Dating is an age-old stage of intimate relationships practised chiefly in Western societies in which two (or more) individuals meet socially in order to assess the other’s compatibility as a potential partner in a potential romantic relationship. While dating itself is not inherently pathological, there are certain pathological aspects attached to the act of dating itself. As such, it should be taken seriously and treated with caution. With that in mind, it is imperative that you, the reader, be aware of what you are getting yourself into. Dating can be both good and bad depending on how you choose to look at it.
The following are some tips on how to determine whether or not you should date someone:
Dating can come in different stages; such as attraction, preliminary contact, and relationship stages. This is where potential dating partners to meet in order to see if they are compatible companions for one another. It could also mean that they first meet for the purposes of establishing some sort of relationship or attraction. The important thing to remember is that all stages are meant for different purposes and therefore should be treated accordingly.
Interacting in general is where relationship blossoms from; After dating someone, you may want to see them again, talk to them, and hang out. Interacting with someone and talking about different things, allows you to develop deeper bonds which are absolutely necessary for long-term dating. While this is the best stage of dating, you should remember that it could easily be the most difficult stage as well. If you begin hanging out too much after dating someone and getting to know them intimately, then you risk developing feelings for them which could greatly reduce your chances of dating them again.
Exclusivity is when one or both of the participants; decides to exclude others from the experience of dating. Everyone has their own ideas about what exclusivity means but when one of the participants becomes very closed-minded, then this is when the relationship becomes unhealthy. While it is good to have boundaries, do not overstep them and if one or both of the participants do, then the relationship could quickly spiral out of control. You should never exclude anyone from your dating circle, whether you are dating someone exclusively or not.
Spending time apart from one another is a common mistake; made by many people who think that they are already in a committed relationship when they only have eye contact when one of the participants sees them. Spending time apart from each other actually eliminates the chance of developing feelings for the other person. In fact, it completely removes all possibilities for romance, excitement, or even attraction. If one of you is seeing someone exclusively, then it would be ideal to spend more time with that person. This will allow you to develop emotional attachments towards that person and therefore deepen your desire to remain loyal or committed to them. Although it can be hard to separate your thoughts of your current partner from those of your other half, it would be better to remain honest about the things that you are feeling for them so you can make an informed decision.
Once both parties reach the point where they are ready to engage in Dating; then the next stage is attraction. For some people, Dating can be extremely easy as they are already in love or they may have developed a healthy attraction towards their partner. However, for others, Dating can be a little challenging because the level of intimacy they want between themselves and their partners is not fully realized. During this stage, it would be best for couples to make use of dating sites. Although you may last for a short period of time, regardless of whether you are dating someone exclusively or not, it is important to maintain strong bonds with your partner and to take your relationship to the next stage.