You may have heard the advice: “You have to be a whole person before you can be in a relationship.” It’s usually delivered with the confidence of a universal truth (like the kind of advice that sounds deep, but rarely gets examined).

Winging it in dating can feel spontaneous and fun, but it often leads to mismatched connections. To answer, “So, what’re you looking for?” confidently, it helps to unpack what you truly want and what you're ready to share.