NEVER ASSUME SOMEONE'S NOT INTERESTED:What's worse, 30 seconds of rejection or 30 years of never knowing? Being scared that someone
may not like you or want to date you is natural, but it's not healthy to let fear run your life. It takes guts to date, so if you want a relationship,
you have to be willing to put your ass on the line. Otherwise, you're bound to spend a lot of time wondering if happiness just walked out the door.
ALWAYS ACT WITH NO REGRETS:We've all done or said things we wish we hadn't. That's human nature. The trick is to use each situation
as a learning experience and not as a weapon to beat yourself up with. If you try something that doesn't work once, try something new the next time.
There is no sure fire way with which to pursue the dating scene, so why let one bad attempt get you down?
ALWAYS LOOK AND ACT YOUR BEST:Anyone who has ever said they felt over-dressed for an occasion isn't looking at the big picture. Yes,
showing up in a tux to a bonfire is a bit over the top. But, within reason, you always want to kick it up a step when going out. No one will ever fault
you for looking better than everyone else in a room. But if you show up to cocktail hour in a Hurley t-shirt and faded board shorts, you can pretty much
guarantee you're flying solo.
CHECK YOUR BAGS AT THE DOOR:Everyone has baggage, but it's what you do with that baggage that separates the dateable
from the difficult. Your friends will sit and listen to ex-boyfriend drama - a first date won't. And just because you want to vent about the job you almost
got, the house you almost lost and the friend you want to kick in the head doesn't mean people are lining up to listen. There's no such thing as constructive
complaining, so grab a pen and tell your journal.
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT:I'm not talking superficial things like blue eyes, blonde hair and an amazing butt - those tastes change
at the drop of a hat. But if you know you want someone career oriented who likes kids, you can pretty much start dropping people from your search in the first
15 minutes. Be sure your goals are realistic, but try not to sacrifice just because someone looks your way twice.
PRETEND YOU'RE A HOUSE:No, not like that scary drama class where they tell you to become an inanimate object.
More literally, you need to market yourself like real estate. No one's buying the rundown property at the end of the street with a 30-year-old
roof and termites. So dress yourself up a bit. Dig deep to discover what's truly unique and intriguing about you and focus on those things. Forget
about the negative - those are the things you figure out after the first few months. And, above all else, never give your date a reason to doubt
that you're as great as you seem to be.
And, if all else fails ...
SELF CONFIDENCE CAN BE FAKED:Sometimes you don't arrive at self-confidence until you've mastered the art of faking it. No one wakes
up 100-percent sure of who they are. It takes time, practice and determination. Besides, a convincing act can sometimes do the trick. No one needs to
know you're scared to death of a situation - play a role. In fact, sometimes it's fun to pretend you're someone else, some one more confident for an
evening. And when you're walking the walk of self-confidence, after a while, the real thing kicks in.