Part 4 was about practicing deeper conversations, this one’s about keeping the momentum going.

So you’ve made it past the small talk. Now what?

“Hi, how’s your day?”
“How’s your weekend going?”
“What are your plans for this weekend?”

They’re all polite, familiar, and easy to ask, but they usually end the same way.

So, you’ve got the right mindset. Now where do you actually meet people?

When people ask me where to meet someone, the assumption is usually that the right location is the missing piece.

It’s nice to smile and have someone smile back. For no reason other than we’re two strangers doing the same thing and acknowledging each other’s existence for a second.

Are they flirting, too? Or are they just being friendly? Nice? Polite?

Most people think flirting is one thing: seductive, sexy, maybe a little bold.

But that’s only one style of flirting. And for many people, it’s the least natural.

Flirting isn’t a test you pass or fail. It’s a social skill. And like any skill, we all start out as bumbling beginners.

But… it still feels awkward / weird / uncomfortable.

Perhaps you, too, feel like flirting is something other people do, especially if it’s been a while since you last dated anyone.

Part of the problem was my definition.

Does dating ever leave you spiraling: stuck in your head, overthinking a text, or wondering what that look meant?