10 Tips On How To Overcome First Date Anxiety

One thing to remember before a first date is that the overall quality of your life does not hinge on its success. If the date goes belly-up, you and the other person will still be breathing.

We all want to be liked, found interesting, and accepted as we are, but not all first dates end with our self-esteem puffed-up. Dating may have been invented to keep us humble.

Do your best and use whatever tips and tricks of the dating game help you.

First Date Tips

• Chances are your date is anxious too. There are only a few people on Earth that do not get nervous on a first date, so odds are you both have the jitters.
• It is a fact of life that not everyone will like you. It can hurt and be disappointing, but sometimes we are not the other person’s cuppa java.
• You will have less time to be anxious if you do not plan the date far in advance.
• Instead of imagining worst-case scenarios, make yourself think about how you want the date to go.
• Worry will not make the date a success anyway. Maybe imagine the two of you saying goodnight, you are both smiling and your date tells you, “I had a great time.” That has to feel better than contemplating disaster.
• Conversation flows better on an activity date, such as playing miniature golf, going to a comedy club, making a pizza together, visiting a nature center or animal refuge. You could see a play, put a puzzle together, or whatever.
• You might keep the date casual, simple, and not too long, especially if you get extremely anxious. Taking a walk, going out for coffee, lunch, or dessert are options.
• There's nothing wrong with having breaks in the conversation unless you panic and end up with paralyzed neurons. During moments or minutes of silence, focus on your breath and make sure you are filling your lungs from the bottom up. Breathing only into the upper chest makes anxiety worse.
• If you really struggle with the conversation on first dates, you might invite that person to hang out with yourself and a few friends, or do something with another couple.
• Ask your date open-ended questions or questions that require more than a yes or no answer. For instance, the conversation will not go far if you ask your date, “Do you like movies?” An open-ended question would be, “What’s your favorite movie and why do you like it?”

Photo: Pexels