Relationships

It's easy to be in a hurry. People have demanding jobs, 24/7 access to their smart phones, and family and friends to consider. We like to cut to the chase with everything so we don't waste time, including our romantic relationships. But is this a good idea?

While movies promote the idea of love at first sight and instant connection, it usually takes more time for love to develop and for two people to be on the same page as far as their feelings. While we all like things to work out according to our own schedules, this is seldom the case when it comes to love. It's better to be open to the experience of each date and relationship and not put so much pressure on the timing. After all, relationships can't be ordered up to our demands; they take time to cultivate.

Following are some tips to find the right timing for you:

Be in the present. When you are attracted to someone, it's easy to jump ahead and think of your future together. But it's important to stay focused on the present - especially if you've just started dating. So give your relationship time to grow without placing expectations on how fast it will progress - remain grounded in the present. Enjoy each date as it happens without letting your mind get carried away with what she's thinking or where you "should" be at any given time.

Trust your instincts. It's hard to avoid advice when you're in a relationship. Everyone has their own opinion of how things should progress or work out, and friends and family are often quick to tell you to dump someone if you aren't on the same page. But is this realistic? Trust yourself in these situations - because each relationship is different. Just because your friend got engaged a year after dating her boyfriend doesn't mean that should happen for you or it isn't right. Your relationships are your own, and so is your timetable. Listen to your gut.

Don't force the timing. There's a pacing that feels right for everyone. If you take things too slowly because you're afraid you'll get hurt, you might be sabotaging your relationships without knowing it. If you expect an instant love connection and nothing else will do, you could be setting yourself up for failure. Allow yourself to breathe and set your own pace - one that feels right to you. Find that perfect combination - allow yourself to take risks to move forward, and also to slow down and enjoy getting to know someone on a deeper level.

For most of us, our romance goals are two-fold. Not only do we want to be in a relationship; we want to be in a successful relationship. One might think those automatically come in a package deal, but not always so! Some have no difficulty meeting someone new; it’s just that they’re not the right person for them in the long term. So if we want a successful relationship, what’s one thing we can do, early and often, to get us on the right track?

Simply put: stop playing games. Even better: never fall into the habit. When we use online dating sites it can be easy to slip into thinking of our potential matches as mere numbers, faces without an actual person behind them. While this is helpful in one sense - we don’t get too caught up in fantasizing about someone we haven’t even dated - it’s imperative that the switch is flipped back once we start emailing back and forth.

Have ideas about playing “hard to get” or “asserting your Alpha status”? Discard them. At the end of the day, you’re not asserting your dominance in some lion pack in the savannah, or trying to snare a rabbit; you’re looking for a best friend, a companion with whom you also share a romantic spark. Playing games is by its very nature adversarial - completely the opposite of the type of relationship you’re trying to establish.

Above all else, remember: don’t worry about “rules” when it comes to you as a couple. There’s no magic span of time that one must be dating before they get “serious.” You don’t need to wait a certain number of days to call after the first date (and honestly, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t view anything beyond one day a Bad Sign). There are people who get married two weeks after meeting and then divorced less than a year later, and there are those who made a commitment just as fast and stayed together for the rest of their lives. Everyone’s different.

Putting aside rules and games and focusing on an honest, open relationship starts you off on the right foot, and hopefully establishes good habits that will carry you forward into the future. Life isn’t as dramatic or by-the-numbers as a TV show or romantic comedy - but it can be a lot more fulfilling and fun.

Meeting your match online starts with creating a knock-out profile that catches eyes and wins hearts.

Easier said than done, right?

Sure, crafting the perfect profile requires a little bit of trial and error experimentation, but it doesn't have to be hard. To jumpstart the profile writing process, YourTango's online dating bootcamp spoke with Julianne Cantarella and Heidi Lee Munson for expert advice on how to make your profile great from the get-go. They shared their top ten tips for writing a profile that stands out:

1. Show, don't tell. Instead of defining yourself (or the date you're looking for) as a list of adjectives that could describe anyone, share vivid personal anecdotes that show off your individuality.
2. Accentuate the positive. It sounds like it should be obvious, but daters all over cyberspace are getting this one wrong. Don't focus on what you don't want or don't have, instead of highlighting your positive attributes. Profiles that begin by putting down the experience of online dating ("I can't believe I'm doing this...") and the other members who're trying it get skipped over.
3. Don't lie! This is everyone's greatest fear about online dating, right? So why contribute to the problem? "If you are genuine and authentic," says Cantarella, "you will have a greater chance of attracting like-minded matches." Lying is a waste of time.
4. Ask the experts. If you're feeling stuck, consult your friends. They can help you sort through screenname options to find the one that suits you best.
5. Be positive. Yep, positivity makes it on this list twice! Your profile is not the appropriate place to discuss your problems or list your negative attributes (in fact, you shouldn't be dwelling on your perceived negative attributes anywhere). Instead put the spotlight on your most attractive qualities, like your intelligence and sense of humor.
6. A picture is worth a thousand words. You have to post a photo. There's no way around it.
7. Flirt, don't fight. Joining a dating site inevitably means hearing from some frogs in addition to the princes. If your inbox is filled with messages from un-dateable amphibians, Munson says it may be because your profile is packed with complaints about your exes. Instead, "be a little flirtatious. Share the ideas and activities that make you smile and your positive energy will attract the right matches."
8. Check your spelling and grammar. It's as easy as running a spellcheck program, and it makes a huge difference.
9. Put an honest face forward. Choose pictures that accurately represent who you are. "A candid and natural shot of you doing what you love the most attractive image you can present," says Munson, "and it is a true image."
10. Complete your profile. An unfinished profile sends the message that you're not serious about meeting someone online. Put in the time and effort to finish it and make it shine.

Related Story: YourTango Online Dating Bootcamp: Day Three

Related Story: YourTango Online Dating Bootcamp: Day Five

This is an election year, and it's hard to turn on the television or pick up a magazine without seeing a political story or the latest policy debate. Politics is an important part of our culture, and we are becoming more divided as the election race continues.

So what does this mean in your dating life? For one thing, it's hard to avoid the subject of politics, especially if you've been on several dates with someone. If you discuss current events it will likely include politics, so at some point it's bound to make an appearance in your conversation. If you disagree with your date's political views (but still find him so incredibly attractive), what do you do? Aren't politics rooted in core values?

While it's difficult if both of you have strong political opinions, it can work. Take the famous example of James Carville and Mary Matalin, who have been married almost twenty years. (Although they claim the secret of their success is that they never discuss politics at home.)

When you're dating across party lines, communication (and listening) is key. Also, know where you stand - are your beliefs strong? Are you willing to be flexible? Knowing yourself and your limits is the most important thing. Following are some tips to guide you:

Don't try to change your date. While it's tempting to get into a philosophical debate with your dates about politics, understand that most people aren't willing to change their ideologies. Don't assume you'll persuade her otherwise. Accept your differences and be respectful of your different viewpoints.

Know your core values. Instead of talking about issues in terms of politics, discuss what you value and why. If you think that people living in poverty need assistance, discuss how you would help or what it means to see people suffer. If you think that hard work and dedication are the answer then share what you would do differently. The key is to understand what you both value, whether it's hard work, helping people, or having accountability. Two people can share the same values without sharing the same political beliefs.

Agree to disagree. Do you spend your dates arguing about politics or getting frustrated because you feel your date isn't listening? Instead of continuing down this endless road of conflict, come to an agreement - know when to discuss politics, and when to let the other person know you've had enough. Respect each other's right to an opinion.

It's not easy, but these are some steps you can take to help smooth the waters during election season. Remember, there are plenty of other subjects to discuss.

There was a recent article in The New York Times about "the end of conversation." Specifically, it discussed how people are feeling less comfortable meeting and talking face to face, preferring the isolated connectivity of their smartphones.

While being so connected is great for networking and expanding your social and dating circles, it can be a real impediment to starting a relationship. After all, you may create a great Tweet, but could you approach a stranger in a coffee shop and strike up a conversation? It is certainly more intimidating than blasting off a status update.

If you've been struggling to make your in-person relationships work like your Web-based ones, it's important to know what to do. The first thing to think about: what are some ways you can strike up a conversation IRL?

There's no need for a first meeting to be awkward. People are looking to connect with each other. The most important part of a conversation with the object of your affection is not what you say, but how you listen. If you're generally curious about your date, more often than not, she will enjoy your company because of it - so ask questions and listen attentively.

And if you don't have the first clue what to say? It's easy to run down the list of normal first meeting questions: what do you do? Where are you from? Where do you live? But try thinking out of the box. Here are a few examples:

What's your favorite thing to do when you're not working? Most people light up when they talk about their passions or hobbies. Ask what she likes to do in her free time, or the best place she's ever traveled to, or what she would do if she won the lottery and quit her job tomorrow. You can find a lot about a person when they talk about what they enjoy.

Have you ever been to...? Making note of some local favorite dining spots, galleries, hiking trails, or whatever else you may fancy helps open up the conversation. Also, it helps to pave the way to a second date if you're interested - you now have a place to go!

What accomplishment are you most proud of? This gives your date the opportunity to reveal a personal or professional triumph, which is a great way to turn things around if you feel the conversation waning a bit. And it's a great way to open up to each other at the beginning of a relationship.

Bottom line: ask questions, listen and engage. Then see if there's a spark!

Perhaps you’ve met someone new, and things are progressing well. You’ve gone on a few dates. You seem to be heading toward the status of “in a relationship.” You’re happy and excited. You might not know to be guarded against someone who’s insidious and negative: yourself. Or rather, your fears and insecurities.

Time and again, I’ll hear questions like, “What does it mean when my significant other sounds grumpy on the phone? Things are fine when we meet in person.” Chances are, whatever the reason is, it has absolutely nothing to do with you. Maybe your significant other doesn’t like talking on the phone. Maybe they’re having a stressful day at work, or a co-worker they don’t like is lurking nearby and they feel self-conscious.

What’s more, the answers to such concerns are easily obtained. Your significant other will probably not be offended if you mention that they sounded tense earlier and wondered how their day went. Perhaps they’ll even fill you in about that pesky co-worker. Still, we tend to keep such questions inside, instead playing psychologist or mind-reader. Chances are, we get it wrong, or obsess over nothing; worse, we plant the seeds of poor communication.

Now, granted, there are better and worse ways to approach the situation. Mildly mentioning that your significant other sounded tense or preoccupied is one thing; accusing them of, say, hiding something from you is something else again. So is demanding that they “tell you what’s wrong.” Chances are, whatever small incident that’s nagging you was so insignificant to them that they honestly don’t remember it at all.

And that’s the main thing to remember: we tend to blow things up in our mind, and make them much more important than they actually are, especially when something’s going well and we’re afraid it will end. Humans get terse, or even grumpy from time to time. More importantly, do they appear happy with the relationship? Do they want to keep seeing you? And do even the grumpy squalls make way for sunny skies, more often than not? If the answer to all these questions is yes, the biggest thing for you to focus on is getting out of your own head - and enjoying your blossoming romance.