Taking It Slow Is Back

Since the beginning of the pandemic, taking it slow in relationships has started trending again. Traditional dating or "courting", which happened when our grandparents were youngsters, has made a comeback because of the lockdown and social distancing protocols.

Some people whine and gripe about this newly-changed dating scene. However, there is definitely some good that has come out of the shift from hook-up culture to talking on the phone for hours. Here are some of the things we've noticed:

You can focus on you more

It's easy to get caught up in a new relationship. Sometimes your whole sense of self and self-care regimen easily goes out the door. But when you take it slow and set boundaries early on, you can care for yourself while also getting to know another individual.

Practicing social distancing can make it hard to see your date as often as you’d like, but it also allows you to pay attention to your needs and wants. Plus, when you do get to see the person you’re crushing on, it will feel more like a treat and your focus will be on them.

You can get to know the real them

Getting to know someone fully takes time. And in the traditional hook-up culture we are accustomed to, a person’s true self can be easily overlooked because we aren’t investing the time to truly discover them as a whole.

It’s important to really get to know the person you are dating, inside and out. It will help you to navigate their opinions and feelings, while also helping you decide whether you are a compatible pair or not.

You can decide if your lifestyles are compatible

Taking it slow allows us to truly contemplate whether we're compatible with the other person, instead of rushing into a relationship. Although the pandemic has drastically changed our lifestyles, such as where we work, what we do in our day-to-day, and how cheaply or expensively we live, we are still able to figure out if our potential partner’s lifestyle will be compatible with ours.

Things you should consider when comparing lifestyles are…

• If they are a morning person or night person
• If they prefer staying in or going out
• What they do for fun
• How they choose to conduct themselves among friends

Some of these lifestyle factors can be deal-breakers down the road in relationships, so pay attention to see if you can make it work long-term.

You can experience the good and the bad

By taking it slow in a relationship, you’ll be organically introduced to dealing with both the good and the bad. The good and the bad don't have to be something your partner says or does, but rather how they react to problems and stress.

If you find yourself with someone who screams and cries and yells when a minor mishap ensues, then it might be worth re-evaluating your connection with them. Your partner shouldn’t be putting extra stress onto your shoulders, but rather making your existence lighter and sweeter.