If you're truly ready to settle down and start dating a guy who makes your heart skip a beat, you might be tempted to pick out china patterns before you figured out who he is and how he really feels about you. When you're attached and unsure of where your partner stands, it seems essential to initiate “the talk” about where things are going sooner rather than later. However, hold up, girlfriend for these important dating tips...
Dating Coach’s Orders: If you start speaking of exclusivity too soon, it can negatively impact the relationship.
If a healthy, sustainable, long-term relationship is your goal, it’s crucial to follow the dating tips below before you make a serious commitment.
Dating Tips: #1 - Find out what he really wants in a relationship.
Mom was right: Actions speak louder than words. Any man can tell you he’s ready for real love, marriage, and babies. Words are meaningless unless he consistently shows you that he’s willing to take action to move the relationship forward.
Does he integrate you into his life? Introduce you to his friends? Speak of the future? There are so many questions to ask yourself to find out if he’s just dating for fun or if he thinks of you as his girlfriend.
My number one dating tip: Be with a man who makes you a priority. If he wants to be in an exclusive relationship with you, he will make it clear.
Dating Tips: #2 - Watch his behavior over time to see the truth.
Unfortunately, as any good dating coach knows, there are players in the dating scene who are skilled at telling women what they want to hear. It’s easy for a guy to pretend he is serious about you in the beginning, but as dating progresses, it becomes more challenging.
Pay attention to how he treats you and how well you get along for ninety days. How does he react when you're sad? Does he pull away at the first sign of a problem? A man who is interested in exclusivity will be there for you emotionally and work through relationship challenges.
Dating Tips: #3 - Delay sex until he’s emotionally invested.
Okay, this might not be one of your favorite dating tips, and it is even less likely to be one of his. Waiting to sleep with him until you know he has real feelings isn't about playing games or gaining power (though it feels great to watch him earn the privilege of being intimate with you!). It's about self-respect and protecting yourself from the risks of getting emotionally attached to someone who isn't right for you.
It's a fact that women get more attached through sex than men do, as we release higher levels of oxytocin. With a greater increasing emotional attachment, your judgment is becomes clouded; you may not be able to see the relationship for what it is.
If you follow these dating tips before becoming exclusive, you can rest assured that your man is on the same page.
Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions; doing so will save you time and unnecessary heartache in the future.