Practice self-acceptance and foster confidence as opposed to dating with a façade or changing who you are to be liked. Take ownership of your skills, strengths, personality, and accomplishments while continuing to work on being your best self through self-improvement and personal growth. 

When dating, if you notice yourself changing who you are to avoid rejection, recognize this pattern in yourself and take action to fix it. You may feel vulnerable while dating from a more authentic and transparent place, but this method will lead to stronger emotional connections with matches. Also, remember being confident is different than being arrogant. Generally speaking, confidence is sexy and arrogance is a turn-off. 

Use your intelligence to your advantage and be smart when it comes to dating and relationships. This means dating with your values in mind, trusting your gut, not ignoring red flags or trying to change men, and being very clear about your dealbreakers. You may want to join a high-quality dating platform like Elite Singles where over 80% of members are college graduates.

Being intentional also means avoiding people-pleasing tendencies that keep you stuck wrong relationships. Don’t stay in dating situations or relationships that don’t feel right. 

Smart women don’t date guys who don’t treat them right. Smart women date guys who are emotionally available, respectful, trustworthy, honest, and share similar values and goals. Smart women don’t make men into projects. Don’t let infatuation blind you from dating mindfully. Get in touch with your feelings while thinking and acting rationally about partner selection. 

You can’t expect to find a satisfying relationship if you don’t put time and energy into dating. If you always put your career or education ahead of dating, it will be nearly impossible to have a successful relationship. 

So saying you want a partner without doing the work or continuously prioritizing your career over your love life will not help you meet your relationship goals. 

This is where balance comes in, as well as the understanding that you can have both a healthy relationship and a rewarding career. You may have to get creative with scheduling and balancing it all, but you can learn how to pursue multiple goals at once (as opposed to solely focusing on one goal at a time). Through healthy habits, time management, and self-care, you can make room for career and relationships.

You may be comfortable running the show and making big moves or decisions, but it’s important to get comfortable compromising and letting things play out naturally. For example, let a new person ask for your number, ask you out, or ask you on another date instead of being the pursuer. 

Allow your date to lead and have an opinion too. Don’t dominate conversations, plans, and dates. Learn to discuss topics and do things outside of your wheelhouse and be supportive of his interests even if they differ from yours.  

If you are used to being a go-getter and have an ambitious personality, you may find it challenging to allow someone to pursue you. In fact, it may even raise your anxiety, so give yourself grace as you try on a new role in your dating life.