Keep a Dating Diary

If your head is full of questions about relationships that went nowhere, it’s time for some (easy) self-examination. Try spending five to ten minutes a day keeping track of your dating habits.

If you want a relationship, you have to put in the time. There’s no time for excuses, and your friends are getting tired of having the same conversations with you. It’s time to write down the basics so that you can see the patterns of your own behavior and how you react to them.

Here’s an easy, basic list that you can keep on the go. You can even blog it, and set the blog to private so that you can write in observations while you still have them fresh in your mind. It’s not about making the time; it’s about taking the time. So what are you waiting for? Start with this list:

1. Name:
2. Drinks on Date:
3. Personality Qualities of Date:
4. Awkward Situations: i.e., When I wanted to bring up _______ topic s/he changed the subject/ignored it/left to go to the bathroom. I tried to bring it up again but then it just escalated to silence/anger/end of date.
5. Dating Past: Married; Divorced; Single; Never Been Married; Just Out of Relationship; Not Looking For Anything Serious
6. First impressions:

Number five is very important. When a man tells you he’s not looking for something serious, and you see stars in your ears because you find him so dreamy and the chemistry feels explosive, you might not remember, but he’s telling you this for a reason. It’s not going to change.

Realize the patterns in your dating and break the mold!

(Can you think of any other categories to add to the list?)