First dates are meant to be one of the most memorable times of any budding relationship. After listening to hundreds of first date stories, however, I’ve found that many of the memories of these dates are hardly ever great ones.
First dates can be stressful because they happen for the first time ever in your life and that makes them both uncontrollable and unpredictable; two things we really don’t handle well as human beings. You will never know how the date is going to turn out and so most people will begin to spend way too much time before the date thinking about how it will go. Some people even envision some of the most drastic scenes possible for a date while others are thinking the date will be the same as all the others- a scenario straight out of Bill Murray’s “Ground Hog’s Day.” Both of these perspectives are extremes that don’t serve your dating life too well.
One of my suggestions is to think positively about your upcoming date if you must think at all(and I’m convinced that you must.) Everyone wants to have the absolute best first date experiences ever…every time. While that sounds like a great idea it certainly isn’t the most realistic strategy for creating a well balanced dating life.
Also, be aware that your dating life will have the same ebbs and flows that you experience throughout the other areas in your life. Learn to relax into the experience of dating by keeping it light and focusing on having a good time, everything else will follow in time and space.
And finally, remember to be comfortable with who you are, this will give your date permission to be comfortable with the fantastic person you are as well.
Happy First Dating,
Coach Cathy
