Dawn Maslar - From Heartbreak to Hearts Desire: Developing a Healthy GPS (Guy Picking System)

Words of praise from women who have
used and loved Dawn's book:

Prior to working with Dawn, my life in this area was filled with sadness and despair. I was truly hopeless and thought things would never change. Well, things did changeI changed. I am no longer shackled by my choices of yesterday. Today I have a sense of freedom I had never known was possible. My spirit has been restored and my life divinely altered. Now that is a powerful feeling!

LeLania McDaniel

Dawns program as outlined in this book has helped me beyond measure, and I am forever grateful to her. Dawn not only talks the talk, but has walked the walk.

Her story resonates with the reader.

Joi Natiello

Dawns program was simple to follow while getting to the source of my difficulties, teaching me how to deal with them and then going on to create a happy, confident new me. I am grateful to Dawn every day for giving me the tools I need to find the life and the relationships I want.

R.J. Carlson

FROM HEARTBREAK TO
Heart's Desire

DEVELOPING A HEALTHY GPS
( GUY PICKING SYSTEM )

CENTRAL RECOVERY PRESS
Central Recovery Press (CRP) is committed to publishing exceptional materials addressing addiction treatment, recovery, and behavioral health care, including original and quality books, audio/visual communications, and Web-based new media. Through a diverse selection of titles, it seeks to impact the behavioral health care field with a broad range of unique resources for professionals, recovering individuals and their families, and the general public. For more information, visit www.centralrecoverypress.com.

Central Recovery Press, Las Vegas, NV 89129
2010 by Dawn Maslar
All rights reserved. Published 2010.
Printed in the United States of America.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

Publisher: Central Recovery Press
3371 N. Buffalo Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89129

16 15 14 13 12 11 10 1 2 3 4 5

eISBN-10: 1-936290-43-X
eISBN-13: 978-1-936290-43-7

Cover design and interior by Sara Streifel, Think Creative Design

Acknowledgments

I want to thank my dad. Besides being my one and only
stockholder, he loved and encouraged me every step of the way.

Second, I want to thank my best friend, Ed. His love
and support allowed me to pursue my dream
(or, as he called it at times, my obsession).

Thank you, Vivian, for your loving guidance.

Thank you, Mom, for your love and support

Thank you, Karen Hillman at KarenHillman.com,
for the beautifully done author photo.

Thank you, Granny, for your love and support.

I want to thank the wonderful women who gave
their time to read, edit, and make suggestions:
Michelle, Michele, Paula, and Jana. A special thanks to Mary,
who spent her weekend doing my final edits.

Thank you, Hal Zina Bennett, my kind, diligent, and tactful editor.

Special thanks to Donna, who helped show me the path.

Thanks to Norbert, Jay, and the rest of the Davies writers group.

Thank you, Helen OReilly, for your skillful editing.

Thank you, God, for giving me this opportunity and blessing.

Table of Contents

Are you one of us women who gets her heart broken over and over again, unlike some others who seem to know how to attain their hearts desires? Have you ever been told that youve got a broken picker? If so, take heartyour broken picker is what keeps you choosing the partners most likely to break your heart; but healing your broken picker is what this book is all about.

Whats a picker?

Well, to begin with, its that part of us that chooses the men in our lives, and when its broken, thats trouble! Having a broken picker can be a very painful thing. Take it from me. I know. I once had a man jump onto the hood of my car, clutching the torn-out distributor wires and screaming, Hah, you cant go anywhere now! A person with a well-running picker might have leapt from the car, called the cops, or generally gotten away, fast. But no, not me. My broken picker took his actions as a sign that he must really love meand I married him! That was husband number one, and the beginning of a string of disappointing relationships that were a sure sign that my picker was broken.

So how can you tell if you have a broken picker? Well, you might have a broken picker if:

Your date wants to go back to your placebecause he still lives with his mother.

The man you just slept with didnt call you the next dayjust like his five predecessors.

You meet a man whose back is covered in tattoos of the names of all his ex-girlfriendsand you find yourself trying to figure out where he could put yours.

The man you recently started dating calls to say he cant make the date, because his car just got repossessed.

And you definitely have a broken picker if you tell him, Thats OK, I can drive.

You might also have a broken picker if:

You are reading this thinking you might have a broken picker.

You are reading this thinking, Its not my picker. I just havent found the right guy. (By the way, this is called denial.)

You read these and laughed.

You also might have a broken picker if:

You read these and didnt laugh.

CHAPTER ONE
What's Broken Picker,
and What Does It Have to
Do with My Broken Heart?

TIS STRANGE WHAT A MAN MAY DO,
AND A WOMAN YET THINK HIM AN ANGEL.

WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY

Y our picker is not so much a thing as it is a feeling. Its that tingling feeling you get when you meet someone you like. You know what I mean; you walk into a room and you start scanning the area. All of a sudden, your focus is on him. You think, Wow, hes cute! A warm sensation moves up your body. Your heart starts beating faster and you feel flushed. You look around to see if anyone notices, and then you refocus. Your gaze travels over his physique, examining his face, his clothing, and his mannerisms. You find something unique that you really likemaybe hes wearing your favorite style of suit, or he has the big, strong hands that you just love. You even imagine how it would feel to be touched by them.

Although this is all occurring in just a brief moment, it is enough time for him to feel your presence. He turns and looks at you. Your breathing stops, and you feel your heart start racing as the blood rushes to your face. You feel faint. But then he smiles. Youre excited and nervous as you return the smile. And you begin to breathe again.