This guest post was submitted by a reader of GenPink. If you’d like to submit a topic or post idea you can do so here:

If you’re looking for a good relationship that is faithful and loving to your mind, body and soul, Zumba just might be just what the doctor ordered.  First of all you might be asking what is “Zumba” and how can he heal my broken heart?!

Trying something new and venturing outside of your self is a great place to start the healing process.  You may have had the worst date of your life or just be depressed from a bad relationship.  Zumba really is the perfect man to work out all the day’s problems or woes. 

First of all, Zumba does not judge.  

He is a hip and stylish lover of all curves and body types. He likes to have fun and adds some spice to your life by taking your feet on the trip of a lifetime. Forget the dating sites and head to the gym! 

You’ll be able to spot this Latin lover quite easily, just by the sound of his voice.  He combines smooth moves with a new and interesting flair for sexy salsa beats and classic ethnic rhythms.  Updated and sassy, he really is the perfect date for young swaggers who like to move and groove. 

This guy wants you to shake your booty in front of him for at least an hour!  In fact, he demands it.  If dancing is your forte, he will mosey up easily to you and turn on his charm.  He is kind and gentle and at the same time he can overlook footwork flaws as long as you keep the relationship moving.

Mr. Zumba will introduce you to a cross between a hot Mexican party and great workout sex.  Zumba will leave you sweating, panting and wanting more.  You will find he will even work muscles you didn’t even know you had. His closet is full of an endless array of sexy music and themed outfits for taking the dance floor by storm.   He treats every woman as a goddess and will transport you to another world.

He is a man that can be counted on. 

Trustworthy, he is there without fail three times a week and will not sacrifice your comfort level to tailor it to his own needs.   He even gives you the fle

Danae Matthews lives in San Francisco and writes for an on-line women’s health resource Women’s Health Base.

Hit the Brakes

There is a defining moment in every relationship. The first kiss that assures a mutual attraction. Meeting the parents. For all of the flowery displays of affection and exclusivity there are then the “red-flag” moments. Amidst the red-flags it can become hard for us to decipher what are speed-bumps and what are road-blocks. The deal breakers that should send us heading for the hills so frequently become the things that we think we can “work out” together. This is why you have so many girlfriends stuck in dead-end relationships lying to themselves that at the heart of it all, they are meant to be together.
So how do you decode a speed-bump from a road-block? Every relationship comes with its own set of rules of course, but some things to keep in mind…

1. Your significant other doesn’t like any of your friends
   Who you choose to surround yourself with is a direct reflection on you and your personality. If the person you’re dating takes issue with your best gaggle of girlfriends watch out. This could mean a number of different things, but two big ones could be: he is conditioning your relationship to be exclusively you+him by cutting out the competition, and/or there are things he doesn’t love about you that he sees illuminated in your friend group.
2. Major life decisions start being taken off the table
   If all of the sudden your boyfriend starts getting really adamant about the things he doesn’t want, listen to what he’s saying. If in the beginning of dating you managed to tip-toe around most of the serious subjects, but now he is making big proclamations about never wanting to get married, or having no desire to have children it could be the symptom of a much bigger problem. The last thing you want to do is think that if you stay together longer, he will change his mind.
3. You start getting calls and texts to see what you’re doing
   This is a fine line to walk. Some couples text all day long as a way to get through a tedious work-day or stay connected. But if you start getting more and more texts or calls just to “check-in” and see what you are doing it might be a good idea to hit the brakes and convene for a convo. You already have one father and if you allow what may seem like innocent behavior go on too long, you could end up with two.
4. Separate religions, but now you’re serious
   So this is a really hard one to navigate. Some people avoid this problem entirely by only dating people within their own belief system. But a major speed-bump turned road-block can be dating and then falling for someone of an opposite religion. If this happens you need to sit down and have a serious conversation about where you think your relationship is going and how serious you both are about your beliefs. The last thing you want to do is pass on an opportunity for love without having discussed things first. Just remember- definitely not a conversation for date number one or two!
5. You have to instigate all plans
   If in the beginning of your relationship/dating your guy made all the plans to go out and now it’s all on you, it could mean more than you think. It is natural for guys to get comfortable in a relationship and get lazy, especially if you live together. But if you are still in the early stages and you are always the one getting together plans this is a red-flag. You should still be the main focus a year, 5 years, heck- 20 years into a relationship!

This is the 14th post in December’s Top Tens in 2010 Series. This guest post was written by Colin Burns, someone I know through the Social Media Club of Dallas. First I want to say congratulations to Colin and the Mrs for the arrival of their first Mini-Burns this week! Also… how many of you saw this headline and thought a)I wonder if match.com paid for this post b)oh I don’t DO online dating OR c)ohhhh this should be good. As someone who has participated in the online dating world I thought this would be a fun topic to address. To answer your question this is not a paid post, I asked Colin, as someone who works for match.com to contribute this post. With the help of his team members here’s what Colin has to say about online dating…

Online dating is becoming the norm. One in five relationships now begins on an online dating site. In a few short years the original Match.com couples from our inaugural year of 1995 could have children together that will be starting college. And as Gen Y’ers flock to the cubicle, more and more of them are dipping their toes into the online dating space. So I present you a few tips from Match.com on how to maximize your online dating experience.

1. Take a great photo

Smile in your photo – it makes a great first impression. It shows that you’re happy with your life and excited to meet new people. Save any favorite “moody” shots for your secondary photos.

2. Post your photo… and lots of them

Both guys and gals are more likely to look at a profile with a photo than one with out, so upload away.

3. Start with a unique user name and headline

Be as unique and specific as you possibly can. Instead of “Nice girl seeks Prince Charming” which doesn’t say much and is overused, why not try something like, “Lawyer who loves to sail seeks first mate” – it reveals much more about you. When you include aspects of your personality in your headline, you will stand out from everyone else. That’s what’s going to make people want to click on your portrait.

4. Create a great profile

You want your profile to bring out what’s unique—and attractive—about you. Share stories and let your personality shine through. When writing your profile, show, don’t tell. Instead of saying you’re funny, be funny – crack a joke or two. Highlight what makes you different than all the other people out there who love ‘dinner and a movie’ and sunsets…talk about how you love running with your terrier or have learned to cook Pad Thai at home.

5. Write a great email

Take the time to find something in a person’s profile that’s meaningful and significant, then comment on it. Your email should sound like you chatting with a friend, not just say, “Hey, check out my profile!” And please, don’t cut and paste and then mass-mail your emails. People can tell.

6. Talk on the phone

It is important to talk on the phone a few times before arranging a meeting. Many online daters get into a mindset of not wanting to spend too much time on the phone— they look at it as a waste of time. But it’s really an investment. You’re figuring out if this is someone you really want to meet.

7. Meet in a public place

Meet in a place where other people are present, like a café, bar or restaurant. Don’t get picked up at home; always provide your own transportation to and from your meeting place.

8. Keep the first date short and sweet

People can usually tell within the first five minutes if they are interested in someone. If you enjoy someone’s company, you can always extend the date!

9. Use your best judgment

Remember, getting involved with someone online is no more dangerous than meeting them any other way, and you should take some basic precautions in any dating situation. The benefits aren’t just your well-being, but increased comfort levels and confidence—qualities that always come in handy.

10. Relax and have fun!

Enjoy yourself! Remember that dating is a process and you probably won’t meet The One right out of the gate. Enjoy the experience of meeting new and different people – and learning from them. That attitude will serve you well.

I learned a new word today … gastrosexual:

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach but it seems the dining tables have turned as increasing numbers of men are taking up cooking in a bid to seduce women.

Dubbed ‘Gastrosexuals‘ this new generation of men consider cooking more a hobby than a household chore and use their kitchen prowess to impress friends and prospective partners. -Mail Online via yumsugar

While, I’m not so into the sound of the word gastrosexual I am certainly into guys who can cook. This girl likes to eat! Is master chef on your list of ideal mate?

This is from Cosmo magazine.

What do you guys think? I fit into that age group and I have never known anyone to be in love with more than one person at a time.

dat·ing
–verb
1. An engagement to go out socially with another person, often out of romantic interest.
2. To go on dates.

Somehow at the age of 26 the majority of my friends are married or are in long term relationships. This made it a little difficult to think of someone who could write about dating in your 20s. I myself am certainly not an expert on this topic (in fact I’m kind of afraid of this topic). I sent out a few emails asking for who would best discuss this topic. I was pointed to Martini of Single + Cats = Sad. I actually had never read her blog before but my friend has brought her up in discussions many times. Sidenote: does it show how much our generation is impacted by blogs that when my friends and I get together “in real life” we discuss random blogs that we’ve read

So without further adu, I give you D is for Dating.

This guest post was written by Martini, a 27 year old single blogger who says “blogging is cheaper than a therapist”.

Oh my god, what does dating in your 20s mean? Just thinking about that question exhausts my brain.

I’m a 27-year-old single girl, and in order to cope with my last nine months of singledom, I think I’ve put a few vineyard owners’ children through college, if that’s any indication of my coping technique.

First off, almost everyone’s experienced the joyus hell that is dating in your 20s, unless of course you were that chick in my study hall that got married two days after high school. If so, I mean, god bless. How’s that working out for you?

But for the rest of us who have banned the word “settling” from our vocabularies, the search for that person that will perfectly compliment all of our neuroses for the rest of our life is ongoing. Welcome to dating. It’s not like it was in high school. Our standards have risen beyond “he’s cute” and “his dad’s car is sweet.”

As I tell my married friends, who seem to garner gleeful enjoyment from stories of crazies I meet as a single girl, it’s not being single that’s hard. Being single is great. I love being single. You don’t have to conceal your latest shoe purchases when you get home, your apartment is devoid of Star Wars figurines, and you’re always allowed to flirt.

Ah, yes, being single is fun. It’s dating that can literally drive you to the brink of insanity, mumbling to yourself at a bus stop about bees and spinning in circles like a hyper Chihuahua every time the phone rings.

I was in back-to-back committed relationships (I do heart monogamy) from age 19 until 26. So last year, when my 3 ½ year relationship fell apart, I found myself single for the first time since high school. Really, really single.

And since then, I’ve dated everything from a gay mormon virgin to a B-list celebrity with serious bi-polar issues. Trust me, it’s just as crazy as it sounds.

So what have I learned? I’ve learned that, as I type this three glasses of pinot in (and keep in mind it’s a Wednesday), and as a girl, no matter how many bad dates you have, it’s your girlfriends that matter most. The saying “hoes before bros” never made more sense to me.

You need your girls not just for moral support, but for a rational opinion when you’re faced with the decision on whether or not to date someone. Are they a douche? Your girlfriends will tell you straight up.

Regardless, dating is a hard. Don’t feel bad if you’re single and feel close to giving up on the whole thing. Just keep going because, let’s be honest, you don’t want to wind up 63 years old and surrounded by cats.

Be confident in yourself. Don’t settle for less than you deserve. Play the game. Hold out for what you deserve. Let him come to you. And convince yourself you’re worth it.

And don’t be afraid to crack open a bottle of wine (or two) when things get too tough, consider lesbianiasm, lie to your parents about a fake boyfriend to get them off your back, sleep with the wrong person (or two) just for kicks and dress way sexier than you think you should sober.

The main lesson you should learn is that being single is always better than being stuck in a relationship with the wrong person.

Dating in your 20s should be fun. Because dating in your 30s is going to be way more serious. So enjoy this. Play with the boys. Make them beg for it. And always remember, everyone who’s married envies you. So enjoy that fact.

I can’t say that I agree that all of my married friends envy the crazy single life but I do know that they are quite entertained by the stories us single girls come up with.

Thursday marks the continuation of the guest post series on Twenty Something Advice. Today’s guest post is written by Blonde Features, a 23 year old just trying to figure out life. She says she is "trying not to lose my tan, the beach, and my blonde hair in Washington."

Love in your 20′s can be a very confusing thing. My best friend has just gone through an awful break up. At 22, she spent 5 years (all of college) with her boyfriend and the most important advice I feel that I have given her and what I would tell every 20 something is: The most important thing you can do for yourself is to spend time learning about who you are as an independent person and be comfortable being single.

I am a loving person, I love being in a relationships, but after being in one relationship for 3 years and another for 2 years I made it a point to be on my own. I found it extremely challenging and lonely but after spending two years single I learned how important it is to value yourself as an independent adult. This is the time in our lives to ask ourselves, "What do I want out of life? What do I want to accomplish before I die? How do I want the world to look at me? What is important to me?". These are difficult to answer alone and more so when you have someone who is always around. How can you expect to be introspective when you are in a relationship and always thinking about someone else?

I have been in love twice, I have been single and I know that I have met "the ONE." It wasn’t easy but I learned a lot in the process. I met him freshmen year of college. I was only 18. We dated for two years and I struggled in college trying to balance him, while trying to flourish in a new environment where I was on my own for the first time and I couldn’t have both. We broke up and I transferred schools, needing space to grow. And I did grow. While I missed him every day of the next two years when we were apart, I did a lot of growing up. I was single, I met new people, I met new friends, I learned about being lonely, being alone, and finally being happy and being alone. I kept him in a corner of my mind every day but not having him to lean on, caused me to venture out, do more things, pursue the things I love. I don’t believe it is impossible to accomplish these things when you are in a relationship, but I believe for me, I needed to spend that time alone, to force myself to get out there because I couldn’t just stay home and watch a movie alone on a Friday night and not feel lonely. I had to go to that party where that nice girl from my class had invited me to, I took up surfing so I didn’t spend Saturday afternoons always studying, I got a job and really pursued my interests of event planning. Those are the most important things I learned being single and I would never take any of that back.

My story ends happily every after. At the end of senior year in college, after two years of complete silence between "The One" and I, I finally cracked the ice. I was ready for him and for what he meant to me and my life. I sent him a note for his birthday, just a token that even after 2 years I was still thinking of him. He responded with the love letter I always hoped would be there when I was ready. The one where he told me he missed me everyday, his life was not complete without me, and that I was his "One." We have been back together for 2 years since that heart-stopping moment. But I know things would never have worked if I had let my love swallow my independence and that is what I would hope for every 20 year old. Be Independent, Take "Me" time now before "Family" time takes over later in life. Learn to Make Yourself Smile Before You Try to Make Someone Else Smile!

Hope that helps!! I still struggle with being 20something everyday, but I hope what I learned will help someone else! Good Luck!

-Blonde Features

I love having this series being primarily guest posts because I love getting other 20somethings views on life, life and the whole crazy thing. Though I did my single, independent time in a different order than blonde features I completely agree with her. I very much believe life in your twenties is about figuring out what it is you really want for your future. I would like to add one thing it is important also to keep your independence even when you are in a relationship. This seems pretty obvious but I have seen several women, especially young women, lose themselves by trying to change themselves for their guy.

What do you guys think?

Be sure to check out Blonde Features blog.

If you’d like to contribute to the advice series you can contact me on 20something Bloggers.

Previous Twenty Something Advice:

• Twenty Something Advice: Make your goals measurable
• Twenty Something Advice: Is it time for a job change?
• Twenty Something Advice: Circle of Friends
• Twenty Something Advice: Power of Music
• Twenty Something Advice: Educate Yourself on Politics
• Twenty Something Struggle: Why Can’t I Be Happy?
• Twenty Something Advice: Don’t plan your life based on what other people expect

This question is for all of the single ladies out there. Do you, or have you ever, googled someone you’ve gone out with?

This question was sparked by this funny graphic I found via MakeUseOf.