#104: The 3 Stages of Relationships—And Where You're Secretly Struggling

#104: The 3 Stages of Relationships—And Where You're Secretly Struggling

February 20, 2026 · 19 min

About this episode

Hilary Silver discusses the three stages of relationships and the common struggles women face in each stage.

You can be brilliant in every area of your life and still feel lost in love if you do not know which stage of relationships keeps tripping you up. Hilary breaks relationships into three defining stages and asks a direct question at each one: do you trust yourself here? From choosing the right partner, to staying grounded in the early months, to sustaining a healthy long-term bond, she challenges the idea that love problems come down to luck. If you cannot trust your judgment, your authenticity, or your ability to handle intimacy, the same patterns will follow you into every relationship. She walks through the most common blind spots women have at each stage: ignoring red flags, performing when you really like him, over-functioning or shutting down once things get serious. Most women were never taught the actual skills required to build lasting partnership, yet they assume desire alone is enough. The deeper invitation of this episode is honest self-assessment. Where are you unsteady? Where are you unskilled? And where are you hoping the right man will compensate for something you have not yet strengthened in yourself? Episode Highlights: How to know if your picker is broken The…

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