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Category:

Dating and Relationships

    Dating and RelationshipsHighlightStories

    The Last Time I Saw You (Part Nine)

    by Brenna Holeman December 13, 2023
    written by Brenna Holeman
    December 13, 2023
    17 comments
    8 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • AdviceDating and Relationships

    What is Grey Rocking? How to Deal with Toxic People and Narcissists

    by Brenna Holeman October 18, 2023
    by Brenna Holeman October 18, 2023

    Over the past few years I’ve become increasingly more interested in relationships and why they do (or don’t) work. Along the way I’ve read a lot about dealing with those who show narcissistic tendencies and emotionally abusive behaviour, and then discovered the best way to deal with such people whenever we have to interact with them: grey rocking. So what is grey rocking, and how can it help you deal with the toxic people in your life?

    7 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • AdviceDating and RelationshipsHighlight

    How to Get Over a Tough Breakup

    by Brenna Holeman October 3, 2023
    by Brenna Holeman October 3, 2023

    It doesn’t matter if you were together for 30 years, five years, or even a few months, let’s face it: breakups are terrible. In fact, a tough breakup is often cited as one of the most stressful things you’ll ever go through in life. And as someone who has suffered her fair share of difficult breakups – my last serious relationship ended when my then-partner dumped me while I was pregnant with his child – I can tell you that there are few things in the world that are as energy-draining, as mind-numbing, or as hard to get through. What I’d love to do right now is give you a big hug and tell you it’s going to be OK. Barring that, here are a few things you can do to help yourself through a difficult breakup.

    6 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • AdviceDating and Relationships

    This is Why You Can’t Stop Thinking About Them

    by Brenna Holeman September 26, 2023
    written by Brenna Holeman
    September 26, 2023
    14 comments
    8 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • AdviceDating and RelationshipsHighlight

    What is Love Bombing?: Warning Signs and How to Avoid It

    by Brenna Holeman March 4, 2021
    by Brenna Holeman March 4, 2021

    I was in the dating world for about twenty years before I met my boyfriend, Jon. With those twenty years came a lot of experience, both for the better and for the worse. I’ve been ghosted after three months of dating, I’ve dealt with intermittent reinforcement, and I’ve been in my fair share of rocky relationships. But the most common dating experience I’ve had? Love bombing. I only recently realized exactly what love bombing is, so I thought I’d share the warning signs and how to avoid it. Because – trust me – love bombing never ends well.

    8 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • Dating and RelationshipsTravel

    A Romantic Staycation in Winnipeg

    by Brenna Holeman February 1, 2021
    by Brenna Holeman February 1, 2021

    It’s officially been one year since I’ve left Manitoba. I know I’m not alone in saying that I miss travelling; I miss trying new food, staying in hotels, walking around new cities…

    5 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • AdviceDating and RelationshipsHighlight

    Hot and Cold: What is Intermittent Reinforcement in Relationships?

    by Brenna Holeman October 15, 2020
    written by Brenna Holeman
    October 15, 2020
    27 comments
    16 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • Dating and Relationships

    The Last Time I Saw You (Part Eight)

    by Brenna Holeman September 10, 2019
    by Brenna Holeman September 10, 2019

    The last time I saw you, you were driving away from me, the taillights glowing in the dawn. The sun was just barely above the horizon; there was a still and quiet in that tiny prairie town, the trees bowing slightly in the wind. I stood at the window to watch you drive away, and I blew you a kiss.

    We met in the heat of summer in the heart of the country. I instantly liked your glasses, your goofy laugh, the way we were both too nervous to eat any of the food we’d ordered. I talked too much – I always do when I’m nervous, especially on first dates – and an hour in I stopped myself, apologised for waffling.

    “Don’t apologise,” you leaned in close. “I’m utterly enthralled by you, if I’m honest.”

    I hadn’t had a first date that good in a long, long while. We both didn’t want the night to end; you came back to my house, where we drank beer on the porch and listened to records, the twinkly lights I’d hung up in the backyard illuminating all that was good. Our first kiss happened when we were listening to Sam Cooke, my favourite singer of all time, and life – for that one tiny moment – seemed perfect and real.

    10 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • AdviceDating and RelationshipsOpinions

    Holiday Goggles: Why Not All Travel Romances Are Meant to Be

    by Brenna Holeman November 28, 2018
    by Brenna Holeman November 28, 2018

    Let’s face it – not all holiday romances are meant to be long-term. Those damn holiday goggles can affect us all. Here are a few of my travel romance hits and misses… and what I’ve learned along the way.

    11 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • Dating and RelationshipsLifestyle

    Well This Should Be Fun: My Month Without Bread, Booze, or Boys (Part Three)

    by Brenna Holeman January 29, 2018
    written by Brenna Holeman
    January 29, 2018
    31 comments
    0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
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About Me

About Me

Hi, I'm Brenna

After travelling to more than 100 countries over the past 19 years, many of them solo, I write about travel a lot but I write about other things, too: break ups, buying way too much jewellery, and whisky, for example (none of those things are related, I swear). You’ll find a mix of advice, opinion pieces, and stories on this blog, but either way, I hope to make you want to read more. And up next? I'm now a single mom to a beautiful little boy, the biggest solo adventure I've ever been on. For more about me and what you'll find on This Battered Suitcase, click here.

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INSPIRATION

Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

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AFFILIATE POLICY

Please note that some links on This Battered Suitcase are affiliates (at no extra cost to you); I only recommend products I use and love. This Battered Suitcase is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Currently in

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA

Last Stops: Phoenix, AZ & Vancouver, BC

Up Next:  Curacao

 

Disclosures

This Battered Suitcase is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and links to Amazon.com. For the full disclosure/privacy policy, please click here.

Popular Posts

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    On Ghosting (and what to do if it happens to you)

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    What to Wear in Canada in Winter

    February 28, 2018
  • 4

    Giraffe Manor: Is It Worth The Cost?

    November 22, 2017
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This Battered Suitcase
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Around the Web
    • Contact
  • Start Here
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
      • Zambia
    • Asia
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Macau
      • Malaysia
      • Mongolia
      • Myanmar
      • Nepal
      • The Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Sri Lanka
      • South Korea
      • Thailand
      • UAE
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Czechia
      • Denmark
      • England
      • Estonia
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Latvia
      • Liechtenstein
      • Lithuania
      • Luxembourg
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Netherlands
      • Northern Ireland
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • San Marino
      • Scotland
      • Slovakia
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
      • Vatican City
      • Wales
    • North America
      • Antigua and Barbuda
      • Barbados
      • Belize
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Jamaica
      • Nicaragua
      • Mexico
      • Panama
      • St. Kitt’s and Nevis
      • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
      • USA
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • Uruguay
  • Topics
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
    • Romance
    • Stories
    • Travel
    • Writing and Blogging
  • Work With Me