Whether it’s your first time or not, the dating stage is a difficult thing to navigate. With so many opinions on how it should be done, it becomes difficult to work out whether there’s a right or wrong way to date. Rest assured that there are some concrete points to remember—and here are just five of them that people won’t tell you.
A lot of people settle for the wrong one
This may not come as a surprise, but a staggering amount of people seem to settle for the wrong partner. More than 9.6 million Britons (a third of all married people in the country) regret their marriage, as uncovered by Direct Line’s study into partners in the UK. With 1.4 million people admitting they’re married to the wrong person, it’s crucial you don’t rush for commitment if you’re unsure of your new partner actually being the right one for you.
When at the dating stage, whether you’re meeting a potential partner for the first or fifth time, don’t feel pressured to keep it going. If you feel that they’re not a match for you, don’t hesitate to cut it off. Do it politely, though—nobody’s a fan of being ghosted.
There are plenty of signs to watch out for
Whilst dating a newly-found partner, you’ll need to be vigilant. There are plenty of signs and red flags to watch out for that could signify the fact they aren’t right for you. As highlighted by Lifehacker, just some of these signs include being rude to waiting staff in a restaurant, getting too serious too fast or simply being disrespectful to you in terms of boundaries and the way they treat you.
Again, do not feel like you cannot cut it off should you begin to feel uncomfortable with the current situation. The dating stage is a trial of sorts, and with minimal commitment to be faced, you shouldn’t feel stuck.
Online dating isn’t a bad thing
There has been a long-standing stigma against the world of online dating, with many choosing to focus on the darker, more negative (and effectively more publicized) side of it all. But it isn’t all bad—thousands, if not millions of happy couples around the world found their match via the internet.
Don’t hesitate to get online and start looking around. Talking to people via the internet eliminates the awkwardness of realizing they’re not the one for you whilst conversing face-to-face, and you’ll have more time to make your mind up on when to take things further with the right one. Tinder is one such platform that has consistently led people to the perfect match, so it could be the right place to get started.
The dating stage can be a long, pain-staking process
Although you shouldn’t rush into anything whilst in the dating stage, be prepared to take things slow. The dating stage can last for a few weeks at least, with some people talking casually for years. For some, making that commitment to turn your relationship into an official one is something that takes a lot of time and work, and many people aren’t ready to make that jump quickly.
Even if you’re swept off your feet by the one you meet, don’t expect to be official spouses immediately. It’ll take time to test the waters and ensure you’re right for each other before it’s safe to take a step up.
Dating doesn’t mean you’re exclusive
Remember—the dating stage is simply that. You’re not yet exclusively tied to the person you’re seeing, so don’t feel bad if your eye catches someone else. And, in the same respect, do not feel angry or betrayed should the person you’re seeing choose to pursue somebody else.
That’s the whole reason for the dating stage. It’s all about finding the right one for you, and if it isn’t meant to be you shouldn’t force it. As the old saying goes, there are plenty more fish in the sea. Don’t settle for somebody if they aren’t the right one for you.
Feature image by Hannah Busing on Unsplash
