Relationship Dating Techniques

Healthy relationships start with good communication, even on a first date.

Whether you're on your first date or you're dating someone special, keeping your relationship thriving and growing is no easy task. However, if you employ a few simple techniques during the dating process, you can increase your odds for relationship success. Committing to being honest with yourself and your partner can help your relationship to survive the first few dates.

1. Beyond the First Date

   • If you've had a great first date, it's OK to let your date know at the end of the date --- and then don't be shy about scheduling a second date soon after. Gone are the days of waiting three days to call after your first date or pretending to be busy on Saturday night. Guys who are truly interested typically call within a day or two of your first date to set up the next date, if they haven't already called or texted on the way home from the first date. Likewise, women can help relationships along by promptly returning calls and texts, so they can assure men that there is mutual interest.
     

   Vulnerability

   • While your first few dates aren't a place for discussing your innermost fears and secrets, it's wise to open the door to intimacy early on with a well-placed anecdote that reveals some personal information about you. Light-hearted childhood stories are a great way to generate feelings of trust between you and your partner. Tell a story about your first grade teacher, your favorite summer camp or your first lemonade stand and you'll assure her that you care enough to let her in on the stories that make you the person you are today.
     

   Disagreements

   • The closer you get to someone, the more likely you are to disagree. As long as you aren't arguing about major issues, such as marriage and having children, minor disagreements are a healthy part of a growing relationship. Be willing to express your opinions and show that you're confident enough to stand your ground even if he doesn't agree with you.
     

   Getting Serious

   • If your relationship has progressed beyond the first several dates, be willing to talk openly about where your relationship is going. If she hints that it would be great if you two lived on the beach someday, treat the situation with care. Perhaps you have thought about a future together but aren't ready to sign escrow papers with her just yet. If that's the case, let her know that you like her -- or love her, if that's the case -- and would like to see where your relationship takes you in the next several months, but you don't want things to move too quickly. If she's willing to slow down to your pace, then reassure her with small gestures, such as buying her a toothbrush to keep at your place. If not, then you two must reassess whether to stay together.
     

   Maintaining Balance

   • As your relationship gets serious, you might be tempted to abandon friendships and interests so you can spend every spare minute with your boyfriend. Doing so is a mistake because it's the equivalent of relying on someone else to fulfill your needs and make you happy. Only you can do that, so don't expect your partner to do it for you. Maintain your friendships and family relationships, and respect the many poker nights or girls nights that inevitably fall outside of your love relationship.
     

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