Dating After Divorce: 3 Tips for Your Night Out!

Getting back into the dating arena after a divorce can feel very intimidating and confusing. If you have been married for 10, 20, or even 30 years, it has been a very long time since you have gone on a first date with anybody! With that said, we could all use useful tips and reminders during this transition. Here are three important things to keep in mind for your next date:

CLIP YOUR NOSE & EAR HAIRS:
Seriously, you need to put the time and effort into taking care of these unpleasant and unattractive hairs. When married, we sometimes get too comfortable and ultimately ignore and forget about these things, but when single again, it is extremely beneficial to address these unsightly hairs that are protruding from your body. Make sure you are using proper lighting when doing this, especially if you have light-colored hair. Those sneaky ear hairs can sometimes be hard to spot!

INVEST IN GUM:
Always have gum on hand. Pack some gum in your wallet, shirt pocket, purse, or anywhere else you can conveniently store it. Chances are, you have very pleasant breath when first meeting your date, as you surely showered and brushed your teeth beforehand. But what about after the date is over? What did you eat and drink during the date? Perhaps you drank some beers and snacked on some peanuts and cheese nachos? Or maybe you ate some garlic bread with a salad that was heavily coated with Italian dressing. Did you eat the fish of the day? Did you have a cup of coffee at the end of the date? All of these foods and drinks are going to kill the moment during an end-of-date kiss! Don’t let your first kiss be a stinky one! A first kiss can be a very important part of your first impressions of each other, so make it as great and epic as possible. Good breath is vital! If you don’t sneak a piece of gum in your mouth after you finish eating/drinking, then you are playing with fire! Just remember to remove your leftover gum from your pockets before you place your clothes in the washer!

DON’T TALK ABOUT YOUR EX:
One of the most common flaws with dating after divorce is the temptation to talk about your ex. If you need to vent about your former spouse on a first date, then you are simply not ready for a first date. A date is not supposed to be a therapy session, although it is possible that your date is also wanting to vent about an ex, in which case it apparently works out in your favor, but don’t count on this happening! Save your venting for your BFF or your dog.