Episode 108: It's Another Year… and I'm Still Single, w/ Dr. Mario Sacasa

Welcome to Episode 108 of the Being Human Podcast: It's Another Year… and I'm Still Single, w/ Dr. Mario Sacasa It's a new year, and what if you're still single but don't want to be? How do you balance the desire for a committed relationship with living in the present reality of not yet having one? In this week's episode, Dr. Greg welcomes back to the show a friend and colleague, Dr. Mario Sacasa, to discuss discernment, being single, dating, and the development of virtue.  Discussed in this episode: Finding the balance between accepting one's present circumstances while also pursuing one's desires; The three dimensions of hope: desire, agency, and patience with timing;  The need to reverence our desire for change, transformation and growth;  How unanswered prayers can help to purify our desires;  The messiness of discernment and the self-sacrifice it can require;  Dr. Mario's process of discernment in deciding to move to a new city;  The tendency for singles to put too much pressure on themselves and their romantic relationships; The importance of chastity and the moral courage needed to pursue virtue;  The consequences of immorality and its effect on others who are trying to practice virtue;  Accounting for and accepting obstacles present when pursuing a vocation; Sexual morality as a standard worth pursuing despite being unsupported by our culture in doing so.  Resources mentioned or relevant: Learn more about Dating Well, Dr. Mario Sacasa's online course; Attend Relate 2023: Catholic Singles Conference hosted by CatholicMatch;   Follow Dr. Mario on Facebook or Instagram: @drmariosacasa; Check out Always Hope, a podcast hosted by Dr. Mario;  Listen to Episode 78: Dating Well with Dr. Mario Sacasa and Episode #61: Being Single (And Not Bitter About It) w/ Amy Grace Miller for more on being single, dating, and relationships;  Looking for help? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with our staff! Learn about IDDM (Mentorship), our new model of daily accompaniment;  Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created; Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more; Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available;  Join the waitlist to find out more about the new CPMAP Certification.  Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at [email protected] - we would love to hear from you!   Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose "write a review." Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven't already, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now!