How to Talk About Dating Intentions on Facebook Dating
- Know that effective communication is the most important thing.
Setting up online dating, especially through Facebook Dating, is a game of clarity. Owning your desire will help frame what could possibly be a healthy relationship. Be it casual all the way through to a long-term partnership, or even just for companionship—the clarity will hopefully save misunderstandings and time lost.
- First, Know Your Own Intentions
It is also a good thing to sit and think about what you want, before going and having any kind of debate about your intentions with someone else. Do you want something serious, or are you open to something more fun? Knowing what you want will go a long way toward your ability to say it to potential partners and seeing you both on the same page, respectively.
- Time of Bringing Up the Matter
Timing is everything, as they say. Bringing it up too soon is a turn-off, and you may wait too long and possibly mislead a person. You could wait until you’ve had at least one or two conversations with them and reached a certain rapport. Use natural opportunities—i.e., when the topic of relationships arises—to share what you are looking for.
- To speak plainly and truthfully
Clarity is essential when you need to state your intentions. State what you do or do not want, using simple and clear terms. Do not use unclear terms like “seeing where things go” since it can give rise to misunderstandings. Instead, say something like, “I am looking for a serious relationship,” or “I’m interested in something more casual right now.” Honesty will help you find a good match but also respect the other person’s time and feelings.
- Be Open to Their Response
A conversation on dating intentions should be two-way. Having shared your own, give a space to the other. They may have different ideas or expectations from it, which one must be able to listen to with an open mind and without judgment. And if the intentions are different from what each other was expecting, it is best that one finds that out early so informed decisions may be made either way, whether to pursue or not.
- Respecting boundaries, keeping the conversation positive
Not every conversation of intentions is going to go in the direction you may want, and that is just okay. It means being considerate with the other person’s feelings and boundaries. If they, too, aren’t looking for the same type of relationship, be sympathetic and kind in your response. Keep the tone of the conversation positive and never guilt-tripping or pressurizing. The best thing is to make sure you will end things nicely, even if it doesn’t happen smooth.
- If Necessary, go back to the Conversation
With time, the intentions of people start to change, more so in cases of relationships. You can always go back to that conversation if you have been dating for a while and feel this might be going toward a different direction regarding your relationship. Reiterate with your partner if the intention has changed or not, vice versa, enabling open communication, hence making it easier to progress in a relationship.