Dear Christine,
I am 28 years old and have never had a date. There have been a few women I’ve been interested in and when I’ve tried to show my interest, I get rejected. There is a woman in my office that I’ve been getting close to lately. I feel like there might be something there but I’m so afraid to let her know how I feel. I don’t think I could take another rejection and we work for the same company and I don’t want to have to see her every day if I make a fool of myself.
Dateless in Detroit
Dear Dateless,
I’d advise against dating anyone at work. Why? It complicates work and relationships and possibly productivity when the relationship succeeds and also when you feel rejected or there’s a break up. We are around neighbors and colleagues so much of our waking life that we often become interested in people we work with. Whatever happens, it can be negative to others in the office, even when you and she are doing fine. So, if you are truly close to this colleague, take it very, very slowly.
It’s always best to date people who you don’t live with or work with, so there is room to get to know each other and discover if you are truly compatible before expectations begin to develop. Get away from work and find some hobbies and interests that other people share: skiing (winter is coming), softball, bowling, biking, hiking, helping at a soup kitchen, helping with set design in a local theater: the list is endless. If you are participating in something that is meaningful to you that you enjoy whether or not you are single or coupled up, you will meet like-minded folks who may become friends. If they aren’t dating material, they know lots of people you don’t know and they might be able to help you meet more eligible singles.
The ironic thing with dating is that if you seem desperate, people will reject you and avoid you. If you are comfortable in your own skin and being with yourself for company, you are more likely to attract others who are interested in getting to know you better. Make friends with yourself, find things to do that you enjoy that cross your path with others and go out and meet them. Not everyone you’re attracted to will be a good fit for a relationship with you. You will have to kiss a lot of frogs, so to speak! But if you can be comfortable in your own company, with you, that will make you much more attractive to a potential date and it will make the dating process, replete with rejection, more bearable. Good luck.
Christine Cantrell, PhD,
Psychologist
[email protected]