Rules for Dating
Entering a dating relationship brings excitement, joy and a need for boundaries. Knowing what you will and will not do before you get into a dating relationship prevents heartache and confusion later on. Setting your own personal boundaries, communicating them well and sticking to them will create honesty and trust between you and your new amour.
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Know Yourself
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Avoid getting into a dating relationship until you know who you are and where you're headed. Dating and love have a way of making dreams and ambitions take a backseat to passion and time with another person. Ask yourself the hard questions about what you really want out of life, who you want to be with and what strengths and weaknesses you currently face.
Set Goals
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After doing the deep work of knowing yourself, set goals for what you will accomplish in one year, five years and 10 years. Make sure the goals are easily communicated and written out.
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Mark Your Boundaries
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Decide where your boundary lines are physically, emotionally and spiritually. Doing so will help attract the right dating partners and keep the ones who are not a good fit away. Be as specific as possible and write them out.
Figure Out the Why
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Consider why you are dating. People date to find a marriage partner, for companionship, to have fun and sometimes just for physical gratification. Know why you want to date so that you can clearly communicate the purpose of your interaction with those you are dating and avoid confusion later on.
Be Flexible
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Go with the flow about activities and restaurants when starting to date someone. Dating means trying new experiences with a new person. Show respect for what your date likes to do and try it once with an adventurous heart. Being fun and not so rigid makes you more likable. If you still hate it at the end of the date, say so delicately and with respect.
Step Slowly
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Introducing your date to your friends, family and work creates bonds of intimacy that push the relationship into a more serious dynamic. Understand that with each introduction, your date is not only creating bonds with you but with the most important people in your life. Proceed with awareness and caution.
Get Out or Move Up
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Cut the rope or move forward into greater intimacy when it's time to quit or commit. Say goodbye to your significant other when the relationship no longer does not have potential to meet your dating goals. Do so with respect, honor and with the understanding that the other person may not feel the same. Listen to his side before parting ways and make sure he knows he has been heard and that his feelings are valid. Commit to exclusivity or marriage when the person you are dating meets your basic requirements and has potential.
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