Mindfulness can be understood in different contexts. In meditation, for example, being mindful means paying attention to the present. In the context of dating, on the other hand, it is being conscious and proactive before going on any type of date. It means having a clear picture of what you really want and having the right thought process to act on it. Of course, that’s easier said than done. So, here are a few tips!

Set goals and expectations

Firstly, try to have specific criteria in mind when it comes to how you want your dating experience to go. You can have short-term goals, for example, keeping the conversation going for your first date and not having awkward silences. Or you can think about long-term goals like aiming for a serious relationship! Having goals and expectations help you stay proactive because you’re creating a dating experience that you can actually work towards.

Be strict with prospects

If you’re looking for a partner, don’t just look around everywhere. It will be way easier for you to find success if you curate potential partners strictly. Select an individual who, more or less, shares the same energy with you and has many similarities to you. This will be better than going around dating apps and matching with every single person you think is handsome or pretty. It’s not selfish at all to be mindful of what you want and catering to your standards from time to time!

Stay positive

Another thing to note is that you generally want to stay positive before, during, and after going on dates. When you’ve gone to many dates and have not found much success, it’s easy to start thinking negatively of yourself. But if you simply slide into negative thinking, you’re not doing yourself any favors as well. Stay positive helps you enjoy your time during dates so that even if you don’t technically match, you at least still have fun.

Be an active listener

If you think about it, being mindful revolves much around actually paying attention to the other person. Of course, this isn’t the only reason to actively listen. When your date knows that you are paying attention, he/she will surely appreciate it. This also doesn’t mean that you should listen the whole night and let them do all the talking. Ask questions, look for clarification, and don’t be distracted by your phone!

Still, be ready for rejection

Lastly, don’t forget that there’s always a chance you’ll get rejected at the end of the night. Be understanding about it and don’t take it personally. You have to remember that there’s nothing inherently wrong with you, rather, that the other person might just be looking for another type of person. Of course, rejection never really feels good. But you can view it from a bigger perspective and treat it as a stepping stone.

Have you ever wondered what dating is like in Singapore? Well, so have we! As much as we’d love to tell you that we have found the perfect formula of finding love in Singapore, sadly that isn’t the case.

Love is such a complicated topic that whenever there is a discussion about love, most of them just come to an inconclusive conclusion. Some people spend their whole lives looking for love and Singapore is no exception. Although there are some Singaporeans married to their careers, it does not mean that Singaporeans are not open to dating. Attraction plays a great deal in the dating game as Singaporeans admire it when you take good care of yourself.

Here is where most people are mistaken when it comes to looks, most people think that you have to look good to be attractive but in reality, you just really have to look like you take good care of yourself. Why shouldn’t you? Buying yourself quality clothing and taking good care of your body are signs of self-respect and once you learn how to respect yourself, others will slowly notice and even respect you for that.

The second thing you have to pay attention to is boundaries. Know how far you are expected to get yourself involved and how intimate you are supposed to get. Now before you go out in the dating scene, ask yourself this, why am I dating? Is it because of boredom, loneliness, adventure, or do you really just want to meet that significant other who you want to build your future with?

If your answer is the latter, then dating in Singapore is perfect. Although the casual fling is still possible, most people in Singapore do not like wasting their time, especially when it comes to relationships. People in Singapore are genuine. If they like you, they will show it and vice versa. Although it may get a little complicated later on, if your relationship is worth fighting for, then why not fight for it?

The last thing you need to know about dating a Singaporean and this is the most important part of all, where do you see yourself in the future with your partner? Direction is important in every relationship and this does not exclude Singapore. It’s not enough that you and your partner get into the same car, you have to drive towards your destination together.

Being in a relationship can bring a lot of joy and excitement into our lives. For the single ladies, there are so many fish in the sea; the options are endless. But for those who are already in a relationship, you may have wondered at some point whether the person you’re with is the right one for you. What if there are some things you chose to neglect? How are you going to make sure that he’s “the one”?

To help ease your mind, here are some signs that you are with an amazing guy and that you should be thankful for being in a relationship with a wonderful person.

1. He loves everything about you—even your dorky, awkward side

Not all girls have the same grace and confidence as Marilyn Monroe. Maybe you have an awkward laugh, you drool while asleep or you’re uncomfortable around so many people. Maybe you tell bad jokes or stutter when you feel nervous. Whatever it is that you don’t find adorable in yourself is perfectly adorable for him. The feeling that you don’t have to pretend when you’re with him is just the best feeling in the world.

2. He’s not scared to meet your dad

Many men cringe at the idea of meeting their girl’s parents, especially their dad. If your beau is actually excited to meet your folks, this is a good sign that you’re dating a keeper. A good boyfriend will never try to isolate himself from your family. Instead, he would be enthusiastic of the thought of him being part of your family—and be best buds with your dad.

3. He trusts you, and you trust him completely

Trust is the most important thing in any relationship, and it’s crucial that the both of you are putting in equal effort to keep that trust. If you can have a ladies’ night out without him interrogating you the next morning about what you did and who you are with, then you know you’re in a healthy relationship. Likewise, he doesn’t give you a reason to question who he’s texting with or why he comes home late. Whatever the reason he tells you, you know it’s true.

4. He doesn’t play multiple personalities

He doesn’t pretend to impress your parents, acts ‘cool’ when he’s around his or your friends or acts differently when you’re together to make you like him more. He is the same person all the time—consistent and honest. This is a good sign that the man you fell in love with will still be the same person fifty years from now.

Each of us has our own experiences of failed relationships, and it’s never a pleasant experience. Once you know you’re with the right person and you have an amazing relationship with him, value and keep it. While there are plenty of fish in the sea, it’s rare to find one that can be your lover and confidant.

The Pros and Cons of Online Dating

Online dating is truly an entertaining way to connect with people you never thought of communicating with otherwise. In fact, it often aids in finding partners who are both good-natured and gorgeous. However, the percentage of the tragic stories related with online dating has grown alarmingly. The presence of sexual abusers, hackers, cyberbullies, and criminals in online dating sites has deteriorated its genuine essence. Here, we’ve listed down some of the pros and cons of engaging in online dating sites to help you decide whether or not getting into one is worth the risk.

Pros of Online Dating

1. You no longer need to visit bars or clubs to meet a potential partner.

One of the substantial benefits of online dating is that people can already do away with wandering in bars or any other locations just to find a potential partner. Online dating is open to all social media users, and communications, exchanging of photos, taking calls, and messaging is possible, too. The data provided by the potential partner also helps in deciding whether or not you should meet up or date the person.

2. You are provided with a diverse selection of a prospective partner.

Millions of users are signed up on various online dating forums, making it a remarkable opportunity to select someone from a large number of potential partners. In just a single day, a user can already communicate with more than a hundred potential dates without leaving their house.

3. You get to be surprised on your first date.

A first date between an online match is surprising and great in many ways. It provides so much potential since you already know that you have some things in common. The date may exceed your expectations, or incredibly disappoint you – especially if you’ve set higher expectations, knowing that you and the other person are a perfect match in many areas.

Cons of Online Dating

1. You are not completely safe in online dating.

Although online dating forums serve as a good avenue to meet new people, it’s possible for some to be less honest and portray their selves as something they are not online. It’s quite easy to fake profiles on such sites, which is why it’s crucial to exercise caution when you’re arranging to meet someone from an online dating site. A lot of people have met offline only to be physically harmed, kidnapped, or even murdered.

2. You are not sure if the other person is really emotionally involved.

Other than safety, you’re not also sure if the other person is really sincere in getting to know you better. He or she might just be playing around with you, and just wanted to meet for fun and excitement. Gaging a person’s sincerity without meeting in person is quite difficult, and by that time, it might be too late. So be careful not to fall for someone before meeting them in person. Remember, our online personas tend to be the ideal version of ourselves rather than the real one.

Although joining online dating forums seem tempting because of the ease and option it provides to its users, the negative outcomes it might bring are still far more serious. Not having your date work out the day you wanted it to be is the best case scenario, but being harmed or losing your life because of your date is something that’s irreversible.

When the guy has been courting you from some time now and all of a sudden you feel all different sorts of emotions. But how do you know if it’s the right time to commit already? Here are five tell-tale signs to finally take the plunge to commitment:

1. You get butterflies in your stomach at the mere mention of his name. This is just like being infatuated – only this time, it is longer. The constant knot in the stomach progresses even when you have actually known the guy pretty well.

2. You fix your schedule to accommodate his. When you don’t mind sleeping a bit later or waking up a bit earlier just so you could talk to him, then it’s the real deal. Even without him asking, you adjust your schedule for him. Because while you do value time, its definition has evolved from me-time to me-with-you time.

3. You think of ways to show appreciation. You suddenly unleash your creativity in showing him your appreciation. You take note of how he takes his coffee or of what his favorite burger snack is. You want to thank him over and over again for all those sweet gestures he has done for you. In return, it brings you happiness when you do things for him.

4. You make effort to communicate. You always find time to reply quickly to his messages through text or web chat. No matter how busy you are, sending him a message is still a priority. Your hands are always itching to text him. Sometimes, you can’t even wait for his call. You find yourself speed dialing his number when you have the opportunity.

5. You smile at the most mundane things about him. You laugh at his silliest jokes. You like his mannerisms. You think he’s attractive even when he’s sweaty. Smiling at the ordinary things about him is simply love!

6. You recognize, but don’t mind, his weaknesses. Having known him for some time has bared his strengths and weaknesses to you. When you feel like you can live and more so enjoy his weaknesses (probably the way he is willing to live with yours), you ultimately love the guy.

7. Finally, you realize you are the happiest when you are with him. You can’t seem to get enough of him, even after some time of seeing each other. When you feel that wonderful sense of belongingness, then yes – you love the guy without doubt!

It takes more than just love to keep a relationship happy and strong. For a relationship to last, you and your partner should always treat each other respectfully. No woman should allow her man to ridicule her for the sake of his contentment. It is important to recognize the signs that he respects you because trust, love, and respect are the key ingredients to a healthy and long-lasting relationship.

1. He Listens To You

If your boyfriend listens when you talk and responds appropriately, that’s a clear sign of attentiveness and respect. When a person truly loves you, your thoughts greatly matters for him because this is the only way for him to know what you have in mind and can truly please you.

2. He Lets You Feel Wanted

Organizing time spent between friends and lovers is a tricky thing for most guys. In most cases, guys don’t want to skip boys’ night out for their girlfriends nor bring you with him while hanging out with friends. However, if he cancels a night out or welcomes you to his circle every once in a while, you can almost guarantee that he’s a keeper.

3. He Teases You Cutely, Not Cruelly

Do you remember when your mother used to tell you that when a boy teases you, it’s because he likes you? While the same thing applies to adults, your man’s jokes on you should not hurt or offend you. If you become the constant subject of his jokes or he teases you in a way that everyone could hear, it’s an obvious sign that he doesn’t respect you.

4. He Shows Up On time

Nothing could be more frustrating than waiting for someone who’s notoriously late. If a man cannot put in the extra effort to be somewhere on time for you, take this as a warning sign. Discuss this with him. If he still doesn’t improve, consider the obvious—he simply doesn’t care.

5. He Gives You Your Freedom

If your beau lets you live your life the way you want it and doesn’t have objections with you spending time with your friends regularly, it means he respects and trusts you. Although he should want to be with you, he should also respect your individuality and independence.

Love and respect should go hand in hand. Without the latter, it’s difficult to sustain a lasting relationship. Like any other types of relationship (e.g. parents-daughter/son relationship, employer-employee relationship, teacher-student relationship, etc.), respect makes two different persons/parties live harmoniously together.