Secrets of Preparing For A First Date
It’s no big secret that preparing for a first date can be challenging. You want the experience to be positive, but a part of you worries that it won’t be. This causes the pre-date jitters, which make it hard to go into a date with a casual mentality. If you can ground yourself, you can get control of those feelings. Even if you don’t have the pre-date jitters, these tips can help you to be prepared.
Past Experience
Your past is the best teacher. You can look over previous dates you’ve been on and look for your personal mistakes. You don’t want to spend too much time doing this, as it can become overwhelming. Just look long enough to find a pattern, so you can break it. Consider how you’ve presented yourself in the past. How are you presenting yourself now? How can you present yourself better in the future? These questions will help you figure out what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it.
Location
Choosing the right location is vital when you are preparing for a first date. The best location for a first date is somewhere public, yet quiet enough to converse. If you’re going to a bar or restaurant, choose one that is well-lit. You don’t want to go to an unfamiliar area of town, so find somewhere you’re both comfortable with. You don’t want to go to a secluded place because it’s unsafe. When you are preparing for a first date, go somewhere that your date will enjoy.
Presentation
You are going to want to present your best self. This doesn’t mean lying or making up stories about who you are and what you do. You want to be honest. You want to be authentic. You also want to enjoy a successful date, which means putting your best foot forward. You want to be well-groomed, both inside and out. That what other single professionals expect from you. The worst thing you can do is show up to meet someone under the influence of something.
Engagement
It’s a first meeting, and you’re just getting to know each other. Asking questions is fun, as long as you’re not overdoing it. If you can read the body language of your date, you’ll know if they are feeling uncomfortable with your questions. Casually steer from asking questions to listening to them. If you want to make your date instantly comfortable with you, experts advise you mirror their actions. You want to do this in a subtle way. If they shift, you shift slightly. It helps to prepare yourself with go-to conversation topics and questions. This means that when you’re feeling a lull or anxious in any way, you can refer to these ice-breakers. Do not make your date feel like they are being interrogated. It’s a great idea to be more affectionate and friendly that you normally would.
First Kiss
Many people are successful when it comes to the first date kiss. Other people say it’s not really advisable. Ultimately, it depends on your date as an individual. This advice is generic, but everyone is different. You want to read the room before taking action. If your date spent a good amount of time laughing and smiling, they genuinely enjoy your company. This may encourage you to take action. If your date didn’t get involved in the conversation, you don’t want to try for a kiss. The best first kisses are the ones that happen naturally. If you’re not sure what to do next, just wait and see what happens. If you don’t know what to say, just smile and see how they respond.
Disappointment
Of course, not every date is going to be successful, even if you’ve prepared. Disappointment is a part of life. There’s no exception when it comes to dating. The secret is just to get yourself back out there as soon as you can. As long are you preparing for a first date in the best way possible then you’ll have better luck with more experience as you go on.