Dating yourself is one of the most fulfilling types of self-care you can practise and the good news is, you can do it whether you’re single or in a relationship!

Not only is taking yourself on dates fun, but it also helps boost confidence, improves your mindset, and cultivates a sense of independence and self-assuredness.

It’s important to remind ourselves that while having a partner can be nice, we also don’t NEED one in order to thrive and enjoy nice things.  Dating yourself also gives you an indicator of what you want from a relationship with someone else, as it shows you exactly how well you deserve to be treated and what this feels like.

But, what does dating yourself actually mean?

Dating yourself is simply putting aside dedicated alone time to do something for yourself that brings you joy, and helps you recharge and feel good. 

Let’s do a little exercise. Close your eyes and imagine your ‘perfect date’. What would you wear? Where would you go? What would you do? What would you eat and drink? What would make you feel good?

Okay! So, what’s stopping you from doing all that for yourself?

Carving out time for ourselves to do the things that we love looks after our mental, physical and emotional well-being. If we don’t do this, we can burn out pretty quickly and our mental, physical, and emotional health suffer. We actually become ineffective and less productive when it comes to our work, hobbies, and passion projects because we simply don’t have the energy or motivation. 

 But, how do you make time for dating yourself?

1. Schedule in your date night

   In order to make time for yourself, you have to MAKE time for yourself. It can be difficult to make yourself a priority, so put that shit on the calendar and hold yourself to it. 
   

2. Set boundaries

   Put yourself first. If you don’t want to attend a social event and instead just want to have a pizza and horror movie date by yourself – that’s okay. Learning to say ‘no’ to events, people, and situations we don’t really want to say ‘yes’ to is a huge part of caring for yourself.
   

3. Pamper yourself

    Incorporating self-care into your date night is basically a cheat code for keeping your mental and emotional health balanced. Not only are you having fun and reaping all the benefits, but you’re also looking after your own well-being in the process.

4. Make a plan

    Plan out exactly what you want to do on your date day or night in advance so that you’re not left guessing when the time comes. Pick out some movies, get some snacks, plan your dinner, the sky is the limit! By doing this, we minimize the chances of us bailing on ourselves.

5. Do some reflective writing or journaling

    A great way to plan out what your date will look like is by writing about your dream date in your journal, then taking the elements from that and translating them into real life. Journaling about the experience, how it made you feel, and what you want to achieve by dating yourself going forward is also great for self-awareness and growth. 

Just go for it! 

So, if you are looking for a way to offer yourself some love and care, this is it-an invitation to plan a date for yourself at least once a month just for yourself, even if you’re in a relationship! You deserve it!