Modern Mingling: Dating Rules to Break

Time to break some dating rules. – Courtesy photo

When to throw all the rules out the window

By Hedda Muskat

Are Dating Rules ruining your social life? Are you so overwhelmed by what you should or shouldn’t do that dating has become an emotional burden that you just want to give up on? Well, you’re not alone and this is perfectly normal. With the thousands of dating books out there and the ginormous mountains of articles on every dating site about lists of “do’s and don’ts” regarding every breath you take, it’s time to say enough is enough. I’m not going to let dating rules and protocols dictate my life anymore. I’m going to just go out, let it rip, break all the rules and just have a great time. Here are some rules that you may want to consider breaking if you truly feel the chemistry and the compatibility are mutual.

The “Playing Hard to Get Rule.” This is the rule that tells you to not be so available and to not to show interest. This is a rule to break if you really like that person and you sincerely do not have other plans. Being upfront about how you feel is a good start.

The “Don’t Have Sex on The First Date Rule.” If you truly feel you want to and can handle the aftermath that this is probably just sex, then be honest with yourself. As long as you know the consequences of possible STDs and the truth that you really don’t know each other, this is another rule that singles break (usually if there’s alcohol involved).

The “Hold Back Your Deal Breaker Rules.” If there are definite deal breakers for you, such as kids, marriage, smoking, or drug use, then be upfront as soon as possible even at the risk of turning the other person off. Clarifying these issues straight up will save you a lot of wasted time on someone who is just not the one.

We’re making dating so much harder than it has to be because at the end of the date either you clicked or you didn’t. What rules you want to follow may be different than the other person’s so you really shouldn’t be tied down to anything that doesn’t feel comfortable for you.

Hedda Muskat is the author of “The Dating Mystique” based on her TV writing days at “Love Connection.”