The Hardest Part Of Dating In 2022 That No One Talks About
The hardest part of dating in 2022 is figuring out where you stand with the other person. It’s deciphering their mixed signals since they won’t give you a straightforward answer about what they want out of you. Even though healthy long-term relationships require constant communication, no one wants to communicate openly in the beginning stages of the relationship. Everyone is scared to say the wrong thing, to come on too strong or not strong enough, so they go quiet. They let the other person make the moves. They never reveal their true intentions, which leads to misunderstandings and miscommunication.
The hardest part of dating in 2022 is striking the right balance between interested and independent. You want to show this other person that you’re invested in them by texting first and asking them to hang out on weekends, but you don’t want to look too clingy by contacting them more than they contact you. You don’t want to chase them away by coming on too strong, but you don’t want them to grow bored and assume you don’t care either. It feels impossible to give them the exact right amount of attention so that they feel wanted, but not overwhelmed or ignored.
The hardest part of dating in 2022 is moving from texting to seeing each other in person. There are thousands of potential partners on dating apps. Hundreds of people who are interested in getting to know you from afar. But it’s rare to find someone who is willing to take that next step and meet up with you in person, someone who is going to dedicate all of their time and energy into you instead of dividing it between whoever else they’ve been casually talking to on the phone. It’s not that hard to find someone to keep you company online—but it’s hard to find someone who will actually invest time and energy into you IRL.
The hardest part of dating in 2022 is putting your heart out on the line again and again when you’ve only been hurt in the past. It’s pushing aside the fear that your past crushes and exes have instilled in you. It’s overcoming your baggage and accepting that this new person won’t necessarily hurt you the same way that others have in the past. You aren’t young and naïve anymore. You aren’t falling for someone for the first time. You’ve been in this position before and it’s terrifying. You don’t know how it’s going to work out, but you need to have faith. You need to trust yourself and enjoy the journey, even if it ends in flames.
The hardest part of dating in 2022 is getting on the same page. It’s figuring out whether you’re actually compatible or whether this is only going to lead to a temporary connection. It’s determining whether someone is actually worthy of your time or whether you’re going to delete their number from your phone in a few months. It’s the not knowing. It’s the fear of what will happen if you let them into your heart—and what will happen if you don’t.