Dating 101: The Trick to Meeting Guys
Finding a date-worthy man is tough, but you could be making it harder on yourself. Here are five common goofs.
By Jennifer Benjamin for Cosmopolitan
Photo: Anna Palma
Updated: May 22, 2009
You're
a good catch, you're fun, you have a cool job and a
big circle of friends -- in other words, you're the whole package. Then
why can't you meet a guy? "Often, single women subconsciously give off
'keep away' signals," says psychotherapist Rhonda Findling, author of
"
The
Dating Cure." Well, we've pinpointed some of the dating
mistakes you might be making and found ways for you to remedy the
situation ASAP.
More Dating Articles from Cosmopolitan:You Hang With a Big Group of Girls

When going on a manhunt, you may
feel better bringing backup. Problem is, surrounding yourself with a
posse makes you unapproachable.
When going on a manhunt, you may
feel better bringing backup. Problem is, surrounding yourself with a
posse makes you unapproachable. "It's intimidating
for a guy," says Findling. "He's afraid of being rejected in front of
an audience." To make yourself available, go out with just one
wingwoman or separate from the crew and work the room solo.
You Always Hit the Same PlacesHow
many times have you found yourself saying, "Ugh, there are no cute guys
here"? And yet, the following week, you're back at the same bar, with
the same people, saying the same thing. "Well, if you want to find a
great catch, you should venture outside of your comfort zone," says New
York City psychologist and life coach Janice D. Bennett, PhD. The next
time a pal invites you to a film class or suggests you hit karaoke
night at some dive, give it a shot.
You Give Some Guys the Cold ShoulderWhen
you're eyeing a cool stud and some so-so dude starts chatting you up,
you're probably tempted to blow him off. But that could backfire. "If
the object of your affection sees you acting rude, he'll move on to a
girl who isn't as coarse," warns Findling. Not only that, but the
B-list boy could actually turn out to be cool. So unless he acts like a
sleaze, give the guy a break and talk to him. If he still leaves you
cold, politely excuse yourself and move on.
You Refuse to Be Set Up

You whine about how hard it is to
meet single men, yet you veto any friend who tries to hook you
up
You whine about how hard it is to
meet single men, yet you veto any friend who tries to hook you
up and you won't even try
online dating. "You
need to open yourself up to any opportunity," says Bennett. "Spread the
word that you want to be set up." And at least log on to a dating site
and
search for a
match. If you click with a guy, great; if not, you don't
even have to endure a bad blind date.
You're Too IntentIt's
fine that you want to meet someone, but you don't want to be so obvious
about it. "Men can sense desperation," warns psychotherapist Katherine
Woodward Thomas, author of "
Calling
in 'The One.'" "Most guys will steer clear of a girl they
think is dying for a boyfriend." In addition, being on a man-finding
mission can make you self-conscious. "You become so fixated on how you
look and act that you can't enjoy yourself," says Findling. The goal
should be to have fun, not meet guys. The irony: Your laid-back vibe
will attract men anyway.
Reprinted
with permission of Hearst Communications,
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