Dating can be intimidating. But if you follow a few rules, you can up your dating game and actually find romance. Here are four tips:

One, plan fun dates. This first tip is simple: structure your dates around activities you actually enjoy. For example, instead of going to dinner and a movie, go to a local brewery or an art show. Doing so will help you feel comfortable and build a potential connection.

Two, be transparent. It’s important that you are open and honest if you want to nurture a potential romantic relationship—or even if you decide that you don’t! Either way, your date deserves honesty.

Three, don’t put pressure on it. Often, we get so caught up in assessing relationship potential that we don’t allow ourselves to have fun. Instead of grilling your date or assessing their every move, relish in the moment and make the most of your time together. If you do leave the date as just friends, no harm done.

Four, have realistic expectations. Odds are, you’ll eventually find someone that you like and want to go on more dates with. When you do, be realistic: don’t expect or force a relationship immediately. Instead, continue to work on building a solid foundation for one.

These four tips will help you enjoy dating and find a real potential match. 

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Taylor Bennett

Taylor Bennett

Taylor Bennett is the Content Development Manager at Thriveworks. She devotes herself to distributing important information about mental health and wellbeing, writing mental health news and self-improvement tips daily. Taylor received her bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism, with minors in professional writing and leadership from Virginia Tech. She is a co-author of Leaving Depression Behind: An Interactive, Choose Your Path Book and has published content on Thought Catalog, Odyssey, and The Traveling Parent.

Check out “Leaving Depression Behind: An Interactive, Choose Your Path Book” written by AJ Centore and Taylor Bennett."

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