Dating and love relationships during the time of a lockdown can be fun for some and challenging for others, hence a webinar was hosted and co-moderated by Dr. Azumah, a Certified Life Coach. The webinar was a dialogue with 3 male panelists, who are experts in relationships, health and dating. They shared their experiences with dating, marriage and divorce as they provided some tips for single and married people struggling in their relationships due to the lockdown. Dr. Ebere Azumah said the Covid-19 pandemic has literally forced millions of people to stay at home for more than a year with restrictions, while inadvertently losing touch with our previous normal life activities.
Eric Payne, an African-American blogger and podcaster, was the master keynote speaker for the event. He was transparent and shared his experience from being a marriage blogger to becoming one that speaks about post-divorce dating and in this webinar, he shared some tips for dating during physical isolation. Mr. Payne reviewed what he termed the ‘ABCDs of Lockdown Lovin.’ He encouraged the attendees to always be grateful to be alive during this period of great loss. He also emphasized on the importance of self-care and meditation. He encouraged them that everything will be okay.
Mr. Payne narrated his story of resilience during an incredibly challenging period between 2014 and April of 2015, when his then wife and partner for 15 years divorced him. “I was [also] fired from my job. I moved out of my apartment. But all those bitter experiences prepared me to be here to share my experience.” In conclusion, Mr. Payne emphasized, “When you go out (seldomly) as it happens these days, try to talk to people, start a conversation, or try online dating. Put yourself out there. Set your goals and what you want to achieve. But also, if that doesn’t work, appreciate yourself and know that things will be OK at the right time,” stressing, “being single is not a disease.”
Dr. Kingsley Kabari, also a keynote speaker and a health professional, said marriage is a complicated school that can only be headed and guided by God. “It’s the only school where you are issued a certificate before you start learning, which is different from your normal school you go to get your degree. You have to love yourself and ask for God’s guidance to be able to be successful in finding true love during any kind of situation, including this current lockdown” he said. Dr. Kingsley Kabari is married.
Dr. Shola Ezekoli, a co-moderator, said most women from African backgrounds face more pressures from their families to get married in their late 20’s because of their cultures. This kind of pressure is sometimes difficult to withstand especially during the COVID-19 Lockdown. She, however, advised attendees, “If you want to go into any serious love relationship during the pandemic, be vigilant of red flags [and other] [...] warning signs of a potential danger ahead. Things like violence, emotional abuse, lying, cheating, and gaslighting are red flags. These are behaviors that can be dangerous to other human beings. I am not asking you to look for a perfect person because no one is perfect. But consider these things before you decide to love a person.” This advice comes in handy especially during this time of increased domestic violence.
Kevin Ferere, another relationship expert and keynote speaker, responded to a question by suggesting that, “women who are late bloomers in the dating scene should not succumb to the pressure of getting married. Do not forget to study and learn more about the opposite sex. Like in any endeavor, preparation is key.”
This webinar was well attended, and many of the attendees that completed the post-event poll enjoyed the program and felt they learned a lot from this dialogue. One of the attendees wrote, “[…] that was a great session today. I definitely would like a part 2 of this webinar.”
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Additionally, visit www.healthyanduplifted.com for our upcoming webinars. In celebration of the International Women’s Day, our next webinar discussion is scheduled for March 7th 2021 at 4pm ET, and the theme for discussion is, ‘Is the Value of Women Underrated? "