How to Date Yourself (And Why You Should)

To help you better navigate the world of dating, you can begin your journey by first dating yourself. It’s difficult to evaluate the suitability of someone else as a partner if you haven’t taken the time to get to know yourself. Your relationship with others will be affected by how you view yourself. If you’ve had a hard time dating, either because you’ve been rejected, you’re constantly disappointed, or you’re just not meeting the right type of partner, it might be time to go inward.
Even if you’re not looking for a romantic partner at this time, spending time thinking about your likes and dislikes as well as your goals can enable you to be clearer about who you are. You'll become more comfortable just being you and participating in the world. This article discusses barriers to dating yourself and focusing on self-care, self-love, and gratitude. It concludes with specific ways to go out with yourself and the benefits of dating yourself.

Steps to Take Before Dating Yourself

When you date online or through an app, you get to know one another after making overtures. You converse, ask questions and build rapport. When you meet in person, you usually eat, drink or participate in an activity. The point is you’re assessing and learning about one another to determine if you want to take the relationship further. When you date yourself, you are actively listening to yourself. You’re determining your likes, dislikes, passions, and vulnerabilities. You are valuing yourself, caring for yourself, and figuring out what matters most.

Self-Care

Begin your exploration by taking care of yourself. That could mean papering yourself with baths, candles, and massages. But on a fundamental level, self-care is about promoting your well-being. In a recent study1 which was a systematic review of self-care, scientists defined self-care as promoting optimal health, preventing illness, and managing chronic illness. Results revealed that people struggle in trying to engage in self-care. They abandon self-care when they’re overwhelmed by negative health symptoms, a disability, and when they don’t feel supported.

Safeguard Your Physical and Mental Health

The first step in self-care is to pay attention to your physical and mental health and make it a priority. That means you practice good sleep hygiene. If you haven’t already begun to, you also eat nutritiously because what you eat impacts your stress and anxiety. Exercise regularly for both its physical and mental health benefits. You’ll want to develop strategies for self-care, plan ahead on what you’ll do when stressors and challenges arrive, and be sure to schedule time just for you.