If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably experiences those first date jitters. I used to get so nervous before first meeting someone I’d feel like throwing up and start contemplating acceptable ways to cancel. But, there’s no reward if you don’t take the risk, so I had to learn ways to embrace the first date jitters. Here they are:

8 Ways to Love First Date Jitters:

1. Stop assuming that you’re about to meet The One. Think about all the relationships in your life. How many of those people did you know upon first meeting that you’d end up having a long-lasting friendship or relationship of some sort? Not many, right? Relationships take time. How can you expect to know upon first meeting someone if you’re going to want to spend the rest of your life with them? Just focus on getting to know them first and see what happens. Take some pressure off and give yourself a break!

2. Remember that they’re probably nervous, too. As jittery as you feel, they’re probably just as nervous, so don’t stress too much about it!

3. Just live in the moment. Stop worrying about whether he is going to look like his photo, or whether you’ll be attracted to him initially. Take a deep breath and just enjoy the moment.

4. It’s nerve wracking, but it is exciting too. You just never know who you’re going to meet. In regards to #1 above, chances are you aren’t going to know right away if they are someone special, but the opportunity that they might be is still there. This could potentially be your last first date ever and isn’t that exciting!? Enjoy it!

First date Jitters

5. What’s the worst that can happen?  If he’s a dud, you’ve maybe wasted the effort of shaving your legs and an hour or so of your time, but that’s a small risk to take for the potential of a great time, and maybe a potential relationship.

6.Take it as a opportunity. Try out that new outfit, or do your hair in that new way you’ve wanted to try. Try out a restaurant you’ve never been to, or an activity you’ve been wanting to try. Even if the date is a bust, you’ll at least have had the chance to try out something new.

7. Be prepared. I’m the dork that has Googled “Date conversations” and keeps a list of  questions in my phone. Yes, I do. I’ve never used it, but knowing that it’s there just in case makes me feel a lot better. No one likes an awkward silence, so I always have a full arsenal. Similarly, it doesn’t hurt to have a back-up plan in case the date goes sour. Whether that’s having a friend ready to call you with an “out”, or in my case, I always used my diabetic cat as my excuse – he requires regular insulin injections, so I better get home before he croaks on me….

8. Eliminate the stressors that are within your control. One of the biggest things I used to stress about on that first date was the initial meeting. Would I have to wander around a restaurant looking for someone who may or may not look like their online profile picture? Should I get there before him or after him? Realizing that this was a big stressor for me helped me to find ways to mitigate it. I always make arrangements beforehand that would make me feel better – like, let’s meet in the lobby and I’ll be wearing the red coat, or something to that effect. Whether it actually happened that way was irrelevant, as long as I eliminated those jitters initially.

Do you have any first date jitters tactics that I’ve missed? Comment below, I’d love to hear from you!

Elli Raine
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