By Suzanne Casamento
How many times have you heard your single friends say, “I’m never going to meet anyone”? or “There are no good singles in this city”?
Care to put a wager on that? Now you can challenge your friends to bust those myths by Fantasy Dating. Like in other Fantasy Sports, people join leagues, set stakes and compete to earn points. But when they Fantasy Date, singles earn points by dating. You score when you exchange numbers, receive texts, calls and go on dates.
Fantasy Dating takes the dread out of dating and replaces it with fun. Instead of worrying about things like, “Will he like me?” you focus on the points you need to catch up to your leaguemates.
If you’re ready to shift your dating mindset from “misery” to “awesome,” here’s how to get in the game.
Start by looking around.
There are quality singles everywhere. At the drugstore, farmer’s market, dog park, beach, local sporting events, coffee shop — wherever — there are good singles there. They may not look like underwear models or whatever version of perfect you’ve envisioned, but good, smart, considerate, funny single people do exist.
You just have to look up from your phone long enough to notice them.
You laugh, but think about it. Do you chat with your BFF as you select granola at the market? Do you tweet as you wait for your morning coffee? Do you update your Facebook status as you walk your dog?
If so, chances are, you’re walking by potential partners everywhere you go. So, rule number one is put the phone away and look around.
Related: Twitter Dating 101: Actions Speak Louder Than Tweets!
Get caught looking.
As you look around, when you see someone you find attractive, get caught looking. Brazen, we know, but if he or she doesn’t know you’re interested, how will they get the idea to approach you?
Be brave and smile.
Did you just think, “What if he or she doesn’t smile back?” Good question. First, the chances of that are slim. Nine out of 10 times, if you smile at someone or say, “Hi,” they will mirror you. It’s a natural reflex. But, back to the question – what if he or she doesn’t smile back? Then you know that’s not the person for you and you move on. After all, do you want to date someone who’s not friendly?
Ask a question.
Once you get the smile, you have a great opportunity to say, “Hi,” and ask a question. If you’re at the farmer’s market, ask, “Do you know if these carrots are organic?” If you’re at the coffee shop, say, “I don’t speak Starbucks. What do they call the biggest cup?” If you’re at the dog park, say, “Your dog is so cute! Is he a mix?”
Related: The New Dating Game
Give a compliment.
If you have trouble coming up with a quick question, give a compliment. Everyone loves to be complimented. Say, “That shirt is a gorgeous color,” “I love your watch,” or “Nice shoes!” A compliment will make the object of your eye feel good and give them an opening to continue talking with you.
But stay away from compliments on someone’s looks such as, “You’re gorgeous,” or “I love your eyes.” Even though those statements may be true, they may come off sounding cheesy. So, compliment something he or she chose not something he or she is.
When you follow these simple steps, you’ll get in the habit of being friendly and outgoing. Plus, as you meet people and date, you score Fantasy Dating points and get to kick Fantasy League butt!
The best part is, as you continue to engage with people, you’ll gain confidence. And confidence is sexy.
Suzanne Casamento is the creator of FantasyDatingGame.com. She launched Fantasy Dating after getting tired of hearing her single girlfriends complain about their boring love-lives. Since then, they have all dared to date. Suzanne is a dating expert, writer and speaker. Her mission is to empower singles to take chances, build confidence and find love.
