Exclusive Dating Versus Being in a Relationship:III

I think I'm ready—how do I make the transition from dating exclusively to being in a relationship?

It’s game time. So how do you get from point A to point B, without breaking out in hives or ghosting the person, because OMG suddenly “the talk” feels way too overwhelming. Being vulnerable? Yikes.

A lot of people are great at dating exclusively but then get a bit freaked out when a relationship goes deeper with a focus on merging lives,” my thought anyways. But the transition doesn't need to be scary. “It can be made through a spirit of curiosity and collaboration.” Translation: Open communication is key.

While at dinner, let them know how happy you've been with the way things are going, and—yes, this requires vulnerability—you think there's something real here.

You can wait for them to respond before taking the convo deeper—but don't be afraid to tell them how you really feel about them and your connection.

You could also try a more casual approach: "Hey, I've been so happy with things lately that I've found myself gushing about you to my friends. But I don't know what I should be calling you—what do you think?"

Either way, as long as you're honest about what you want, you're that much closer to getting it.

Uh, scary! What if I'm not ready for "the talk"?

Rejection sucks. I know. I myself constantly try to swerve any potential rejection scenarios—in fact, in most cases, I  ended up taking a friend's lead when it came to defining relationship.

But don’t take it from me; take it from an expert:  the strongest thing you can do is claim your power when it comes to dating.

You deserve to get what you want and need out of a relationship, especially since it’s something you’re spending so much emotional energy on.

 If the other person doesn’t want to be in a full-fledged relationship (or even date exclusive, for that matter), you can decide to keep the casual thing going or end it and move on.

“The most self-loving thing anyone can do is communicate where they are in life and what they want."


So even if the thought of taking the next step toward love with another person scares the bejesus out of you, at least you'll be showering yourself in the type of affection that matters most: yours.