Dating Tips
Having a great first date will be more than just a dream by following these 10 suggestions, remember you create your reality.
1. Pick the right first date venue
The first date with someone you know little or nothing about is full of uncertainty, but also filled with excitement. Choose a place where you can have a conversation in order to see if you connect. Keep things short and simple. A cup of coffee in a central location, an ice-cream at your favorite spot. Don’t make things more complicated by trying to arrange the perfect romantic dinner, or planning a whole day out. And if things go well, you can take it up a notch by going to dinner that night or suggesting a meetup the next morning for a walk or smoothie date.
2. Relax, breathe – don’t stress unnecessarily
A bit of anxiety is natural on a first date – in fact, it’s half the fun. Just take a deep breath and relax for a moment. You’ll want to eliminate the kind of stress that will make you flustered and your date uncomfortable. Remember, the more relaxed you feel, the more comfortable your date will be around you. Please remember -: The purpose of a first date isn’t to decide if you want to marry this person—it’s to decide if you want to go on a second date!
3 Dress for comfort and confidence.
What should you wear on a first date? Well, choosing an outfit you feel comfortable in is always a good idea. But to make a good first impression, you should also put some time and effort into looking nice. Think about the atmosphere and dress code of your first date spot. Keep it relaxed and casual with a hint of sophistication.
4 Ask good questions.
Before your date, come up with a few questions ahead of time so you don’t struggle to think of a conversation starter while you’re sitting across from someone you’ve just met. Admit you’re nervous! Honesty will get you a long way. Don’t ask so many questions that it feels like a job interview or interrogation. Keep it fun and just be curious about the other person
- Do you have a special place you like to visit regularly?
- What kind of vacations do you like to take
- Favorite food. Everyone can talk about food and there’s always a story to tell or interesting questions to ask about memorable dishes, things you like to cook, etc. Anything you don’t eat?
- Favorite movies. Like food, everyone has preferences, favorite genres, actors, etc.
- What’s your favorite memory as a child?
- Who are the most important people in your life?
- What’s something you’ve never tried but always wanted to?
- When you feel stressed, how do you relax?
- What are you really thankful for right now?
5 Listen intently
Some of us love to talk about ourselves, but its not all about you and it will send the wrong signals. On the other hand, you can’t just switch off and leave all the talking to your date – that’s also a recipe for failure. The trick is to listen intently and respond appropriately.
6 Give thoughtful compliments.
Both men and women really appreciate a thoughtful compliment if it’s genuine. Telling your date, “Wow, you look great,” is totally appropriate. But giving too many compliments throughout the date, though, can be a little awkward. And don’t be creepy!
7. Watch your body language.
Simple signals like leaning forward, making eye contact, and smiling are cues that you’re confident, open and engaged in the conversation. On the other hand, crossing your arms, looking around the room, or fidgeting can make you seem bored or nervous and send a message that you don’t really want to be on the date.
Put your phone away!!! Leave it in your pocket or bag and challenge yourself to not look at it unless you absolutely have to. It’s not fun to be on a date with someone who’s staring at their phone or constantly checking messages. Your date will be impressed and feel seen and heard because of how present you are with them.
8. Be true to yourself
Dating is about finding someone you connect with and care about; someone who makes you happy and who you can make happy in return. This is only possible when you stay true to yourself and let your authenticity shine through.
9 Watch out for red flags.
When you like someone, it can be easy to overlook red flags and other warning signs that this person might not be a good fit. The early stage of getting to know your date is the best time to pay close attention to red flags so you can decide how you want to move forward.
Red flags can be as subtle as interrupting you one too many times during your conversation or as big as violating your physical or emotional boundaries. You don’t have to tolerate anything that makes you feel uncomfortable
10 Follow-up
What to do after the first date?
So there was a connection, the conversation flowed and you had lots of things in common as well as a few laughs. Great! Now what? A successful first date is only as good as the follow-up, and this means arranging another meeting. You could do this right away, but it’s probably better not to put someone on the spot.
What to say after first date?
Why not send a message soon after just to say what a great time you had, and suggest a time and place to meet again. Don’t expect an immediate response, and don’t be impatient or else you’ll seem desperate.
Whether you decide to go out a second time or not, take some time to think about what you learned from this experience. What went well, and what would you do differently next time? What qualities did this person have that you admired? Did anything happen that felt weird or off to you? These are all very important questions to ask on your dating journey.
