It is now autumn, which means most people will be staying in more and going out less. And what better way to stay home than to stream new series/ movies or binge old favorites? This October, Netflix and HBO Max have everything you need to binge-watch the right way. From Yvonne Orji’s HBO comedy special A Whole Me to the highly-anticipated third season of Netflix’s Love Is Blind, October’s got you covered.
So grab your blanket and check out all that’s new and exciting on Netflix and HBO Max this month.
What’s New on Netflix: October 2022
October 1
17 Again
30 Minutes or Less
60 Days In, season 3
Any Given Sunday
Barbie: It Takes Two, season 2
Call Me by Your Name
Charlotte’s Web (2006)
Chocolat
City Slickers
The Color Purple
Gladiator
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
I Love You, Man
Labyrinth
Land of the Lost
Last Seen Alive
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
National Lampoon’s European Vacation
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Ocean’s Eleven
Ocean’s Thirteen
Ocean’s Twelve
Point Break (1991)
Risky Business
Robin Hood
Runaway Bride
Rush Hour
Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 3
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Sex and the City 2
Sex and the City: The Movie
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie
Vegas Vacation
Walking Tall
Wedding Crashers
Yes Man
October 2
Forever Queens — Netflix Series
October 3
Chip and Potato, season 4 — Netflix Family
Jexi
October 4
Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester — Netflix Comedy
October 5
Bling Empire, season 3 — Netflix Series
High Water — Netflix Series
Jumping From High Places — Netflix Film
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone — Netflix Film
Nailed It!, season 7 — Netflix Series
The Fight for Justice: Paolo Guerrero — Netflix Series
The Trapped 13: How We Survived the Thai Cave — Netflix Documentary
Togo — Netflix Film
October 6
Aftershock: Everest and the Nepal Earthquake — Netflix Documentary
The Joys and Sorrows of Young Yuguo — Netflix Documentary
October 7
Conversations With a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes — Netflix Documentary
Derry Girls, season 3 — Netflix Series
Doll House — Netflix Film
Glitch — Netflix Series
Kev Adams: The Real Me — Netflix Comedy
Luckiest Girl Alive — Netflix Film
Man on Pause — Netflix Series
The Midnight Club — Netflix Series
The Mole — Netflix Series
Oddballs — Netflix Family
Old People — Netflix Film
The Redeem Team — Netflix Documentary
Tiger & Bunny 2, Part 2 — Netflix Anime
October 9
Missing Link
October 10
LEGO Ninjago, season 4
Crystallized, part 2
Spirit Rangers — Netflix Family
October 11
The Cage — Netflix Series
DEAW#13 Udom Taephanich Stand-up Comedy Show — Netflix Comedy
Iliza Shlesinger: Hot Forever — Netflix Comedy
Island of the Sea Wolves — Netflix Documentary
October 12
Belascoarán, PI — Netflix Series
Blackout
Easy-Bake Battle — Netflix Series
The Nutty Boy — Netflix Family
Wild Croc Territory — Netflix Series
October 13
Dead End: Paranormal Park, season 2 — Netflix Family
Exception — Netflix Anime
The Playlist — Netflix Series
The Sinner, season 4: Percy
Someone Borrowed — Netflix Film
Sue Perkins: Perfectly Legal — Netflix Series
October 14
Black Butterflies — Netflix Series
The Curse of Bridge Hollow — Netflix Film
Everything Calls for Salvation — Netflix Series
Holy Family — Netflix Series
Mismatched, season 2 — Netflix Series
Take 1 — Netflix Series
October 15
Blippi’s Spooky Spell Halloween
Under the Queen’s Umbrella — Netflix Series
October 16
Dracula Untold
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
October 17
Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant — Netflix Family
October 18
Gabriel Iglesias: Stadium Fluffy Live From Los Angeles — Netflix Comedy
LiSA Another Great Day — Netflix Documentary
Somebody Feed Phil, season 6 — Netflix Series
Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 3 — Netflix Series (new episodes weekly)
October 19
The Green Glove Gang — Netflix Series
Love Is Blind, season 3 — Netflix Series (new episodes weekly)
Notre-Dame — Netflix Series
The School for Good and Evil — Netflix Film
The Stranger — Netflix Film
October 21
28 Days Haunted — Netflix Series
Barbarians II — Netflix Series
Descendant — Netflix Documentary
From Scratch — Netflix Series
High: Confession of an Ibiza Drug Mule — Netflix Series
Oni: Thunder God’s Tale — Netflix Family
Pokémon Ultimate Journeys — Netflix Family
October 22
LOL Surprise! Winter Fashion Show
October 23
Franco Escamilla: Eavesdropping — Netflix Comedy
October 24
The Chalk Line — Netflix Film
October 25
Barbie Epic Road Trip — Netflix Family
Blade of the 47 Ronin
Fortune Feimster: Good Fortune — Netflix Comedy
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities — Netflix Series
October 26
Fugitive: The Curious Case of Carlos Ghosn — Netflix Documentary
The Good Nurse — Netflix Film
Hellhole — Netflix Film
Robbing Mussolini — Netflix Film
October 27
Cici — Netflix Film
Daniel Spellbound — Netflix Family
Dubai Bling — Netflix Series
Earthstorm — Netflix Documentary
Family Reunion: Part 5 — Netflix Family
Hotel Transylvania 2
Romantic Killer — Netflix Anime
October 28
All Quiet on the Western Front — Netflix Film
The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself — Netflix Series
Big Mouth, season 6 — Netflix Series
Drink Masters — Netflix Series
I Am a Stalker — Netflix Documentary
If Only — Netflix Series
My Encounter With Evil — Netflix Documentary
Wendell & Wild — Netflix Film
Wild is the Wind — Netflix Film
October 29
Deadwind, season 3 — Netflix Series
What’s new on HBO Max: October 2022
October 1
Æon Flux, 2005 (HBO)
Along Came A Spider, 2001 (HBO)
Bad News Bears, 2005 (HBO)
Bad Teacher, 2011
Before I Fall, 2017 (HBO)
Before Mickey Mouse: A History of American Animation
Black Nativity, 2013 (Director's Cut) (HBO)
Blackthorn, 2011 (HBO)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, 1969
C.R.A.Z.Y., 2005
Call Me By Your Name, 2017
Century of Animation Showcase: 1922, 2022
Charlie St. Cloud, 2010 (HBO)
Christmas in Connecticut, 1945
Coneheads, 1993 (HBO)
Disclosure, 1994 (HBO)
District 9, 2009 (HBO)
Down Terrace, 2009 (HBO)
Dude Where's My Car?, 2000 (HBO)
Eyimofe (This Is My Desire), 2020
Fair Game, 2010 (HBO)
Federico Fellini's Intervista, 1987
Frank, 2014 (HBO)
Freedomland, 2006 (HBO)
Grand Piano, 2013 (HBO)
Hoosiers, 1986 (HBO)
Hot Summer Nights, 2017 (HBO)
Hotel Mumbai, 2018 (HBO)
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, 1988 (HBO)
Jumper, 2008 (HBO)
Juno, 2007 (HBO)
Kiss The Girls, 1997
La ronde, 1950
Let's Be Cops, 2014
Little Women, 1933
Luci del Varieta, 1950
Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music, 2019
Meet the Spartans, 2008 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Miracle in Milan, 1951
My Best Friend's Girl, 2008 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Navy Seals, 1990 (HBO)
Nightcrawler, 2014 (HBO)
No Place on Earth, 2012 (HBO)
Nothing But Trouble,1991 (HBO)
Oliver!, 1968
Open Season 2, 2008
Open Season, 2006
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, 2016 (HBO)
Promised Land, 2012 (HBO)
Rock Dog, 2016 (HBO)
Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob!
S.W.A.T. (Movie), 2003
Silent Hill: Revelation 3D, 2012 (HBO)
Slacker, 1990
Spotlight, 2015 (HBO)
Terms of Endearment, 1983 (HBO)
The Adventures of Pinocchio, 1996
The American President, 1995
The Bad News Bears, 1976 (HBO)
The Bad News Bears Go To Japan, 1978 (HBO)
The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training, 1977 (HBO)
The Bridge on the River Kwai, 1957
The Eye, 2008 (HBO)
The Haunting In Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia , 2013
The Perfect Host, 2010 (HBO)
The Perfect Storm, 2000
The Swimming Pool, 1969
The Two Faces of January, 2014
The Witch, 2015 (HBO)
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, 2012 (HBO)
To The Wonder, 2012
Twisted, 2004 (HBO)
Waist Deep, 2006 (HBO)
Whose Line is It Anyway?, Season 9
Yvonne Orji: A Whole Me, Special Premiere (HBO)
October 2
101 Places to Party Before You Die, Season 1
Housing Complex C
October 5
Eraser: Reborn, 2022
October 6
Folklore, Max Original Seasons 2 Premiere
Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler, Max Original Season 3 Premiere
Wahl Street, Max Original Season 2 Premiere
October 7
Habla Loud, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
October 8
Straight Out of Nowhere: Scooby-Doo Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog, 2021
October 9
We Baby Bears S1E
October 10
Avenue 5, Season 2 Premiere (HBO)
Oh Hell, Max Original Season 1 Premiere
October 11
38 at the Garden, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
October 14
Blippi Wonders, Season 2A
Fixer Upper: The Castle
October 15
Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!, 2022
October 17
Mr. Pickles
The Vow, Part Two Documentary Series Premiere (HBO)
October 18
Batwheels, Season 1B Premiere
By Design: The Joe Caroff Story
Mama's Boy, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Meet the Batwheels, Season 1A
October 19
Year One: A Political Odyssey, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
October 20
Legacy, Max Original Season 1 Premiere
The Fastest Woman on Earth, 2022
October 21
Restoration Road with Clint Harp Season 3
Teen Titans Go! Season 7D
Vale Dos Esquecidos, Max Original Season 1 Premiere
October 23
La Pitchoune: Cooking in France Season 1
October 24
Green Lantern: Beware My Power, 2022
October 26
A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
October 28
Garcia, Max Original Season 1 Premiere
October 30
The Lost Kitchen, Season 3
The White Lotus, Season 2 Premiere (HBO)
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A Cosmic Guide To Love In 2025: What The Stars Have In Store For Your Heart
The most important lesson we are learning about love in 2025 is change. Many major Astrological transits are happening this year, and these will last for years to come. As we walk through this new year, we are being asked to let go of the things we can’t control, and give more grace to the things we can. This is a year of a new perspective on love, finding gratitude in the little things, and watching as the universe supports us and the dreams we build for ourselves here.
At the beginning of the year, we are being shown how significant 2025 will be for love. From March 1, 2025, until April 12, 2025, Venus, the planet of love and relationships, will be retrograde. Venus goes retrograde approximately every 18 months and hasn’t been retrograde since the Summer of 2023. With love taking a step back at the beginning of the year, we move through a time of understanding the emotional world better and letting go of trying to control outcomes here.
What Does 2025 Have in Store for Love?
It’s time to refocus your relationship priorities overall, and with this retrograde happening in both Aries and Pisces, Aries being the first sign of the zodiac and Pisces being the last; there is a chapter we are closing and a new one we are walking into.
Another significant factor that is influencing relationships this year, is Jupiter’s entry into Cancer. Jupiter brings blessings, abundance, luck, and expansion, and in water sign Cancer, brings these gifts to your emotions. Cancer rules emotional safety, foundations, close loved ones, family, support, and emotional well-being, and with Jupiter in this sign from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026, we experience blessings in stability within love. This is a good year for building stronger foundations in love, aligning with those who are loyal and supportive, knowing what you need emotionally, and being a lot clearer on it.
Letting Go of the Past: The Astrological Theme of 2025
Overall, the guideline for the year when it comes to love is to focus on the bigger picture and let things work themselves out without forcing them to. Magic will come in for you this year when you can assess your needs and wants, let go of illusions or smoke and mirrors, and focus on the things you want for yourself rather than what you don’t. Your focus and beliefs on love are the priority right now, and things will be coming full circle for the better.
Read below to see your personal 2025 love forecast. Read for your sun, moon, and rising signs.
What Does Your Zodiac Sign Say About Your 2025 Love Life?
ARIES
2025 is one of the more significant years for you, Aries. A lot of the major transits are happening in your sign, which includes Venus retrograde in Aries at the beginning of the year, Neptune in Aries from March 2025 until 2039, and Saturn in Aries from May 2025 until 2028. Not to mention, Chiron, the wounded healer is currently in your sign until 2027.
What this means for you when it comes to love, is that you have learned a lot about where you want to be here, and it’s the year to implement more of these tools and knowledge of the heart.
This year for love is about honoring your integrity and what you need personally to thrive in life and creating that space to let it in. You need someone who will be there for you through whatever you are experiencing in life and not someone who adds to these challenges. This year is a time of rising above, and choosing better for yourself.
TAURUS
2025 for you when it comes to love, is all about perspective and taking better care of your heart, Taurus. Uranus, the planet of change, rebellion, progress, and upheaval, has been in your sign since 2019, and this year you get a break from all of the surprises. From Jul. 7, 2025, until Nov. 7, 2025, Uranus leaves your sign and enters Gemini, giving your mind and your heart some time to breathe.
This year you are being given the opportunity to see things for what they are, rather than what you fear them to be. You are able to see your relationship dynamics clearer, allowing you to feel more confident in what you are building and creating for yourself in this area of your life. What you are working on this year is letting go of overthinking, and allowing things to play out the way they are meant to in love.
GEMINI
This year you are feeling in balance when it comes to love, Gemini. Relationships are important to you in life overall, as you are a relationship-oriented sign, but it can be difficult at times to keep the balance and perspective here. This year, with lucky Jupiter in your sign until June, you have the opportunity to be blessed with some fortunate circumstances personally and within romance.
You are feeling yourself this year, and this is attracting you success and new opportunities within love.
Uranus will also be in your sign this year from Jul. 7 until Nov. 7, and some surprises are in store for you. Pay attention to what happens in your love life during this period, as similar themes will be coming back around for you when Uranus officially enters its Gemini transit from 2026 - 2032. Overall, this year is about balancing what’s coming and going in love, and finding your peace within your inner confidence for it all.
CANCER
2025 for you, Cancer, is about stability in love. You are growing emotionally from the ground up, and are feeling a sense of support, confidence, romance, and receptivity in your love life this year. You are one of the lucky signs of 2025, and this is due to Jupiter, the planet of blessings, entering your sign from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026. While Jupiter is in your sign, your life expands and you are able to see the gifts of your world that may have been harder to come by previously.
This is a year of spending more time with your loved ones and feeling more heard and supported emotionally. Safety and security are especially important to you this year, and you are only entertaining the people who feel that way about you and provide that. Many Cancers will be expanding their families this year or developing a long-term relationship, and overall this is a year of feeling stronger when it comes to love.
LEO
When it comes to love this year for you, Leo, it’s about trusting your intuition and listening more to what your heart is telling you. There are not many major transits happening in Leo in 2025, which means there is a lot of room to grow, but you may be feeling a lack of support or encouragement to do so. A lot of Leos are taking a step back to look at where they are currently in love, and yearning for some change and a new direction here.
Neptune will be in your 9th house of adventure for most of this year, and you are being asked to get inspired and do things differently, but don’t take unnecessary risks in love that may not serve you in the long run.
It can be easy to get lost in the fantasy of love rather than the actual reality you’ll live in here, and taking more time to understand yourself, your relationships, and the dynamics in your love life will be necessary. Overall, your heart is healing this year and you are moving away from the past and creating your new future.
VIRGO
This year when it comes to love, you are going through changes that are aligning you closer to your goals and dreams here, Virgo. You are focused on making things work that you want to see bloom, and also letting go of putting effort into people that aren’t reciprocating the same energy. With the North Node entering your sister sign Pisces and the South Node moving into your sign from Jan. 11, 2025, until Jul. 26, 2026, you are doing a lot of letting go over the next year.
However, with the North Node being in your 7th house of love, new doors and gifts are also opening up for you and your partnerships. The more you can let go of perfection and overworking your mind and your heart, the more blessings you will experience when it comes to love this year. In 2025, you also have two Eclipses in your sign, and there are overall a lot of changes Virgos are moving through this year. Your main guidance for love is to stand by the things that serve your heart and release yourself from what burdens it.
LIBRA
Love is coming to fruition for you this year, Libra. You have been through a lot in your personal life these past few years, and walking into 2025, you are ready for some positive change. This is a year of feeling in balance with your personal goals and dreams, and what you are experiencing romantically and financially as well. Relationship dynamics are serving you and your sense of abundance, and many gifts are coming your way in love this year.
With Neptune, Chiron, and Saturn all being in your 7th house of love, your love life and partnerships are the main focus for you in 2025.
You are moving through changes, overcoming previous obstacles, and bringing back the dreamy energy here. With Chiron in the 7th, you are still doing some healing of the heart, but with Neptune now entering, it all feels a little more romantic and spiritual at the same time. This year is about believing in the impossible in love, taking care of yourself, and allowing someone else to take care of you as well.
SCORPIO
This year is all about opportunity when it comes to love, Scorpio. You have your eyes on the prize and are focused on what you want for yourself, but also how you want to show up for love as well. You have goals and intentions that you are setting for your love life this year, and a lot of them reflect the passion and strength you are feeling as you enter the year. Vesta is in your sign this year until September, and you have a spark within you that is a magnet for success and love. You are walking forward confidently and are feeling inspired, sexy, and magical this year.
This is a very sensual and powerful year for you, and this energy is being reflected in the relationship experiences you are having. Jupiter also enters your 9th house of adventure halfway through the year, and there is something special about the trips you are taking and the risks you are taking in love. Overall, this is a year of doing things your way and attracting love to you through your inner confidence and charisma.
SAGITTARIUS
This is a beautiful year of feeling balanced and abundant in love, Sagittarius. There is a lot of energy coming in and you are giving a lot of love as well. This sense of synergy you are feeling within your love life this year has a lot to do with Juno, the asteroid of soulmates, in your sign from Feb. 19 - Apr. 15. Your people are coming in and you have options this year, Sag.
This is a year of feeling loved for the inspiring, outgoing, and unique being you are, and meeting more people who match your energy.
Saturn also enters your 5th house of romance this year, and you are learning a lot through your experiences with others. You are learning how to be more confident in who you are and what you want for yourself and also recognizing the importance of making more time for fun and playful experiences. This is the year to see love as a more light-hearted experience and to not take yourself too seriously.
CAPRICORN
You are letting things come to you when it comes to love this year, Capricorn. You are feeling beautiful, capable, and worthy, and you are receiving the gifts that come from this sense of confidence and patience. This past year, you were setting a lot of new goals for yourself and your relationships, and in 2025, you are experiencing the results of these efforts.
Jupiter moves into your sister sign Cancer from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026, and enters your 7th house of love, partnerships, romance, marriage, and harmony. Your love life and experience of it all are expanding this year, and benevolent Jupiter is sending blessings to this area of your life. This is a year of things coming full circle for you in love, and you feel less confused about it all and more sure of yourself and what is becoming for you here.
AQUARIUS
Love is a highlight for you this year, Aquarius. You are coming together with another, and many Aquarius’ will be forming new relationships or growing within a strong relationship. You are experiencing the fruition of your dreams in love, and are also able to heal and let go of past emotional experiences that have been overwhelming for you in the past.
The North Node enters your 12th house of closure this year, and you are motivated towards change, cleaning house, and releasing the cobwebs of the past.
You are walking into new emotional experiences with less baggage and self-doubt, and are experiencing a fresh start in love. This is a year of asking for what you need emotionally and receiving it. Love is coming in for you in harmonious and magical ways, and you are rewriting your story in love in 2025.
PISCES
You are moving through a lot of changes when it comes to love in 2025, Pisces. This is a year of closure, healing, and giving yourself a fresh start, and the way you enter the year will be a lot different than the way you end it. The North Node of Destiny enters your sign this year, and the South Node of Karma enters your 7th house of love. So, a lot of your focus this year is on your personal goals and path, and there may be some neglect or lack of focus on your relationships.
This can create some discord with those close to you, and your guidance for this year is to try to balance the personal successes and wins you are experiencing, with the love changes that also need your attention right now. Know that what leaves your life this year is being replaced by something better, and also know that your healing doesn’t need to have a timeline and you can take as much time as you need to grow. Overall, you are turning a new page in love in 2025.
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New year, new dating style. Courtesy of a former sugar baby.
Being a sugar baby had its (obvious) perks, but the most significant ones didn’t center around the material benefits. To date, I have a bigger appreciation for the lessons I’ve learned and applied them to my dating life.
Dating men of higher social status shortened my tolerance for a lot of things I was convinced were normal. I blamed the universe for attracting undesirable men when it was my fault for allowing undesirable behavior. An interesting dichotomy between those guys and sugar daddies was the treatment I accepted.
It was easier to put my foot down with men of opulence because their privilege meant there was no limit to meeting my desires. Plus, recognizing my own worth made them (the good ones) want to treat me with the same high regard.
I’ll admit you don’t NEED to be an SB to enhance your dating style, but that’s the path I journeyed. It taught me how to be gracefully tough on men based on the simple fact that I’m invaluable. I’ll never convince anyone to be an SB, but feel free to pick a few gems I learned that might take your 2025 dating style to the next level.
Don’t overdo it by showing gratitude.
Let’s stop praising men for the bare minimum.
Yes, it’s okay to make a man feel affirmed but don’t let those affirmations come off too intensely, especially for things that require minimal effort. Don’t tell him about your ex never opening the passenger door for you, don’t brag about him being "The One" because he texted to make sure you got home safely, and most definitely don’t offer up the cat just because he paid a $150 dinner bill (give it because you want to, not out of obligation).
To be honest, I barely even say thank you when a man finds me attractive. “You are so beautiful.” I would respond, “Aww, you’re so sweet.” When he holds the door open, I graze his arm and smile.
Showing too much excitement about the bare minimum strokes his ego and draws a ceiling, which he doesn’t feel he needs to surpass. It tells him you’re not used to regular treatment, so you’ll be grateful for anything. Why do more than necessary? I like my men reflecting at the end of our date, thinking, “What can I do to impress her?”
Don’t stop having manners, though. Just keep it simple and move on.
There’s no such thing as “dating for potential.”
Hold my hand with this one.
There comes a time when the word “potential” shouldn’t be a part of your dating vocabulary. It’s nothing more than the encouragement of false hope. He’s not flaky with time because his schedule is too busy between balancing family and work. It’s because you’re not important enough to prioritize making time for.
He’s not stingy on dates because he’s having a rough time handling all his financial responsibilities. It’s because he’d rather spend his money on things that don’t involve you.
Trust me when I say men don’t date with potential in mind. Many of them hold themselves in very high regard with an “I can do better” mindset, and so should you. There’s A LOT of weight in the saying, “If he wanted to he would.” So stay away from Mr. Shoulda Coulda Woulda because, at the end of the day, he didn’t.
*P.S. If he ever says he doesn’t deserve you, he’s not being sheepishly humble. Take his word for it and run.
Do NOT be afraid to say no.
How many times have you put yourself through something you didn’t want to do based on feeling obligated? You compromised yourself in order to please the person you’re dating because it seemed like the easier option. Let me just remind you of the old saying, “Nothing good in life comes easy.”
I like comparing men to children, not to demean them but to draw similarities. Children often like to push and see how much they can get away with until the parent says no. Once you allow them to get away with one thing, they’ll nudge the limits to see how often they can skate by.
Dating is just like this. Get comfortable giving rejection. It can be an uncomfortable concept for some, so consider saying no and following it with a light reason. For example, “Do you want to come over and watch Netflix?” “No, I don’t feel comfortable going to strangers’ houses.” If his response is anything but understanding with a Plan B, on to the next.
Those boundaries were created to protect you. Any man who respects you will respect them too.
Don’t lay all your cards on the table.
When a man asks, “So what exactly are you looking for?” The vaguest response comes to mind.
It’s a common mistake to think men (not all) ask questions for unselfish reasons. That one, especially, is basically like asking for cheat codes to a game. Describing your idea of a perfect man, dating intentions, etc. allows him to know who he needs to morph himself into in order to get what he wants. Enter love bombing, physical intimacy, delusions of potential, then ghosting.
I’ve said the below on a few first dates and wasn’t surprised by how quickly the guys weeded themselves out.
"I’ve been having fun figuring things out as time goes on. There are times when I love going out to meet new people and times when I love cuddling up on the couch. It depends on how I’m feeling.”
I just said a whole lotta nothing, leaving it up to him to decipher. It’s open-ended, which forces him to show his intentions and let things play out naturally with as little manipulation as possible.
The first date defines how he views you.
This is where all those conversations leading up to this day come into play.
The perfect first date doesn’t only have to consist of 5-star dining and lavish wine collections. Those are merely perks. The perfect first date is valued based on how much effort he put in to show he’s been listening.
You’ve been dropping subtle hints that tulips are your favorite flowers. Did he show up empty-handed? You shared your discomfort with driving to far places at night. Did he book a 9 p.m. reservation somewhere 30 minutes away? You told him about your new venture into veganism. Did he take you to his favorite steakhouse?
These aren’t small things and they’re DEFINITELY not things for you to take on as a challenge. These could be easy signs of a life full of selfishness and laziness if shrugged off by the belief you should be satisfied with him making time for you.
Will taking my advice find you a husband faster? Who knows? But, ultimately, dating isn’t supposed to be an earnest search for a man. It should be a time of personal growth while sorting through experiences to find a partner who will appreciate the valuable woman you are.
Having high standards for yourself doesn’t make you difficult or unreasonable. To the right man, it definitely won’t make you undateable. Like I said before, nothing good in life comes easy.
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