The Realistic Romantic

Drew Henry | Attraction & Relationship Expert

The Realistic Romantic is for people who still believe in love... but live in reality. Join attraction and relationship expert Drew Henry as he explores modern dating and the emotional reality behind it. Every week, we break down dating culture and the stories people tell themselves about love through honest conversations and a healthy dose of romantic realism. Drew is a classic golden retriever boyfriend, but watch out! He’s not house-trained, and he may bite. Expect hot takes, celebrity relationship gossip, listener dating audits, and the occasional reminder to be f*cking for real with yourself. After all, chemistry isn't compatibility. And sometimes the biggest thing standing between you and the relationship you want is the story you're telling yourself. If you've ever felt burned out by modern dating but refuse to become a complete cynic about love, you're in the right place. Welcome to The Realistic Romantic. Your date with Drew has just begun.

Episodes

  1. Why You Keep Dating the Same Person

    1d ago

    Why You Keep Dating the Same Person

    How long should you wait before dating again after a breakup? In this episode of The Realistic Romantic, Drew explores one of the biggest mistakes people make after heartbreak: confusing moving on with moving over. From rebound relationships and situationships to dating apps and divorce, Drew breaks down why so many people jump into something new before they've had a chance to process what they lost and who they've become. Along the way, he unpacks what Dua Lipa and Callum Turner's book-inspired love story reveals about modern dating, examines Jessi Draper's relationship timeline, and introduces his personal framework for breakup recovery: The One Week Per One Month Rule. You'll learn why breakups disrupt your identity, how reflection helps emotional recovery, and why dating from curiosity creates better outcomes than dating for validation. If you've ever wondered when you're truly ready to date again, this episode is for you. In This Episode: How long to wait before dating after a breakupThe difference between moving on and moving overWhy rebound relationships often failThe psychology of breakup recoveryHow breakups affect identity and self-worthDrew's One Week Per One Month RuleHow to rebuild yourself after heartbreakDating from curiosity instead of compensationDear Drew This week's question: How do you tell the difference between someone who's good on paper and someone who's actually good in person? Sources & References Dua Lipa & Callum Turner: https://www.eonline.com/news/1432711/dua-lipa-callum-turners-wedding-book-tribute-to-how-they-met Jessi Draper & Marciano Brunette: https://people.com/jessi-draper-clarifies-her-relationship-status-with-marciano-brunette-exclusive-11983622 Who Am I Without You? (Slaughter, Gardner & Finkel): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167209352250 Emotional Recovery Following Romantic Relationship Dissolution (Larson & Sbarra): https://elifinkel.com/s/Larson_Sbarra_SPPS-2015.pdf Facing a Breakup: Self-Concept Recovery and Well-Being: https://openurl.ebsco.com/fulltext/gcd%3A79650636 Connect With Drew 📧 Email: heyrealisticromantic@gmail.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealisticromantic 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealisticromantic ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@therealisticromantic If you enjoyed this episode, follow, subscribe, and share it with a fellow Realistic Romantic. Date without delusion.

    27 min
  2. You're Not Over Your Ex Because You Still Hate Them

    Jun 9

    You're Not Over Your Ex Because You Still Hate Them

    Are you still holding onto anger or resentment towards your ex? Drew Henry dives into why harboring hate for an ex is a major red flag and how it impacts your ability to find healthy relationships. Learn practical insights on moving past emotional baggage, recognizing unresolved feelings, and ultimately, why indifference is the goal when it comes to exes. Main Topics: The emotional toll of hating your ex and why it’s toxicHow long it really takes to get over someone (study insights)The importance of forgetting vs. hating your exRed flags to watch for when dating after a breakupStrategies for shifting focus from removal to addition in lifeWhy making hatred your identity is detrimental in relationshipsThe power of indifference over hate in emotional closureTimestamps: 00:00 - The red flag: still hating your ex is worse than being in love 00:22 - Why hating your ex could be a sign you're not over them 01:26 - Study reveals it takes twice as long to get over an ex as the time you were together 02:38 - How ADHD brains might get over exes faster due to object permanence 04:52 - The story of forgetting an ex quickly after moving on 06:28 - Red flags for unresolved emotions about an ex 07:54 - Why hating your ex points to unresolved feelings 08:50 - Red flag: hate becomes your entire personality 10:01 - Ramona Flowers’ example of making hatred an identity 11:39 - Recognizing when your ex dominates every conversation 12:25 - The difference between forgetting and dwelling—Taylor Swift’s perspective 14:08 - How to stop hating and start moving on 14:59 - Why fixating on stripping away your ex only intensifies your thoughts about them 15:58 - Focus on filling your life with new activities instead of removal 17:32 - The importance of making peace with letting go 18:32 - The opposite of love is indifference, not hate 19:01 - Final thoughts: Leaving your ex behind with indifference Resources & Links: How Long It Really Takes to Get Over an Ex - Psychology Today Connect with Drew: heyrealisticromantic@gmail.com Instagram TikTok

    13 min
5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Realistic Romantic is for people who still believe in love... but live in reality. Join attraction and relationship expert Drew Henry as he explores modern dating and the emotional reality behind it. Every week, we break down dating culture and the stories people tell themselves about love through honest conversations and a healthy dose of romantic realism. Drew is a classic golden retriever boyfriend, but watch out! He’s not house-trained, and he may bite. Expect hot takes, celebrity relationship gossip, listener dating audits, and the occasional reminder to be f*cking for real with yourself. After all, chemistry isn't compatibility. And sometimes the biggest thing standing between you and the relationship you want is the story you're telling yourself. If you've ever felt burned out by modern dating but refuse to become a complete cynic about love, you're in the right place. Welcome to The Realistic Romantic. Your date with Drew has just begun.