The emphasis on the four aspects is never done in the same way, and the meaning and understanding of the emphasis varies from participant to participant. When casually dating, it is important to teach yourself and your partner how to listen properly. It is also important to understand that what we hear may not be what the other person wants to say. All communication styles are subjective.
To overcome these communication barriers, here are 10 important tips to improve conversations and decipher how casual dating couples communicate.
Practice active listening
Although it may be tempting to daydream or ignore stressful conversations, listening carefully to casual dating stories during conversations is important for your responsiveness and for the other person to feel heard. Half of communication is what we say, the rest is… how we feel throughout the whole process.
This is an underrated communication strategy. Showing interest in the other person through your body language and making an effort to understand can go a long way in steering the conversation in a positive direction.
Think before you answer
During casual dating, we often just frame an answer in our heads and wait for our turn to speak, without taking the time to pay much attention to what our partner is saying.
Ask for clarification
Always make sure you understand something without adding your interpretation. If something seems confusing or complicated, don’t be afraid to politely ask for a certification. You might be surprised at how many assumptions we make in our conversations. It’s better to be sure.
Separate feelings from thoughts
Establish your stance on the issue and what you want to achieve from the start, and then mo forward with that goal in mind. There is no room for strong emotional reactions in an argument. It is better to approach the issue with compassion, based on facts, than to escalate the situation into a verbal battle.
Avoid over-communicating
In relationships, people tend to under-communicate rather than over-communicate. But still, there can be too much of a good thing, especially in the ever-connected world we live in today. Some couples communicate online all day, while others prefer to talk in person. Making sure you and your casual dating partner agree on how much and in what ways you want to communicate, and being prepared to find a compromise that works for both of you, is the key to casual dating harmony.
Rewrite
If you’re unsure of how to word it, respond to your casual dating partner in your own words. Show him that you understand what he said and allow him to confirm or correct your interpretation of the words.
Take Space
If you need it to think about something more deeply, say so frankly. Sometimes ideas and arguments melt away with instant reactions. The best thing to do is to set them aside and think things through calmly.
Be Proactive
You and your casual dating partner are a casual dating couple. It’s about believing that together you can achieve anything. Always stay positive, even if you disagree. Casual dating is about supporting each other, and ultimately you both want the best for each other.
Think About Goals
You want to be a casual dating couple, achieve your common dreams and goals, and take each other to heights that were not possible for you alone. Always keep this at the center of all your discussions: remember what you each want and ultimately, you have common dreams for life.