Do first dates make you nervous? If so, you’re not alone. Everyone is struggling to create the ideal first date. Even if you’re going on two or three dates per week, a first date can still have you a little on edge all day. So how do you get past the first date jitters? Here are a few ways that you can get your game face on before you head out on the all-important first date.
Mental Prep Step 1: Bang Out Some Pushups
What do pushups have to do with creating the ideal first date? Sometimes guys think this one sounds silly, but it’s really not. Hitting the ground and doing as many pushups as you can muster is going to raise your mood for the night. It’s going to get the blood flowing and break up the mundane aspect of your day. It’s a break from whatever you’ve been doing before — one that’s going to start getting you in the right state of mind for your date.
Mental Prep Step 2: Getting Ready
You want to take a shower, shave if you need to (you probably do) and throw on the right threads for the night. Use this as a time for quiet contemplation before your date. Clear your head. Don’t think about how nervous you are or what went wrong at work that day. Instead, treat getting ready as a kind of ritual. Focus on the process of getting ready and use this time to get outside of your head. It’s going to pay off when you head out for date night.
Mental Prep Step 3: Listening to the Right Sounds
There are two ways to perform this step: First, you can put on some upbeat uplifting music that puts you in the right mood for a date. This is a proven way to raise your state of mind going into a date. Your energy level is going to go up and you’re going to be in a great mood. Other guys prefer to listen to spoken stuff, with stand-up comedy being a great way to get yourself laughing and get into a great mood before you head out on your first date.
Mental Prep Step 4: Practice Posture and Smile
The two best tools you can have when you’re going on a date or even just heading out to a bar or club is posture and smile. Stand in front of the mirror and picture a string pulling up the top of your head and a magnet yanking your legs down. Now relax your posture so that it looks more natural. When you achieve a solid, confident posture try and “memorize” what it feels like to stand like this. Scan your body.
Now practice your smile. Laugh hard about something that recently cracked you up. It’s OK to force yourself a little at first. Now do an exaggerated smile, slowly letting it fade into something a little more natural looking. Now do with your smile what you did with your posture — try and remember what this looks like so you can call upon this when you need it. Not only is it going to make you look better, it’s also going to raise your spirits at key moments in time.
Remember, creating the ideal first date is all about the preparation. If you’re struggling to make it happen, The Art of Charm can help.
