Do you know what it takes to be a dominant? Exchanging power in a relationship can both highten your awareness of power, and can make you both appreciate each other. Why not try out a little bit of dominance or role play? Not familiar with BDSM yet? No worries! Here are a few articles that will get you all caught up: Negotiation 101 and Getting Started with BDSM. Master Anakin, from Journey to the Darkside, defines 14 traits of a dominant partner.
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#1 Responsible
You have to be responsible for yourself and for your submissive. You're the one responsible for developing a plan to move both of you forward in submission- a plan to grow.
#2 Energetic
You've got to be action oriented, the opposite of lazy. You need to be tireless, or else when you have a spanking to deal with at the end of an 18 hour day, well, you've failed yourself and your submissive. Follow through or forget it.
#3 Communicative
Be honest about your feelings. Don't give the submissive the sunshine and roses line if you're in a bad mood and are disappointed in her submission. You've got to also be able to draw out the submissive's innermost feelings, fears and hopes.
This can be extremely difficult, as the submissive can sometimes be completely unaware of their own feelings, as you can be of yours. Dig deep and be honest and you'll grow.
#4 Empathetic
If you can't empathize with your submissive, to see things from their perspective, than how can you give them what they want and need? You must talk at length to know them better than they know themselves.
#5 Self-awareness
A Dominant is hardly perfect, and will make mistakes- don't think otherwise. Be aware of your failings, and work on them just as much as you work on your submissive's feelings. Grace and humility go a long way.
#6 Perseverance
You must never, ever let it go; this goes hand in hand with consistency; you can't fight your submissive for three days to achieve a level of submission then just give up. You've got to push until you get a breakthrough no matter how long it takes. You can't give up or give your submissive the sense that you will ever give up in doing what is best for you both.
#7 Desire to learn
As a Dominant, you never just wake up and know it all as an instant expert on dominance, submission, implements of pain and pleasure, positions, knots, and the lifestyle. You have got to learn. Learn lots, and never ever bluff that you know it all; nobody does.
#8 Intelligence
You need to have the emotional intelligence and raw intellect to be smarter than your submissive, at least the majority of the time. If the submissive can play you for a fool, how can you be the teacher and guide in life?
#9 Strength
You've got to have the strength of will and leadership qualities to overcome the difficulties that always, always come your way in being a Dominant. Own them and deal with them with this strength.
#10 Interest
You've got to want to be a dominant. In my opinion, without desire or a hunger to be someone's dominant, you aren't a dom. Unless you are wanting it, you wont put in the time to learn and grow as a Dominant; to follow through on all you need to do; you'll resent it, and you won't do it well.
#11 Character
A general quality but important nevertheless. You must have honesty, integrity, and be respectful of others at all times. If you do not then how can you expect your submissive to show you any integrity and character? How will they learn?
#12 A sense of humor
If you can't laugh at yourself when you've just given a dominant look to your submissive and are approaching your submissive with the paddle in hand when you slip and fall on your ass from the KY you spilled on the floor, well, you just don't get it.
#13 A sense of justice, fairness, and balance
Being a Dominant isn't barking orders and sitting on your ass eating chips while watching the game. You work hard too, harder than your submissive. If your submissive has had a day from hell, maybe it isn't the day to start a new and harsh training regimen. Knowing when to ease up is a true art; do it too much, or never, and you'll not be doing your job.
#14 Consistent
If you'll punish something one time and let it go another, what's a submissive supposed to think, or learn, or do? I'd be lost too if I didn't know what to expect day to day.
This was a guest-post from Anakin and Padme Amidala at Journey to the Dark Side. Their blog explores their life together, BDSM, erotic imagery, polyamory, and their true sexual and spanking adventures...with an awesome Star Wars theme! Anakin and Padme have been together for 15 years and married for 7 of them.
