Getting Past Your Own Dating Mistakes

Ever regretted the time when you didn't call a date back? Or when you broke up with someone over email? Or when you got a little too drunk when meeting one of your online matches for the first time?

These kinds of mistakes can make us cringe in retrospect. After all, you consider yourself a good catch, a decent person. So why would you behave badly towards someone else?

Dating can bring out the best and worst within us, even if we don't like to admit it. It's not easy to date and always do the right thing, especially when you have no history or shared connection with the person.

But dating requires all of us to rise to the occasion. Everyone has a story of a date gone wrong, especially online daters. You don't want to be the subject of someone's bad dating tale, and you don't want to endure more of your own bad dates, right?

So starting with a few simple steps, you can overcome those mistakes of your dating past and move onto happier dates in the future:

Don't disappear. Maybe you went out with a guy once or twice and decided he wasn't for you. Instead of pulling the disappearing act, try confronting the situation. It's understandable, preferable even, to let him know that you aren't interested. It will keep him from second-guessing himself and what he did, and keep you from feeling guilty and avoiding his emails and calls. When you stop avoiding the situation, you can both move on.

Own up to your mistakes. Let's say you were out on a first date and had a few too many cocktails because you got nervous. If you're embarrassed by how you were acting, or that you had to be sent home in a cab after throwing up in the restroom, don't beat yourself up. The best thing to do is to call the next day and apologize. If you want another chance, then ask for that, too. And for future dates, limit yourself to two glasses of wine, tops, or no drinks at all if it makes you feel more in control.

Recognize the situation for what it is. Let's say you slept with someone on the first date and regretted it soon after, because you were hoping to pursue a real relationship. Well, all is not lost, despite how you might feel. Many people hook up, but few are willing to deal with the emotional aftermath. The best course of action is to be honest with yourself (by owning your emotions instead of talking yourself out of them) and with your date. Call him and admit that you would like to keep seeing him. If he's right for you, then he'll want to move forward, too. And if he's not ready for anything close to serious, then you've avoided some heartbreak down the line.