Top 10 Rules of Dating

1. Be realistic and open-minded! Dating is hard at any age, but when you add all your wants, musts and non-negotiables when it comes to your potential mate, you’re closing yourself off to many wonderful people. Stay as open to all and any matches possible (within reason, of course).
2. Do not under any circumstances post nude or inappropriate pictures on your online profile. Or if hiring a Matchmaker. Even for a man, a picture without a shirt isn’t appropriate, and sends the wrong message.
3. Do not post or send pictures with other people, especially the opposite gender. With all the technology we have today, you should be able to crop yourself out of a group picture or an old picture of you and your ex. Or better yet, have a friend take a new picture outside under the natural lighting near pretty flowers or trees. Even if that woman in your picture is your sister, most women won’t know that and won’t give you a chance to explain either.
4. When approaching people, be yourself. Introduce yourself and ask simple questions like “How are you?”, and not “Hey there, you must be tired because you’ve been running through my head all night”…
5. Don’t over-share on your online profile, or on the first date. People tend to do it because they think the more they talk, the better they seem to the other person. But it’s about the quality of your conversation, not quantity. Ask questions about the other person and get to know them, and don’t talk about yourself for too long. It should be like a tennis match, the ball must go back and forth to stay in the game.
6. When on a first date, stay on neutral subjects like your background, family, where you’re from, education, etc. Don’t ever talk about politics, sex, your ex or how much money and possessions you have. There’s nothing more unattractive to a person than someone going on and on about their wealth, houses or accolades. If you have it, you don’t have to flaunt it.
7. Be positive! Be positive! Be positive! Can’t stress this enough. It doesn’t matter what you’re talking about as long as you’re being positive. Nobody wants to hear how depressing your job is or how long you sat in traffic. All it will do is make you seem like an extremely negative and pessimistic person, even if you aren’t and just having a bad day.
8. It’s extremely important to meet in a public place on a first date, and possibly on the second. Don’t ever go home with someone you just met! Make sure you do your research, ask a lot of questions prior to the date and have common sense when it comes to your safety.
9. It’s just as important to never give out your information to people you meet online, that’s why hiring a Matchmaker is safer since we do background/criminal checks, and do all the research for you prior to matching you up.
10. Communication is huge in every relationship, but especially at the very beginning when getting to know the other person. Make sure you ask questions about what they want in a relationship, their plans and future goals. If you want kids, make it known fairly early on. You don’t want to spend years with someone who never wants children with the hopes that they change their mind. Most people don’t change their mind about things like that.

Now get out there and date safe and effective!