Dating

Qualities and dating:

In our family relations class we learned a lot about compatibility and healthy steps to take in a progressing relationship. I really enjoyed this unit and learned a lot about the importance of connecting on different levels before taking relationships further. One of the things we talked about was seeing different sides of the person you are dating. You should spend time doing a variety of activities in order to get to know them better. If you spent all of your time watching movies with your girlfriend and nothing else, you would know how she acts while watching movies but you wont know how she reacts to stress, how she interacts with a group. Your picture of her will be incomplete. As we date, we should find a variety of activities to do. This also means enjoying the activities that your partner enjoys doing. As you take the time to learn about them and their likes and dislikes, you will know how to demonstrate your love for them and the two of you will have a relationship with deeper connections and a lot of fun.

The second important step In healthy dating is compatibility. You will find out how well you click the more time you spend together. But through the dating process, the opinions of those around you are extremely helpful. Rely on your friends and family to tell you how they feel about the person you are dating. They will be able to gauge how compatible the two of you are without the blinding effect that emotions can play. Throughout my relationships, I have constantly turned to my mom for advice and approval. She has been able to give me advice about things that I hadn’t considered myself. This is also important because your boyfriend/girlfriend will begin to develop relationships with those close to you. That will only strengthen your family and friendships and will be a huge blessing to you.

Another aspect of healthy dating is the balance between physical connection and emotional relationships. It is important that the trust built and the emotional connection between the two of you is greater than the level of physical intimacy in the relationship. Dating in America used to be done slowly, more romantically, and began with friendship before anything else. This dating culture was so pure and sweet. It allowed for quality relationships to take place which led to happier marriages full of communication. Dating now a days has become quite backwards. Full of rapid, physical intimacy without the loyalty and trust built first. This has had a negative toll on relationships as feelings caused by physical intimacy have taken place over the personal connection through quality time and talking. In this day, we can still have quality relationships if we focus on becoming friends first.

I have always said that I wanted to marry my best friend. I want a relationship that is deep, full of love, and with whom I can raise a family. I want to be able to talk about anything with my wife. I want to attack problems together. Us vs the world, not vs each other. By dating the right way. By spending nights talking until late at night, serving each other, and doing a variety of fun things together, I know a relationship like this is possible. People continue to say that chivalry is dead. But it doesn’t have to be. If we focus on dating the right way. Saving intimacy for marriage and being careful with how we show our affection, we will build the kind of marriage and families that we want to.