In the age of technology, the dating game has changed drastically. With dating apps and online chat rooms for meeting people, it is hard to know what the rules are any more. What are the rules of etiquette and who makes the first move? For this reason, we have compiled a list of tips to help in this new age of dating. Here are the 11 most important dating tips for women.
Always Be Safe
The first rule of dating is to always be safe. Make sure that your interactions with others are in an area that is secure and where other people will be present. This holds true for in person as well as online.
You can choose most any restaurant or public area and are sure to have other people around. This, however, can be more difficult when you are meeting people online. When starting a conversation with someone online you want to make sure you are on a reputable site like http://www.chatib.us/user/chat/. With their chat rooms for general conversations or singles looking for other singles you will find someplace to chat that is secure. If you are looking to connect with other singles you can go directly to a chat room here: http://www.chatib.us/user/chatroom/Singles-Chat-Room. Another great site to just chat and get to know someone is Thiscrush.net. Here you will be able to find people who are interested in talking with you and explore what may come. With so many options it can be hard to choose. Making choices that are safe and ensure continued safety are important.
Offer to Pay, but Remember Chivalry is Not Dead
This is a new concept that some struggle with often. In days gone by it was customary for the man to pay for the date. This is not the case anymore. Now it is considered commonplace to go Dutch and even for the woman to pay for the date.
Here is a rule of thumb to follow when it comes time to pay for your meal. Offer to pay for your meal. If he accepts fine. If he refuses, do not push the issue. It is not worth an argument over such a trivial matter. Besides, it might come down to the fact that chivalry really isn’t dead. There are still men who believe in the old rules and in such find it an affront for a woman to pay for the date.
If you are uncomfortable with this possibility there is a simple solution. Agree on payment for the date when agreeing to go out. For example, when he asks you to dinner you could say something like “on one condition, it has to be Dutch” or something similar. This will let him know what to expect and eliminate any uncomfortable situations after an otherwise wonderful evening.
You Have Choices, so Take Your Time
Another tip that is important to remember in dating is that you have choices. You do not have to meet Mr. Right and get married tomorrow. Take your time. Relax and enjoy getting to know someone, or for that matter just have a nice meal with company.
When you try to look for marriage material in every man you meet you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Not to mention you are missing out on a lot of adventures along the way. While it is fine and normal to want to get married, relationships take time. Allowing yourself to slow down and enjoy the journey will ensure that when you do say I do, it will be to the right person.
Keep an Open Mind
This tip is going to help you avoid many awkward situations. In exploring new friendships and or relationships it is important to keep an open mind, always. Going into any situation with a preconceived idea of how it will be, only leads to disappointment. For this reason, it is important that you just live in the moment. Accept things for what they are and try new things. You may be pleasantly surprised this way. If not, at least you will not be disappointed.
Keeping an open mind can allow you to see things and experience others that you would otherwise miss out on. Everyone has their own ideas of fun. So, when you meet someone who has different ideas than you, take a chance. If you do not like the experience you will now know. But you may find that you love these new experiences. It’s like the old saying you heard as a child about trying a food before saying you didn’t like it. Well, in life there are many things to try. You will like some and others not so much. You will never know though unless you try.
Do Not Have High Expectations
There is nothing worse than going into a situation expecting the best and finding the worst. When you are playing the dating game it is important to avoid high expectations. It is fine to want to have a good time and enjoy yourself. Let that be the extent of the expectations you make for your evening out.
Having high expectations of a date or a guy puts too much pressure on both of you. This mindset will hinder who you allow yourself to go out with. Meaning you may miss a date with Mr. Right because you were too busy searching for Mr. Expected. Unexpected surprises are the excitement of life. Besides how is prince charming supposed to sweep you off your feet if you are waiting for him to arrive?
Do Not Compare Your Date to Your Exes
This tip is one of the most important on this list. Do not compare your date to your ex-boyfriends. No matter how much they may seem alike or how similar their habits, do not make the mistake of comparing one to the other. This will only cause you pain by bringing up memories that are in the past for a reason. It will also cloud your judgment about the person in front of you.
This ties in with keeping an open mind. You must see this new person for themselves. Allow yourself to see what they are like. Only with this honest outlook will you know if they are truly what you are looking for or not. You may find that they look a lot like your last boyfriend that broke your heart but are completely different in likes and habits. This may be because women have types. Certain things attract them to guys which means each one will carry some similarities. Don’t let this fool you though. You can’t judge a book by its cover alone.
Be Yourself Always
When you first meet someone, it can be a scary experience. You are afraid to get close and get hurt. What if they don’t like you? Will you be good enough? These thoughts can be tormenting and often make you act differently. You try to be what you think the other person expects or wants. This is a mistake. Enter tip number 7, be yourself always.
When you try to be who you think someone wants you to be, you are only lying to yourself and them. Plus, sooner or later they are going to figure out who you really are. It is important, to be honest, and up front. How is anyone supposed to like you if you are not you? Plus, you will never be happy this way. You will always be waiting for the shoe to drop and your lie to be uncovered. This is not a way to start any friendship, much less one that could turn into a lifelong relationship.
Make an Effort Without Giving Too Much
Tip 8 is a hard one of the most important dating tips for women for many females. Making an effort without giving too much. It is easy to make an effort. You get dressed up and want everything to go well. Understandable as this is, you need to consider what effort others are making. When you are dating you want to make sure both sides are putting forth an effort. Not just you.
This is a tricky road though. For example: if you are initiating all contact with him, it would be easy to think that he isn’t put forth an effort. Maybe he is just shy. It happens to guys too, you know. But if you are making plans and he is continually canceling last minute, or even worse just doesn’t show, this is a definite sign that you are putting way too much effort into something he doesn’t value. Look at each situation for what it is and from there measure the effort put forth.
Be Respectful and Demand Respect
When speaking of dating tips for women you could not have number 8 without number 9. Showing effort and making sure it is returned ties in directly with being respectful and demanding respect in return. You are a good person and thereby know the power of respect. This is a two-way street. It must be given to be received. You should always show your date respect like you would anyone else. Draw a line though. If he is not respecting you then he does not deserve your respect or your time.
Sex is Not a Must
Tip number 10 is one of the most important dating tips for women that should always be remembered. Sex is not a must. You should always keep in mind that you do not have to do anything with anybody that you do not want to. This includes sex. In this day and age sex has shed its taboo. That does not mean it is a necessity. This is something that must be mutually agreed upon and only when you are ready to discuss it.
If you ever feel obligated to be with a guy, then you are with the wrong guy. Because of the personal nature of sexual relations, it is something you need to consider thoroughly before taking that step. Always remember though, no matter how long you have been dating or what your relationship status is, you can always say no.
It is Okay to Walk Away
This final of the most important dating tips for women is the most important and widely forgotten tip of dating for women. It is okay to walk away. Most of you have been in a situation where you thought things were going well and then they just weren’t anymore. You don’t want to just give up, so what do you do? You try a few more dates and hope that you see the spark you had the first few dates. When this doesn’t happen, you think maybe you have done something wrong. Enter self-doubt and insecurity issues.
Some words of advice in these situations. Don’t wait. If the spark has died out quickly walk away before you have become emotionally attached. On the other hand, if you have been dating for a while it might be worth a few more dates. Again, if this does not work do not feel the need to stay. Do yourself and him a favor and walk away from it. Chances are he is feeling just as uncomfortable with the way things have evolved as you are and just doesn’t want to walk away himself. It is better for both of you to end things before any more time is spent trying to fix something that should not be.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you have found some great tips in this article to help you in this new age of dating. Remember that dating is an experiment and not a science. Don’t go into it with the mindset that you will be getting married one day. Just have fun and enjoy the journey. If you do not find your husband you may find some very good friends. But only if you allow yourself to let your guard down and live each experience for what it offers, not what it could be. Following this list of most important dating tips for women ensures that you will have a more successful dating experience.
