Why Dating Is Important Before a Relationship

Getting acquainted on a more intimate level is the main goal of dating. Dating also gives a couples time to test out the sparks to make sure they fly. Taking time while dating to understand who your partner is and how you interact as a couple will help you decide if it is just a fling or if you are on your way to becoming Official.

6 Reasons Dating is Important

1. Friendship is Foundational

Friends enjoy each other’s company, share similar interests, trust with secrets, take care of one another during difficult times, and celebrate in times of triumph. Everyone has the person they call when something extraordinary happens, the first person you tell everything to. Friends promote personal growth and help each other fulfill goals. Dating is important because your partner should teach you new, exciting things, and together you can explore the world around you. Maybe he can teach you how to cook a new dish, she can take you to a place you have never been before, or together you can learn a new skill. Experiencing new things can open your eyes to new perspectives and create a tighter bond.  

It is not a coincidence that all these attributes you find in a friend also describe a successful romantic relationship. Compassionate love is based on these feelings of camaraderie; you like being around this person, and it is a stepping stone to passionate love; you can’t keep your hands off them.  

2. Learn Healthy Communication

Dating helps us learn how to communicate effectively with a partner. Listening patiently is an important part of healthy communication because it promotes understanding, and without it, conflicts will occur. When arguments do happen, you must stay calm and think before you speak. Words do, in fact, hurt, and disagreements are not opportunities to tear down your partner but instead are learning experiences to solve an issue or work on problem-solving skills that will benefit your relationship as it continues to grow.

3. Embracing Challenges, Overcoming Obstacles

Dating will show you how well your partner can handle unexpected and challenging situations. The loss of a loved one, unemployment, sickness, or unplanned pregnancy is just some examples of life’s unpredictable challenges. Trials and how well you navigate them together will reveal if your relationship can stand the test of time. It would help if you had someone calm and understanding when things get tough— a partner who will be strong and supportive and help you weather the storm.

4. Meeting Friends and Family

You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep and the type of people they let into their lives. One benefit from meeting friends and family when dating is observing how your partner acts around people they feel comfortable with. When individuals are surrounded by people they love, and you can catch a glimpse of them when they are unapologetically themselves. It will be about having fun instead of trying to impress.

5. Align Future Goals

Do you want the same things out of life? Some important things should be discussed while dating before the relationship progresses into something more serious. Topics such as living situation and location, career goals, family values, and children. Some of these important issues can be compromised, while others cannot. Having children is a mutual decision, which should always be discussed before the relationship becomes too serious. It is important to take your partner’s answers at face value. Do not try to persuade them, do not sweep differences under the rug to deal with later, or think they will eventually change their mind. This will lead to anger, resentment, and the breakdown of your relationship.

6. Finances and Spending Habits

Individual values can make it difficult to talk about money because they have unique ideas about what is important and what they want to spend their money on. When it comes to personal finances, we tend to spend money on things we value. When someone values security, they may want to put money into a savings account, budget, and avoid debt to prepare for the future. Whereas when another person vExit Visual Builderalues freedom, they may spend money on something that makes them happy. While dating, observe your partner’s spending habits and make time to have important discussions about your finances. As your relationship progresses, will you continue to have separate finances? Do either of you have overwhelming debts? What is important to you? Can we create a budget?

Pretend you are building a house. Friendship is a leveled, strong foundation. Dating is constructing that house, brick by brick. Commitment is becoming a homeowner. Houses require continuous maintenance and upkeep to maintain their integrity. The roof might leak after a terrible storm, but you don’t move out. You make repairs because this house is your home.