To many, the mere thought of hanging up their dating shoes, and sliding into comfy, cozy love slippers is thought in and of itself. You can close down your dating profile because you found someone!
In the early stages of falling in love, the unknown can be a rollercoaster of emotions. On one hand, you are all consumed by your newfound love, and on the other, you are all consumed by your new love. They don’t call it falling in love for anything! Those early days can turn you into an emotional mess. Your hormones are running fast and loose with your heart and head, producing an effect similar to being high on some drug. Your normal routine may be altered or disrupted, and you become consumed by your efforts in making this new relationship work. This can be frustrating, and often anxiety-producing time. You’re lowering your defenses and making yourself vulnerable to someone that has the ability to hurt you. But fear not! This is all a perfectly normal process in building a healthy relational connection.
Sometimes jumping into something headfirst is a great idea! But other times you need to know how warm the water is, how deep it goes, and if it’s clean. It’s hardly news that falling in love can take even the Michael Phelps of the dating world by surprise. But, if you are armed with some tips and tricks, it might make these completely exhilarating and exhausting time more balanced.
Here are some tips to try not to lose your head in these early stages
Tip 1: Don’t ditch your friends and family too much. Of course, they will understand that you are in a love bubble, but come up for air every now and again. They will help you process these complex emotions, and they make a wonderful supportive sounding board.
Tip 2: Understand that your body and mind has been invaded by a power higher than you: your hormones. So be gentle with yourself and your lover. After all, both of your hormones are in the front seat of the car, you’re bound to crash at some point
Tip 3: Don’t let responsibilities fall by the wayside. Try to keep your regular routine as best as possible.
Tip 4: Keep yourself healthy: mind, body, and spirit in perfect shape.
Tip 5: Don’t be afraid to communicate your fears or other areas of concern with your lover. It’s far better to get everything off your chest from the get-go than to hold it in or assume they can read your mind.
Tip 6: Don’t deny yourself the pleasure of falling in love. Let it happen and don’t try to hold everything back. On the flip side, don’t try to control or micromanage every aspect either. When you’re in a free fall there’s not much else to do, but enjoy the ride.
Tip 7: This too shall pass. There will be a time when your energies are not so frenetic, and things will relax into a normal, comfortable state.
