Jennifer Aniston has finally found her prince, and it wasn't easy. After several failed, and very public, relationships, her boyfriend Justin Theroux, whom she had dated for 15 months prior, asked her to marry him earlier this month. And she accepted. Now clearly John Mayer, Vince Vaughn and the other men she was involved with were anything but frogs; however, they were not the right guys for her, or the answer to her finding happiness. They were, though, testimony to her willingness to break out of her comfort zone and explore different types of men. She didn't allow herself to fall into the habit of typecasting a boyfriend, repeating the same negative patterns and thinking there was only one kind of guy for her.
I recently talked to one of my patients about the ending of her long-term relationship. She was in that difficult place that follows the aftermath of a break-up. She did, however, do something that she never would have done before. She was willing to take the chance of going on a blind date. Much to her surprise it went well, especially because she told me he was so different from the kind of guy she would usually consider dating. She is now in a new, exciting relationship. This reminds me of Jennifer, who remained open, rather than closing off her options, by dating various kinds of men as she searched for her dream guy.
Throughout her dating, though, she held onto her vision of what she was looking for and seeking in a partner. To put it another way, she had a clear image of her prince. In 2011, she told People, "I'm really picky. When I feel it, I feel it." She knew he was wandering around out there somewhere, and she wasn't willing to settle. Ironically enough, she connected with him on the set of "Wanderlust," a movie they were filming together. Her instincts were right on target. Because she never gave up, even when confronted with the intense betrayal and heartache she suffered along the way, she was finally able to find the soul mate she was seeking.
Jennifer is a great role model for any woman who has experienced betrayal. Despite the hardships she's endured in her various relationships, she was able to learn and grow from them. She persevered and remained optimistic in the face of the heartbreak and the disappointment she sustained. She rose above public judgments thrown her way, and instead stayed true to herself, trusting her own judgment. Because she had the courage of her convictions and gave herself the room to explore, she was ultimately able to heal from her pain and find her true love.
May they live happily ever after.
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