16 - Green Flags & Gut Checks: What Makes a Great Partner After Divorce

Red flags are easy to spot. What’s harder—and far more useful—is training your eye for the green flags that tell you a relationship can actually work. We dive into the signals that matter most for dads dating after divorce: respect for fatherhood, emotional maturity, and consistency that builds trust instead of anxiety. You’ll hear how to test for these qualities without games, just clear beliefs, grounded vulnerability, and specific requests that lead to real change.

We unpack why a woman’s respect for your role as a dad is non-negotiable, and how complementary parenting styles can coexist without power struggles. We walk through nonviolent communication you can use today—identify the behavior, share a real feeling, make a specific request, and ask for agreement—so you can stop vague, circular arguments and start building habits that stick. We also explore why humor is a quiet superpower in conflict, turning pressure into connection without dismissing what hurts.

There’s more: how to spot support for your healing vs. pressure to “move on,” why requests aren’t the same as boundaries, and how self-leadership shows up under so-called “shit tests.” If you’ve wondered how to keep your frame, communicate clearly, and create a culture of appreciation that invites the right partner to lean in, this conversation offers practical scripts and mindsets you can use right away.

If this helped, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review—tell us which green flag you’re looking for next.