Embarking in new ventures is always nerve-wracking, and first dates are no exception. What is supposed to be an exciting, thrilling event, seems to consistently induce social anxiety, self-doubt, and overthinking on our part. What is it about first dates that warrants our minds of worst case scenarios? Luckily for us, there are many ways we can offset the early onset first date anxiety.
While music may make the world go ‘round, music always serves as a much needed distraction. Putting on your favorite uplifting mixes and playlists can put you in the right mindset of self-assurance and excitement. Belting along to your favorite track and dancing to a boosted bass can put you in the mood for a good time.
Whether you’re scrolling through your Twitter feed or skimming your Arts History text book, following the flow of words and sentences can take your mind off anxiety within.
Once in a while we all get by with just a little help from our friends. Sometimes entrusting our psyche with others is the most sensible action when our self-rational seems to have taken a wrong turn. Call up your sister or brother, send a quick text to your group chat. Having minds that are objective to your insecurities can help you see reason whether you are fretting that your clothes just don’t fit right today, or that you date might be the biggest, moronic jerk of all time.
As corny as it may seem, practice makes perfect. Striking up a quick conversation with the clerk at the grocery store or the waiter at a restaurant can get you in the routine of conversational habits. Engaging with patrons at a store, restaurant, theater, or what have you, is great habitual practice to better handle a first date. This way you don’t worry yourself prior over believing your conversational skills will deter you from a good time.
Preoccupying your hands and moving about is a great way to lessen first date anxiety. Cleaning up your room or organizing your closet can serve as another mindful distraction. While you maintain focus on whether to rearrange your shoes by color or functionality, you allow yourself less time to nitpick on unrealistic outcomes, self-consciousness, and irrationality.
To Spa in your own domain is one of the best way to ensure first date anxiety doesn’t cause deep trenches within you mind. Doing a relaxing soak bath, sugar scrub, and cooling sheet mask is a manner self-care and an extension of self-appreciation. Pampering yourself is a way to give your body and mind the care it deserve. It causes you to put yourself first which is always an important mindset to take with you on a first date. Yes, we want to be our most charming and impressive selves, but our charming and impressive selves also deserves self-respect and the respect of others.
Whether it’s Chakra, Zen or Yoga mediation, meditation is a great way to focus on mindfulness of your body and spirit. Centuries-old techniques to ensure well-being cannot be wrong. Allow yourself a quiet space to focus on ones self and being, releasing yourself of irrationalities and insecurities.
Getting your endorphins raging is another great way to spread positive effects to your body and mind. Exercising gets your blood pumping and your energy levels up. It also helps you to focus on your strength, muscles and endurance leaving you little room for first date anxiousness.
Having approximately half a glass of wine can help loosen your nerves. Sipping on a nice Riesling or Chardonnay cannot only cause you to fall in a more relaxed state, it also allows you to admire the taste of fermented grapes. Catering to you palate puts your mind towards self-indulgence.
First dates won’t always be great. Going into a first date with realistic expectations can dramatically reduce anxiety but it requires a bit of self-rationality. Recognizing insecurities and self-doubts as illogical can ensure the self-confidence you deserve to feel.
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