If you’re just getting back into dating after ending a long-term relationship or finalizing a divorce, going out with new people can definitely be daunting. When you are ready, and ONLY when you feel ready, you can sign up for a dating service or two or three in order to keep as many options open as possible. You’re probably not looking to get involved immediately, and maybe you just want to test the waters and get used to dating again. By all means, you should peruse and join several different sites in order to yield the most opportunities.
If you’re still feeling bruised from your last relationship, the last thing you want to do is become emotionally involved too soon when you first get back into dating. If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you’ll be even more vulnerable. It’s important enough to reiterate that you must feel emotionally ready to begin dating again in order to avoid getting your heart broken again. By dating more than one person at a time, you will be able to keep your feelings in perspective and not get attached too soon to any one person.
If one of your dating partners suggests the two of you remain exclusive and you don’t feel ready for that, you need to be honest and upfront with this person. Explain that you are not ready to date only one person and if he or she has a problem with that, you need to let them go and move on. If you are planning on dating multiple people at once, it’s best if you refrain from sleeping together right away. As soon as sex is introduced into a relationship, the signals you are sending become mixed.
It’s difficult not to become emotionally attached to the other person once you start sleeping together and this is especially true for women. Keeping your options open doesn’t mean you need to sleep with every person you go out with. It means meeting and discovering new people, gaining your confidence back as you reenter the social world of dating, and being aware of potential partners that you may be compatible with to enjoy a long-term relationship.
When a solid connection is made with one particular person, you will both know it. Eventually, your multiple dating partners may dwindle down to the one you are ready to become exclusive with. Also keep in mind there is no rush. Be sure of your feelings and make sure they are mutual. You don’t want to spend time with someone you think you have feelings for, only to find out they are not into you as much as you are into them. In the meantime, keeping your options open can not only save you from heartache, but can enhance your self-esteem and boost your confidence as you date more and more eligible people. It’s a numbers game, so eventually, you will find the right one!
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