Never had a boyfriend to engaged in a year. Here’s what I did.

As most of you know, back in the day I felt like a complete  failure when it came to love and relationships.

 

I was in my late 20s, had never had a proper relationship, and I’d (wine fuelled) cry to my sister about why I couldn’t meet anyone, convinced I was broken, unlovable, and destined to be alone forever.

 

For years, I was stuck in the anxious–avoidant loop, a messy mix of self-loathing, obsession, and chasing idiots who were never truly available.

 

I was bar hopping around London, trying to find something I thought was missing. I yearned for love, but couldn't even say the words “I'd like to be in a relationship” out loud.

 

I had no respect for myself, so I kept settling for half measures — breadcrumb situationships, emotional unavailable types, and chasing people who made me feel like I had to earn their affection. 

 

And when someone actually liked me? I’d reject them. Because calm, consistent love felt boring and chaos felt familiar.

 

Until one day, I woke up and thought: I can’t do this anymore. I didn't like who I saw in the mirror and the direction I was heading. I felt burned out, bitter and numb. 


That was my rock bottom — and the start of everything changing.


I looked around and realised — I was the common denominator in every messy situation. Something had to change.

 

So, I decided to stop chasing love and start healing.

 

I got curious about why I kept being drawn to unavailable people, and what that said about my availability and fear of being hurt, rejected and in something real. 

 

I read every book I could find, and learned how to sit with my feelings instead of running from them.


I built self-respect, one boundary at a time. I stopped confusing chemistry with chaos.

 

 I took action and started saying NO to what was not serving me. (I'd started dating someone who looked and felt familiar and wasn't treating me the way I wanted, so I ended things early and moved on)


And slowly, I started believing that I was actually lovable. 

 

That’s when everything changed — including my love life.

 

Within a year, I went from never having had a boyfriend to being engaged.


Not because I suddenly became “lucky” or found a secret dating hack — but because I became emotionally available to the kind of love I’d always wanted.

 

Now, I help women who feel unlovable, left behind, or romantically burned out rediscover the joy in themselves and open up to love again — no matter their age or relationship status.

 

Because if I can go from self-destructing in London bars to engaged in a year…
You sure as hell can too. 💅

 

So, here's the T on exactly what I did… 

 

💛 I got honest about, my patterns and the role I was playing in my own love life and for every situation I'd been in, I wrote what my responsibility was.


💛 I figured out why I was attracted to certain people,  and why I kept swinging between numbing out and anxious obsession (I was repeating what I saw as a child).


💛 I became aware of the deep belief that I wasn’t “enough. and started to change it through mantras, daily exercises and small acts of self love”


💛 I started to explore who I was and what I wanted - a family, home and stability and got proud of it, rather than ashamed  


💛 I lowered my walls (terrifying, btw) and leaned into vulnerability instead of running from it. I told people what I wanted, how I felt and tried to let them see the real me


💛 I began to focus on love that already existed, my friends, my family and rather than swiping on apps I made sure I'd check in with them instead.


💛 I stopped being judgy and negative, looking at how I talked about men, dating and others and started to trust that good things could happen for me. Every day I focussed on what I was grateful for and proud of. 


💛 I created space for love ( literally and emotionally) building a home with my sister, going through shared ownership and looked at what my space said about 


💛 I walked away from red flags, even when it was hard (see dating mention above)


💛 I learned to regulate my emotions without numbing out with alcohol, dating, or distraction.


💛 I got all woo-woo and started to believe in the universe, manifesting, and the power of energy.


💛 And finally… I got very excited about what was to come and started to believe it in my bones. 

 

If you’re ready to stop settling in your love life, you can book a free call HERE to chat through what's going on and seeing if we would be a good fit to work together. So holla if you're interested. 

Caitlin Smith

Caitlin, (otherwise known as The Compatibility Coach) is a Love & Relationship coach who helps amazing women ditch the heartbreak of dating emotionally unavailable partners, so they finally get the relationship they deserve.

https://www.thecompatibilitycoach.co.uk
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One simple shift for you to stop attracting idiots