Dating is a social stage of modern romantic relationships practised mainly in Western societies in which two individuals meet socially without the objective of each personally evaluating the other’s suitability as an eventual partner in a romantic relationship. It can be described as an extended process that involves a series of initial ‘ice breaking’ encounters in which the hope of developing an intimate relationship grows. As such it is considered as the first step to take in a relationship progression. The process of dating is undertaken in order to determine the potential dating partners. However, the end result of such dating processes can be disappointing and the individuals may sometimes feel discouraged from pursuing the relationship they initially set out for.

It has been seen that too many people have a negative view of dating and this often stems from a lack of early relationship experiences. The idea of dating is to have fun socialising interaction with others in one or more settings without any expectations being placed on the outcome of such interactions. This concept is generally understood to mean that relationships are entered into solely for the purposes of physical intimacy. In reality, the true nature of dating means that relationships progress through a mutual understanding of the individual and his or her likes and dislikes. So, understanding the true nature of dating means that the potential dating partner is evaluated on a variety of criteria by both the parties involved in the process of dating.

In essence, understanding the process of dating means that one person is being evaluated on their likes and dislikes and not based on a set of expectations that are imposed on them by the other person in the relationship. It is only after the initial assessment of the potential dating partners has been made, is a meaningful relationship established between the two individuals involved in the dating sequence. When these expectations are understood, it means that it is easy to progress through the dating sequence without the need to pressure either partner into feeling attracted to another individual based on a pre-existing attraction that has been detected in the first stages of dating. Rather, it makes sense for one or both individuals involved in the dating process to advance on their own terms and without the need for pressure from someone else in the relationship. Finally, when you are truly understanding the true nature of dating, you will be able to enjoy the process of dating without being attached to any outcome, which will ensure that the true nature of dating continues to remain unaffected and true.