Are You Mentally/Emotionally Ready for Dating, Relationships & Sex?

Our grandparents use to court each other back in what some consider the old days. Was that a bad thing? Let's briefly take a look at courting for a moment, the man pursued the woman and then man would ask the woman's father for his permission to court her.  Sometimes the parents were the matchmakers. Courting meant you were exclusive, typically with the intentions of getting married. 

Couples would go out in public places, which took away the temptation of sex. This also helped them get to know each other and simply have fun. Though kissing was allowed, there were some limitations as to when, where and how in order to eliminate the human desire of sex, brought on by the passion of being in the heat of the moment.

Courtship ultimately led to engagement and marriage for many, but didn't always work out back then either and yes some courtships ended badly, but there were guidelines. Did some couples not follow the guideline and break the cardinal rule of no sex? Of course, some couples were rebels and marched to the beat of their own drums. Could that be why some courtships ended bitterly?

Were the couples involved mentally ready for sex?

What if they had, had sex on the first date?

Could they have gotten to know each other better if they weren't romantically involved?

Did sex complicate things?

Dating
Lay your cards on the table. Be honest.
Don't expect something that you're not willing to give. Have reasonable standards. This doesn't mean settle, it simply means, don't create a checklist with an unreachable criteria, so that if you were your own perspective mate, you wouldn't even choose yourself.

Detox and never bring old baggage from previous bad dating experiences or relationships into your current one.

Let the person know what you're looking for, i.e., casual dating or exclusive dating. This is important, so you both will avoid any misunderstandings along the way and will know how to move forward.

Relationships
Your relationship should never be cookie cutter; what works for
others may not work for you.  just because a couple looks happy on the outside doesn't mean they are happy on the inside. If they have some qualities that you like, it's fine to see if it will work for your relationship, but be sure to create what makes you and your partner happy and build from there.

SEX ON THE FIRST DATE
With so many do's and don'ts when it comes to dating and relationships, how do you make the right choice?

Sex on the first date, are you truly ready for it?
It doesn't mean that you’re now in a relationship. It could just mean sex on the first date. Sounds a little harsh, but it's true.
Does everyone continue dating after that first night of hot or not so hot sex? Yes and no. Bad sex can be a deal breaker for many people. Some can turn out to be,  just a one night stand. If you continue dating you may need to set some boundaries,
especially if you begin having emotional thoughts and
questions about sharing yourself intimately.

With Sex comes responsibilities; mental, emotional and
personal. For some women having sex with someone new
can be as delicate as having sex for the very first time. There’s a rush of thoughts and emotions and if she really cares for the
guy, she may confuse it with love. Although you hear this
more about women, it also happens with men.

Having sex with someone you’ve just met; well, let's be real,
it happens every day. People are Casually dating  and they also casually sex these days,  (Also known as hooking up)

Some are ready, some are not - Before
you make that move, make sure you're sure - mentally and emotionally!

The Morning After

Doubting yourself after the fact will only bring you
mental anguish.

If you’re looking for answers to questions like the ones below,
then perhaps you needed to give yourself  just a little more time
to think about it.

How does he/she feel about you now?

Will he/she call you?
Or even begin questioning yourself on, How you feel about
yourself or How do you feel about him/her?

Things people normally don’t think about.

What if the man or woman decides that you started off too fast
and now want to take it slow?

Are you mentally prepared for the break in physical contact?

Would you take it as a sign of rejection?

Would it become a deal breaker?

The term making love is often misused.  Are you in love?
Are you mutually in love? it's not the same as simply saying,
"I love you." you can love your puppy, you can love a pair of shoes or your favorite movie.  if you're not "in love", then your not making love. No matter how good or passionate the sex is,
sex is still sex until you both know and feel that you're in love with each other.
When your energies connect and your souls intertwine and you feel that perfect bond-that's when intimacy comes in and turns the act of sex into the art of making love.

How do you know when you’re ready?

If you are unsure, it’s best to have a discussion, starting with yourself first, as it is important to know where you both stand,
If you are only dating, you might want to  ask yourself if this
is a good time to incorporate sex and then have the discussion
with the person you’re dating.

Are you still in the dating stage?
Are you casually dating?
Are you exclusively dating?
Have you progressed to the relationship stage?

Discussing sex beforehand can actually help you make the important decision whether or not to do it. Although having this discussion is not so common these days, It is important, because sex can change things.

After sex, there could be some major changes to dating or the relationship. He/she can become a little possessive and clingy. In his/her mind, dating can automatically become a relationship.
For those already in a relationship; is it understood that your relationship has now reached another level?  

First Date Tips: Be prepared 

Dating violence is also a risk!

Go to a place that you're familiar with
Meet at date location
Condoms  (Just in case)
Be sure to have a fully charged cellphone
Carry cash on you
Let someone know where you're going
Give a brief description of the person (picture if you have one)
Pepper Spray (If legal in your state)
ICE (In Case of Emergency) numbers handy
Never get out too much personal information

Protect yourself - Have Fun!