Guys have a totally different attitude towards dating and while I hate to say it, it’s kind of better than our own. Here’s how to embrace dating like a guy so you can make your life a whole lot easier.
- Never call back when you’re not interested. Why do women forever end up in situations where we’re going on a fifth date with someone we feel kind of meh about? This would never, ever happen to a guy purely because if he’s not totally feeling it, he just doesn’t bother. If you’re not into it or him on date one, stop feeling like you have to give someone endless chances. Just politely tell them you didn’t feel a spark and move on.
- Don’t take rejection personally. So a guy stopped messaging you or you got turned down for a second date. If you let every time you get rejected hold you back in life, you’re in for one bumpy ride. Dating is a time when being ruthless with who you like is perfectly acceptable and for every time a guy isn’t interested in you, you can bet you’re feeling the same way towards someone else. Don’t let one bad experience get you down—keep trying and you’ll find the person who’s right for you.
- Make the first move. It all sounds very romantic wiling away the hours (days, years…) waiting for a guy to make the first move, but who has that kind of time to waste? Guys need a prod from time to time, so be like them and make the first move when you like someone. Worst case scenario is they decline (hey, at least you know) and the best is that you get a hot date. Score.
- Laugh off your dating nightmares instead of obsessing over them. I’m pretty sure that lying awake at night agonizing over everything you said or did the day before is a uniquely female problem. So you tripped and fell down a flight of stairs or your skirt somehow ended up tucked into your tights. Or, maybe the guy was a total horror and you ended up dialing for a pal to save yourself. Either way, dating nightmares are nothing more than a funny story to share with your friends the next day. A guy wouldn’t let one bad date put him off and you shouldn’t either.
- Date more than one person at the same time. We sensitive souls are far more inclined to see dating more than one person as a social faux pas than men are. Yeah, it’s not nice to think you’re exclusive with someone and then find out they’ve got four other people on the go, but equally, how often do dates lead to a full-blown relationship? Your ability to meet someone and make a genuine connection is hampered if you have to spend a whole month testing a guy out before you can move onto the next.
- Don’t be intimidated by the competition. Women are far more likely than men to pick up on our own flaws and the jaw-droppingly gorgeous qualities of others. The result? Our opinion of our own worth falls massively below where it should actually be. Have confidence in yourself and forget about the competition—if a guy never finds out that you’re interested, he’ll choose someone else over you every single time.
- Let someone down if you have to—then don’t lose any more sleep over it. Dating ends in tears more often than a marriage, yet we feel so bad if we’re the one letting someone down. Guys understand that this is a fact of life, so no matter how bad they feel about hurting someone, they’ll do it and move on with their lives. Doing the same will not only free up space in your brain that’s unnecessarily worrying but will also help you both move on to finding love with the right person.
- If you really like someone, don’t be afraid to chase them. Playing hard to get is out of fashion—now it’s all about showing you like someone. I’m not saying to buy a trench coat and get all stalkerish, but it’s sexy as hell to make it clear that you’re interested and make the first move yourself. Guys love a good chase and frankly, ladies, we’re missing out on a lot of fun.
- Don’t kiss and tell, especially if it’s to moan. The idea of sitting down over a hot chocolate to spill all the details of the night before is as far removed from man’s idea of a good time as possible. Women love to kiss and tell, but doing so can lead to comparing your relationship with others, which doesn’t do anyone any favors. If you’re going through a bad patch with your BF—or on the flip side, you’ve had a particularly glorious one-night stand—save the details for your bestie and leave everyone else wanting to know more.
- Live your life happy while you wait to meet “The One.” Men always seem fairly carefree in the face of the possibility of a life spent alone, and there’s a simple reason for this—no self-confident man genuinely believes that there’s a chance he might not meet someone. So, instead of overanalyzing your date down to the last second, sit back, enjoy yourself, and know that things will happen when the timing is right.