Whether you like dating or not, it’s unavoidable if you want to find someone to be with. But, what if you didn’t look at dating as simply a way to find someone else? What if dating was also a way to find yourself? Let’s take a closer look at dating’s personal side—the side with important life lessons, and moments of self-discovery and personal growth.
Here are five personal benefits of dating, and how dating can help you grow in other areas of your life:
1. Dating Makes You a Better Conversationalist
Like interviewing, dating requires the ability to talk about yourself, ask and answer questions, listen intently, and hold a meaningful conversation with another person. The more you date or the longer you date one person, the better you’ll get at talking about yourself, and sharing your feelings, expectations, hopes for the future, opinions, and beliefs—and all while becoming a better and more thoughtful listener.
2. Dating Teaches You How to Get What You Want
Whether you go on a date with an attractive history buff or an arrogant techie, every date gives you insight into what you like and don’t like in another person. And often, you only come to learn what you want by figuring out what you don’t want. The more you date, the easier and clearer this becomes. This greater level of self-awareness also leads to greater self-confidence. Knowing what you want and being confident in who you are will not only help you with your dating life, but will help you in all areas of your life.
3. Dating Allows You to Experience New Things
Your dates will almost certainly have different interests and hobbies than you do—and that’s a good thing! This allows you to expand your horizons and be more adventurous. Take a salsa class with her; go on a ropes course with him—there’s always something new and fun to do when you’re dating. It’s also easier to try new things when you have someone by your side because you’re more likely to take chances when you’re with someone you like and trust.
4. Dating Teaches You How to Let Go
Letting go is a hard thing to do. If you learn to master it, it’s a powerful skill that will come in handy in all aspects of your life. You can’t attract something new when your energy is spent thinking about that past. All that “stuff” you’re holding on to can pull you down. Letting go of the past not only helps you live your best life now, but also paves the way for future success.
5. Dating Makes You Stronger and More Resilient
Besides heartbreak, rejection is probably the toughest part about dating. But, the more rejection you face, the more you’ll come to understand that it’s a natural part of life and dating. And, the more you grow to accept rejection, the easier it’ll be to face failure in all other parts of your life. It will make you stronger and better prepared for what life will throw at you in the future.
At the end of the day, your past relationships make you a better version of yourself. The next relationship will do the same. So, don’t be afraid of dating; embrace it.
There is no better time to embrace dating than right now—the weather is warm, there is an abundance of activities to participate in, and people are generally in a good mood. It’s the perfect time to put yourself out there and meet new people.
