”6. The “first date outfit” test that works every time7. Quick pre-date hacks: playlists, self-talk, and confidence boosts🎥 Watch the episode on YouTubeGet Involved!You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  Support The Date with Confidence PodcastIf you'd like to show your support for the podcast, you can do so in these ways:1) Share the podcast with your friends2) Leave me a review on iTunes stating what you love most about the podcast so more people can find it3) Buy me a coffee to express your gratitude for the episodes if you found them helpful, inspiring or entertainingVisit The Date with Confidence website here. Follow your host Rebecca Hawkes on Instagram.

EPISODE 71: You Need To Hold Yourself To High Standards Too (It's Not Just About Him)Be honest, are you holding yourself to the same dating standards you expect from others? In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I share a big shift I’ve made in my dating mindset—one that’s honestly changed everything. We always talk about what we want from someone else: effort, communication, chemistry, connection. But are you showing up in the same way you want them to? I’m diving deep into the dating standards you hold for yourself.Because you can't control how someone else shows up, but you can choose the energy, effort, and self-respect you bring to the table.Plus: I share examples of the standards I hold myself to, habits I’ve worked on, and why holding yourself to high standards makes it so much easier to walk away from people who aren’t a match. I also share some Happy Hour excitement (spoiler: it involves a spicy margarita) and talk about the difference between compromise and self-abandonment in dating.If you’ve ever ghosted yourself, ignored your boundaries, or let chemistry override red flags—this one’s for you.Tune in now to hear:1. What dating standards for yourself actually look like2. How to tell when you’re not holding your own standards3. Why "the vibe" might be clouding your judgment4. Journal prompts to set realistic, self-respecting dating rules5. Why holding standards for you makes it easier to walk away6. Why I end things quickly when there’s no connection7. How I show up physically, emotionally, and energetically for dating8. The unattractiveness of self-abandonment disguised as “being nice”9. Dating dilemma: “How do I hold standards without giving in to fear of missing out?”Mentioned:The Truth: You’re Actually Obsessed With Yourself, Not HimHow to Overcome Anxious Attachment When Dating Someone NewYour Dating Profile: How To Write One, When To Update It, What Not To Include🎥 Watch the episode on YouTubeGet Involved!You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here (leave me a voice note!!)Support The Date with Confidence PodcastIf you'd like to show your support for the podcast, you can do so in these ways:1) Share the podcast with your friends2) Leave me a review on iTunes stating what you love most about the podcast so more people can find it3) Buy me a coffee to express your gratitude for the episodes if you found them helpful, inspiring or entertainingVisit The Date with Confidence website here. Follow your host Rebecca Hawkes on Instagram.

EPISODE 70: You Fall For Potential, Not Proven Consistency: ChatGPT's Brutal Dating AdviceEver wondered what ChatGPT really thinks about your love life? In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I asked ChatGPT to be brutally honest with me about my romantic blind spots… and she did not hold back. Using a juicy prompt inspired by Gala Darling, I got an AI-powered reality check on what might still be holding me back from the fairytale romance I know I deserve – and whew, it was a mix of eye-opening, confronting, and actually kind of empowering.From over-functioning to falling for potential, I reflect on each truth, share how they show up in my real dating life, and explore what I’m doing to shift those patterns. I also spill the beans on what I’m updating in my dating profile, why I’ve taken a mini break from the apps, and whether or not I’d ever date a man’s brother. Yep, we go there.Tune in for all the goss on:1. The 4 dating blind spots holding me back (and probably you too)2. Why I still fall for potential, not consistency3. How my independence can actually block emotional intimacy4. What “letting a man earn your vulnerability” actually means5. The “cool girl” trap and second-guessing my own standards6. Romanticising mystery and mistaking it for real connection7. Happy Hour: Hinge cringe, my dating life update and a summer mocktail8. Why I’m rethinking my dating profile prompts (again)9. Should you ever date your ex’s brother?The ChatGPT prompt from Gala Darling’s email: “Based on what I've told you about my dating life, tell me what my blind spots are in romance. If I want XYZ, what could I do differently to get that result? Be brutally honest!”And I edited it to say:“Based on what I've told you about my dating life (and what you've learned from The Date with Confidence Podcast transcripts), tell me what my blind spots are in romance. If I want the man that meets my standards and a fairytale romance, what could I do differently to get that result? Be brutally honest!”Mentioned:Gala DarlingHow to Use ChatGPT to NEVER Settle in a RelationshipUsing ChatGPT to write my future storyChatGPT made my 5 year plan🎥 Watch the episode on YouTubeGet Involved!You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Support The Date with Confidence Podcast1) Share the podcast with your friends2) Leave me a review on iTunes 3) Buy me a coffee to express your gratitude for the episodes if you found them helpful, inspiring or entertainingVisit The Date with Confidence website here. Follow your host on Instagram.

EPISODE 69: Releasing The Energy Of Past Lovers Isn't Fun, But You Need To Do It If You Want To Move OnEver felt like you’ve moved on from a past relationship… but something still lingers?Maybe it’s the memory of an ex, the grip of a rebound that’s not quite right, or the way your body tenses when someone new gets too close. In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I’m being honest about what it actually takes to clear the emotional baggage of past relationships so you can finally feel free and I open up about my own healing journey - working with my energy healer, facing uncomfortable truths, and using tools like EFT, breathwork, and unsent letters to truly let go.If you’ve ever wondered why someone lives rent-free in your head—or why intimacy feels off even when it “should” feel right, this episode is for you.Here’s what we cover:1. Signs you’re still holding onto your ex’s energy 2. How past relationships affect your present dating reactions3. Why letting go frees you from toxic loops and comparison4. 6 powerful methods for releasing old relationship energy5. Working with a professional energy healer for trauma and energy clearing 6. Breathwork’s powerful role in emotional release7. Understanding toxic relationship dynamics and their energetic impact 8. You’re either gonna get it, or think I’m bat shit crazy…9. Listener dating dilemma: mixed signals and limited time10. Setting your standards and knowing when to walk awayMentioned:Marie Houlden: Mindset Coach & Energy HealerThe Breath Channel* (affiliate link)How to Break Up with Someone in the Kindest WayHow to Quit Dating Someone You’re Just Not Into🎥 Watch the episode on YouTubeGet Involved!You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  Support The Date with Confidence PodcastIf you'd like to show your support for the podcast, you can do so in these ways:1) Share the podcast with your friends2) Leave me a review on iTunes stating what you love most about the podcast so more people can find it3) Buy me a coffee to express your gratitude for the episodes if you found them helpful, inspiring or entertainingVisit The Date with Confidence website here. Follow your host Rebecca Hawkes on Instagram.

EPISODE 68: Your Dating Profile: How To Write One, When To Update It, What Not To Include (Rewrite Mine With Me)FYI: If you’re listening to this anywhere that isn’t YouTube, you may wanna skip between 19.45-24.30 as I’m updating my dating profile and if you can’t see it, it’s not that interesting…In this juicy, slightly chaotic (but super helpful, I think) episode of The Date with Confidence podcast, I walk you through exactly how to write — or rewrite — your dating profile with confidence and clarity. We're talking prompts to avoid, what to actually include, and how to get into the best headspace before you even open the app. I even screen-record myself updating my Hinge profile so you can see it in action (gulp). Vulnerable? Yes. Empowering? Also yes. If your profile needs a glow-up or you're just getting back into dating, this is for you.During Happy Hour we also get into the Hinge Cringe of the week, Swipe Right Spotlight (am i even gonna keep this segment?!) and a Dating Dilemma that had me shouting: WASH YOUR FUCKING HANDS, PLEASE. Tune in now to hear:1. Why mindset is key before updating your profile2. The two lists you have to have before writing your profile (and dating in general)3. Prompts that give manipulators a script to use against you4. When to update your profile (and what not to include)5. Why passive-aggressive profiles won’t be getting you a decent date anytime soon6. Changes I’m making to my own dating profile (watch as I tweak on YouTube)7. A Dating Dilemma that reminded me of dating a guy I’d rather forget existedMentioned:Attract on the AppsWomen on Dating Apps: Do NOT Use These PromptsThe Reason I Stopped Looking at Their Social Media🎥 Watch the episode on YouTubeGet Involved!You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  Support The Date with Confidence PodcastIf you'd like to show your support for the podcast, you can do so in these ways:1) Share the podcast with your friends2) Leave me a review on iTunes stating what you love most about the podcast so more people can find it3) Buy me a coffee to express your gratitude for the episodes if you found them helpful, inspiring or entertainingVisit The Date with Confidence website here. Follow your host Rebecca Hawkes on Instagram.

EPISODE 67: How to Quit Dating Someone You’re Just Not IntoHe didn’t make the bed so I ended it (but there’s more to this story….).What started as a promising connection took a turn on date seven, when the effort (or lack of it) just didn’t match up. It took around 3 seconds for me to be fully checked out and this time I ended things immediately. That’s growth for ya…In this episode of The Date with Confidence Podcast, I’m sharing how to stop dating someone when you know it’s just not it, even if they’re “nice.” I talk about the guilt that can creep in when someone seems great on paper, the fear of letting a good one go, and why it’s actually kinder to end it sooner rather than later. Plus, I’m introducing a fresh new format to the podcast (exciting!) — with updates from my own dating life, your dilemmas, and juicy mindset shifts to help you date with confidence.The vibe of this episode:1. Why it's okay to walk away from someone even if nothing’s “wrong”2. The shame we feel when we ignore our gut and stay too long3. How to end things kindly without overexplaining or apologising4. Why texting is totally acceptable in early dating breakups5.  The exact message I sent when I realised he wasn’t the one6. The realisations that came flooding within minutes of me getting the ick7. What I’m doing next as I start dating againIf you’ve ever wondered whether you're being “too picky” or you’ve struggled to end things without overexplaining, this is the pep talk you need.Mentioned:Blindsided By Red Flags After Healing? How to Remove the ShameYour Dream Relationship Exists: Here’s How to Believe In ItWe Know My Opinion On Shorts…Manifest The One🎥 Watch the episode on YouTubeGet Involved!You can contribute your stories to the Date with Confidence Podcast here. Share your best or worst dating stories, your biggest icks, dating tips you think everyone should know or ask me anything about my dating life or a burning question you need an answer for.  Support The Date with Confidence PodcastIf you'd like to show your support for the podcast, you can do so in these ways:1) Share the podcast with your friends2) Leave me a review on iTunes stating what you love most about the podcast so more people can find it3) Buy me a coffee to express your gratitude for the episodes if you found them helpful, inspiring or entertainingVisit The Date with Confidence website here. Follow your host Rebecca Hawkes on Instagram.