Dating Tips For People Who Want A Great Relationship

Authentic dating can be difficult. When you go on an endless string of dates, and you still haven't found anyone who is even remotely close to becoming "the one," you may feel like giving up on the dating scene entirely.

But fear not—the right person for you is out there, waiting to be found. What follows are some dating rules and dating tips to find the right one to help complete your life, as well as some tips to keep your spirits up and help you find that long-lasting, fulfilling relationship and dating experience you've always wanted. If you’re interested on how to be in a long-term relationship, keep reading.

Tip #1: Don't do your search for Mr./Mrs. right your entire life

Yes, it's important to keep your eye on the ball when looking for the person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life. If you plan to be the best girlfriend, it is also ideal to look for the right partner. However, you shouldn't make the process of finding a long-term relationship the center of your life.

If you focus too much on finding a mate, you will neglect other areas of your life that need attention too, such as your family, friends, career, and even your health. Keeping your life balanced ensures that you are being happy before dating, healthy, and more interesting, which is certainly useful when you finally meet that special person.

Tip #2: Don't worry so much about that first impression

Keep in mind that first impressions are not always a good indicator of a person's personality. This is especially true in the age of online dating. It takes time to get to know someone, and you have to be able to see how they react in situations where they may not be as eager to please.

For instance, how does this person react to being hungry or tired? Do they crack under pressure when things don't go their way, or do they just roll with the punches? By the same token, it is important to be honest with this person and to allow them to see the person you are. In the end, pretending to be someone you're not for the sake of impressing the other person or to try on a different personality does no one any good.

We're always so quick to hide our flaws, but our flaws make us who we are. And you never know whether the person you're trying to impress may think that your flaw is cute or endearing. Plus, when you are open and honest, you encourage the other person to be as well, providing the building blocks to a more honest relationship going forward.

Tip #3: Put away your phone

This should go without saying, but when you're on a date with someone new, you should be devoting all of your time and attention to the date. You can learn much about another person from their body language, facial expressions, and other visual cues you can't see when you're focused elsewhere, like on your cell phone.

Plus, imagine how the other person feels when they are trying to forge a genuine connection with you, and you are mentally somewhere else. You may have a legitimate reason for checking your cell phone intermittently, like you're on-call for work, or you have young children that you may need to check up on, but it still appears incredibly rude—especially if your date has opted to turn their phone off for the night to focus on you.

If you absolutely must be tuned in to your phone during your date, turn on notifications, and make sure they are loud enough to hear over the din of the restaurant, or wherever you are meeting. This way you can rest assured that you don't miss anything, should something come up, and that you are giving your date your undivided attention.

Tip #4: Do your best to build a sincere connection with your date

You know it yourself: you can tell if someone is genuinely interested in your words. You can't fake that stuff. If you're pretending to listen to the other person or to care about what they have to say, they'll know.

If you don't feel genuinely interested in what your date has to say, then it's time to move on. Don't waste their time, and don't waste yours. And when you are interested, try to show that you are. One such way is by showing that you remember the little things, like the way they take their coffee, or a seemingly unimportant story from their past that intrigued you.

This is also a great way to fight those first-date jitters. By focusing on what your date is saying and the gestures they are making, you will give less attention to your internal thought process. This means that you are giving yourself less time to freak out, which allows your true persona to shine through with less effort on your part.

Tip #5: Don't forget to have fun

Some people enjoy events and services that connect them faster to a potential mate, like speed dating or online dating services. However, for others, these situations can feel more like a job interview than a good time out with someone new.

Love is not something that can be forced. The best relationships are often the ones that you kind of fall into, the ones you never see coming. This is why it is a better idea to venture out of your comfort zone and widen your social circle, rather than spending all of your time visiting dating sites or hanging out in singles bars.

Consider joining clubs and meetups centered around one of your interests. Maybe join a new book club or film circle or sign up for a cooking class. You could join a group of nature lovers on their monthly hikes or become a volunteer for one of your favorite charities. Make the focus on having fun, maybe even learning something new, and you will inevitably meet new people who like the same things you do.

And even if you don't forge a romantic connection by doing this, you may instead discover new friendships that can be just as valuable.

Tip #6: Be okay with rejection

In the dating world, it is crucial to accept rejection as just another part of the process, both as the rejecter and the rejected. If you are the rejected, don't take it personally. There may be something about you that the other person was looking for that you simply can't control. Maybe they want to be with someone who is taller or shorter than you. Or maybe they can't overcome their issues well enough to be with someone quite yet. This bears no reflection on you.

If the person is overly blunt about their reasons for rejecting you, like they prefer girls with larger breasts, or men with smaller bellies, DO NOT—under any circumstances—even consider changing anything about yourself. You are perfect just the way you are, and someone will love you for it. It isn't a good fit if someone doesn't love you for who you are.

Don't dwell on rejection, no matter whether you are on the giving or receiving end, but don't suppress your feelings either. Feel the sting, learn from it, and then move on. If you find you are more often on the receiving end than the giving end, take some time to reflect on how you have been presenting yourself to see if there is anything you may need to improve.

What is important is that you approach rejection healthily and use it to improve yourself. Once you've improved to the point where you feel there is nothing else you can fix about yourself, and that you are proud of what you have to offer, then bask in that self-confidence, knowing that it can't possibly be due to any mistakes on your part that you haven't met the right one yet. You just haven't met the right one yet.

Tip #7: Keep an eye out for red flags

Do you find yourself ending up with the wrong person for you, and you can't figure out why? You may be missing some of the red flags that should otherwise indicate to you that the person you are dating is not a keeper.

For instance, do you find that you only have a good time with that person when you've had a drink first? Are you more interested in having sex with that person than learning anything meaningful about them? Is the other person more interested in their phone or the television than in working on a relationship with you? These are red flags that indicate that your partner is not long-term material.

Tip #8: Learn to be okay with change

Change is inevitable. Fighting it is futile. All relationships change as time goes on, which means that many of them will end even when everything seemed like it was picture-perfect in the beginning. What you both want from the relationship when you first start dating may be vastly different from what you both want even months from now, let alone years.

Some relationships are meant to last a season, while others last a lifetime. It is important not to force something that was never meant to be, as sad as it is to see it end. Going with the flow will allow you both to be happier and kinder people. You can both appreciate that what you had was good for what it was, but that the relationship has run its course, and now it is time to move on.

Tip #9: Consider speaking with a relationship counselor

Navigating a healthy relationship can be difficult, but you can find support and invaluable dating advice from a licensed counselor online through Regain.  You can match, message, and chat with a specialist from the comfort of your own home. In addition, online therapy has been repeatedly proven to be as effective as in-person therapy in treating a variety of concerns. 

Takeaway

If you feel the pressures of the dating world and aren’t sure how to proceed, just try to focus on being your genuine self—have fun in the moments to come and don’t let a bad date or rejection throw you off course.