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How does it feel to be in a Real Relationship?

Scrolling down Instagram and Tumblr, top love stories appear in the wounds, scars, betrayal, and separation. If everyone is so clear that love is an illusion or it is just a chemical reaction that binds two people with affection, then why we are so desperate to fall in love? It ends up in heartache and that leads to the mental illness and so on – now the problem is not with love and affection. I was never impressed by the Hollywood love stories, they are a bunch of sugarcoated and misaligned perceptions that can only cause diabetes.  

My life has nothing similar to the rom-com of Shakespeare or any other famous love poet in the world. Here is a short story that blends precisely with reality and had been a memorable series of life happenings.
In the beginning years of my business, there were so many things on my mind, but the ease of all the mess was my family. People who were aware of my routine and unusual travel emergencies at the time and still chose to stand by the side.  One fine day, I was on my business trip to Canada and while I was still in the GTA airport limo ride, there was a heartbreaking call. Being in the middle of your breakthrough in the business and having the heartbreak news on the phone far away from India wasn’t something good. At that very moment when I picked my phone, the voice on the other side had news about the death of my mother. She was; “one for all”, kind of a woman and any person who could help me get out of the trauma was her, and she was gone forever.

Amid in the misery that knocked at my door and across the road, I had a business opportunity waiting for me. My mind was stuck. I had to decide, either to turn back to the airport or move with the heavy heart and finish work. The most inspiring person who I found standing by the side was my beloved to be a partner. The surprising things about or relationship is that; all these years of friendship and partnership, we never had any shared interests, but the level of understanding is beyond our senses. He came to the rescue and asked me to finish the job and come back when I am done with it. I might have told him that, he was being stupid and I should be in my homeland.

The bottom line of the story is; one person had left me forever, but there was another life standing in front of me calling out with a wide smile. The realization kicked in and I knew if my mother was the one telling me same words, I would never dare to question her intentions. Anyways, it wasn’t the right time to think about all these things or feel that thriving feeling of love.

What is like to be in a Real Love Relationship?

I grew up in a family where I never had to feel less of myself. I was loved, understood and was given every opportunity to fly high in the sky. Still, the fear of being loved by another stranger was a mystery to me. Just after a few months of it, I had a decision to make. Yes, the proposal was in front of me and unlike my decisions in the business, it was frightening. He had everything in his personality that an ideal woman would want in her man. My family was convinced by the idea that this is the only man who is capable enough to be supportive in my ambitions and decisions of life. But it was my life and I was the one who had to be sure of the same thing.

Every strong and independent woman has a right to know what they getting in the name of love or relationship. The love can be real, but at the same time, it might be an illusion.

Women are usually guilty of looking for love at the wrong places and for all the wrong reasons. If you want to test the loyalty and mental capacity of a person, go for it.

·        There is no such thing as Magic

Real love is no magic. It is not only about romantic rides and fun. It is the life where reality hits you hard. I had doubts about choosing the right partner, but realizing that he consoled me and supported me at every step was enough evidence to assure his unconditional love for me. He didn’t try to glorify himself or did anything to appear superior neither he denied his own existence in a relationship. He was only there to encourage and ensure that he will catch if I ever had a bad fall in life.

·        Do not Fantasize Romance as the Movie

Movies are about romance and happy endings, love is not the same as it is in the movies. It’s different when in reality. You may not have a perfect date and a first perfect kiss. You might not be able to dance or synchronize steps. In reality, you might have doubts, he may not be able to communicate his insecurities in front of you. As a partner, it is your job to ensure the comfort of the relationship. Between all the hardships of life, love is one complicated emotion that might lack perfection, but it can be the most beautiful phase of your life. If you have ever been on dangerous adventures but had the most memorable time of your life, love can be like this.

Therefore, never fantasize them as the movies. All the game of impressing each other is in the beginning, do not stick to that fantasy. Therefore, move on to the other phases of love. Discover new roles of your partner and embrace every occurrence of changes in a relationship.

·        Be Realistic in your Relationship

Never expect your partner to be the same as they were at the time of dating. People change, and they evolve for good. If you are not ready to take up the person who is constantly evolving with the time, do not enter into the madness of love. Be realistic with the changes and accept every phase with joy.

Bottom Line

Love is one crazy ride. It is not as simple as you have a limo ride. It is like the world’s dangerous roller coaster. Your experience might be different than mine. But the craziness, doubts, and romance will be the main ingredients of your story. Just keep in mind that apart from the romance, you will have to go through the miseries together. If one person falls, another person has to be wise enough to take the high road and act sane at difficult times. This is the kind of equal intimacy that every couple needs in the relationship.

6 Tips To Improve Sleep and Overcome Anxiety

It’s quite common for your mind to wander right when you’re about to sleep, usually, it’s nothing to be worried about. It does, however, become a problem if it happens every day. Note that millions of people around the world suffer from sleep anxiety, and this is normally due to a variety of issues.

If you’ve been having trouble sleeping, then anxiety and stress will most likely compound this problem and turn you into a chronic insomniac. It sounds terminal, sure, but fortunately, there are ways you can use to help you relax and get that well deserved good night’s sleep.

Here are some solutions for sleeping problems at mattressgenius.com that may be useful. 

Reduce Alcohol/Caffeine Intake

Ok, sure, that deserved one drink after a long day’s work won’t hurt, but the second and third one will. Caffeine does have a reputation as a sleep inhibitor, and alcohol has been known to increase heart rate.

You have to consider the fact that both are essentially liquids and the more you drink, the more likely you are to have interruptions in terms of bathroom breaks. Breaking the seal also has some truth to it in the sense that drinking a lot of alcohol may cause you to urinate more often.

Don’t Force It 

Most times, anxiety is catalyzed by lying in bed trying to force yourself to sleep. This rarely ever works. If you are having trouble sleeping, or if you’ve been lying on your bed for more than 30 minutes, then try and find something to relax your mind and prevent it from wandering. It is advisable to try and read a book, perhaps listen to some slow soothing music.

Some people watch a movie as a way to wear their brains out, but this is not recommended as the light may have the exact opposite effect.

Condition Your Environment

Your brain receptors are very particular about optical stimuli. What this means is even the slightest bit of light in your bedroom can make it difficult to get any sleep. Other factors such as noise and temperature are also determiners. This is why you need to ensure your bedroom has blinds to keep out the light, is cool, not cold, and is quiet. Peace and quietness are the two most crucial points when trying to get a good night’s sleep.

Limit Stressful Thoughts 

What many people don’t realize is the fact that 90% of the time, stressful thoughts are the cause of sleeping anxiety. When you get into bed and begin to focus on bills and all the problems you have, you are only making things worse. It is recommended that you make a list of all the things that need taking care of instead of trying to list them in your mind when you go to sleep.

Try a little meditation, a bit of alone time where you focus on other things. There is nothing quite as scary as being left alone, where your only company is your thoughts.

Exercise

Adding some kind of exercise regimen to your daily schedule has been known to work wonders for insomnia. You don’t have to go to the gym and bench press some ridiculous weights, not to worry, even a little jog or a regular walk can do the trick. Ensuring you have a simple workout plan is a good place to start, and it’s one of the easiest ways to clear your troubled mind.

Consult a specialist

Lastly, you ought to consider that your sleep anxiety may be a symptom of some deep-lying condition. If you’ve tried everything from meditation to soundproofing your bedroom, and nothing seems to work, then perhaps it’s time to see a specialist. Stress is one of the leading causes of depression, so perhaps you should look into it when all else fails.

Bottom Line 

Sleep anxiety is a concern for many people around the world, and it’s a condition that affects productivity and causes a constant feeling of exhaustion. It is for this reason that it should be taken very seriously.

How to Stay Cool, Calm and Collected with Day Trading

There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy to becoming the ultimate trading machine. Whether you’re investing in Forex, securities, or stocks, you’ll find that you learn more about how to master the market as time goes on. Eventually, you’ll have a strategy that you feel relatively confident with, and you’ll be able to use that to make careful decisions about where and how to spend your money.

However, while no-one can tell you how to become the perfect day trader from day one, there is one basic rule that applies to all people investing in this fast-paced environment. To succeed at building your wealth and improving your future opportunities, you need to learn how to remain calm, collected, and cool during every decision that you make. As any day trading for dummies guide will tell you, the right attitude is crucial to your success.

Timing your Trades

There are times when the stock markets will test anyone’s nerves – no matter how long you’ve been investing for. As a day trader, it’s up to you to determine how you’re going to keep hope, fear, greed, and other issues at bay. Decisions need to be governed by logic – not emotion.

In this environment, day-traders have to move fast, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should be thinking fast. If you’ve developed a strategy that helps you to time your orders effectively, then you shouldn’t have to worry about chasing profits, you can focus on following your formula instead. For instance, when you enter the market each day, don’t make any moves for the first 20 minutes. Just read up on the market and get a feel for how things are going. As you get used to the trading environment, you’ll find that you can begin to move faster with more confidence, perhaps starting to place money into securities and stocks form the moment you log into your online platform. However, to start with, take it slow.

Be Realistic

Another way to make sure that you stay calm and collected on the stock market is to ensure that you’re not going in with unrealistic expectations. Remember that a strategy doesn’t have to win 24/7 to be profitable – many traders only win up to 60 percent of their trades. Your aim should be to simply make more when you’re winning than you lose when you’re missing out on those great investments.

To make sure that emotions don’t get the best of you, try using limit orders to cut your losses. Think about what kind of orders you’re going to be using to enter and exit your various positions in the market. When you place a limit order, you’ll guarantee the price that you come out of a trade at, which helps you to handle your finances with more precision. With limit orders and the right strategy in mind, you can ensure that you get out of dangerous tradition positions before anything too significant sets your finances off balance. When you’re getting started, and you don’t have a lot of money to waste, this can be an important way to begin.

Tips To Choose Best Furniture And Accessories For Your Living Room

Living Room – The name itself carries life. For some of us, it is a formal space to entertain guests, while for others, it is more of a casual space. Well, it doesn’t matter if you see it as a formal or casual space. In either case, it has to be the most versatile one in the entire house. Also, when it comes to redoing or designing a home, the living room is the first place to strike anyone’s mind. A lot of items tend to be set up in the living room, including sofa, chairs, accessories, and many more. While adding these items in the living room, one thing to keep in mind is, maintain a harmony among all these to make the space looks cohesive and stylish.  Whether your style of designing is country, Mexican, classic, modern, or any other, choosing the best furniture and accessories should never go out of hand.  I understand that choosing the best furniture and accessories is quite a daunting task, and people usually fail at it. But don’t fret! In this article, I am going to tell you about the smartest tips to make a wise choice while looking for the best furniture and accessories for your living space. If you are shopping for furniture, do check this rolling bar carts. So, let’s roll.

#1. First Things First – Chalk Out The Living Area

Chalking out your living area, i.e., considering the size of the space is the first step towards choosing the right furniture and accessories for your living area. The best thing about doing this is that you may draw a picture of specific pieces of furniture of your choice in your living room. Thus, it becomes easy to go for the best option available. This also helps you decide the right size of furniture to be incorporated in your living space. Also, making the wise choice of accessories becomes an easy task. So, you end up saving a lot of time, otherwise wasted. If you are a fan of red wines, you will find here the best wine decanters that come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and price points.

#2. Selecting the Right Piece of Furniture

The fun part while redoing a living room is choosing the right piece of furniture. I know, the task sounds quite exhausting and daunting to many. Well, it is not that big a deal. To make sure you choose the right piece for your space, follow the given steps: 

  • Basics before anything: Focus on purchasing the basics before anything else. These include a sofa, armchair, side table, coffee table etc. Always consider these items before looking for any other add on. 
  • Quality on top: Another essential thing to consider while choosing the right furniture is its quality. Never compromise with quality. I say, NEVER. 
  • Co-ordinate the furniture: An important thing to keep in mind is that every piece of furniture in your living room should get along. You may adhere to a chosen theme or go for any old-world examples. Whatever style you want, everything should be in harmony. 

A Hot Tip: When it comes to adding furniture, almost all of us gets worried about the budget. Well, you don’t have to anymore. The rising trend of rental startups has smoothly solved the problem of owning the most elegant pieces of furniture while being easy on the budget. Thus, you may now easily rent furniture online in Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, and all other metro cities.  Another critical factor to consider is placing the right accessories on your furniture, including a side table, coffee table, sofa etc. These accessories might include a beautiful vase, cushions, comfy blanket and throw rug, ashtray, and many more. 

#3. Set a Tone 

Choosing the right furniture and accessories for your living room goes hand in hand. You always have to keep one in mind while selecting the other. This helps in setting a warm temperature, and tone in the living space and everything seems to be in harmony. Keeping a warm tone between the furniture and accessories helps in chalking out a warm yet stylish look, without you having to waste time on maintaining the space, time and again.  You may also consider these tips for mastering tone on tone decoration in your living space. 

#4. Consider Wall Paints

Keeping a check on wall paints of the living room is yet another essential step to consider while looking for the best piece of furniture and accessories. The very first thing that places an impact on the living space is wall paints and designs. So, make sure that whatever piece of furniture or accessory you choose, it should not be in non-conformity to the walls. If done otherwise, it might create a chaotic vibe in the entire space. 

In a Crux

It is vital to keep a note of all the four steps mentioned above, while you are looking for the finest furniture and accessories for your living space. Since furniture and accessories play the essence of living room, care has to be taken to make a perfect match of both, in conformity to the entire space. You may also look out for various incredible design ideas for keeping your living room classy and stylish.  My last tip would be that while choosing the best furniture and accessories for your living area, make sure that you don’t break your bank.  I would also like to hear about your experiences while choosing the right furniture and accessories for your space. Sharing some pictures of the piece selected by you would be great.

4 Fantastic Ways To Enhance Your Travels

Travel is a truly transformational activity that can change your life for the better in a multitude of ways.

It’s your opportunity to explore exotic landscapes, discover more about the world and unleash your full potential as a human being.

However, some people fail to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded to them by travel and so, its impact on them is limited.

To help ensure that you don’t fall into this trap, here are four fantastic ways to enhance your travel experience like a Limo Find

  1. Mobile apps 

Some people see relying on technology as cheating and devaluing to an authentic travel experience. But, like it or not, tech such as mobile apps are a part of modern society and so, you should embrace them while travelling.

There are apps to show you the coolest spots to visit, to help you get from A to B and much more – so why not utilise them? This way, you’ll have more time to focus on the fun and stimulating activities that will help you grow as a person.

For inspiration, take a look at this travel apps article on Newsweek which discusses the best ones. 

  1. Hang with the locals

Hanging out with the locals allows you to learn from the people who know your destination best. They’ll be able to recommend unique activities that take you off-the-beaten path, resulting in an experience that’s far more varied, enriching and stems beyond the tourist hotspots.

As well as this, you’ll make new friends who can join you as you create your precious travel memories. Over time, you’ll end up with a global network of mates who you can revisit or maybe even travel with, for years to come.

  1. Learn the language

Making the effort to learn at least the basics of the native language of the place you’re visiting is a great idea.

Learning a language involves much more than picking up new words – it’s a gateway into a new culture that requires an understanding of the customs, quirks and history of your chosen location.

Learning a language will also make communicating with locals easier and they’ll really respect the fact that you’re making the effort to embrace their culture.

This language tips article on Babbel is a useful starting point on your mission to fluency. 

  1. Drive to the airport

Anxiety about getting to the airport on time can be a serious source of stress that ruins the start of your holiday. However, by opting to drive rather than take unreliable public transport, you’ll have more control over your route and be able to travel at exactly the time that suits you best.

If you do drive, you’ll find first-class deals for airport parking on SkyParkSecure.com for Manchester and other major British airports.

Put these tips into action and you’ll be nicely set up for a life-changing travel experience where you’ve made the most of your time away.

What are your tips for enhancing your travels? Share them in the comments section.

Here’s Why She Got Emotionally Attached To You So Easily

She fell in love with you the moment she first saw you. The second you smiled at her, she knew that you were the man she was searching for. She knew you were the one she wanted to be with.

And when you started dating, it was all over. She fell deeply and madly in love with you. She got emotionally attached to you.

But, no! She did not get attached to you because she couldn’t resist your smile or the way you looked at her or caressed her. Instead, she got attached to you since you made her feel in ways she never felt before. You made her feel cherished, appreciated, and important. You made her feel like she was the only girl in the world.

She got attached to you since she saw something beautiful and pure in you. She saw a future. She saw faith.  She saw hope.

This woman has been to hell and back. She’s had a couple of toxic, draining relationships. She’s been manipulated, deceived, and betrayed. She’s been hurt time and time again.

But you know what?

She’s never given up on love. She still believes that true love exists. She still believes that there are people out there who are capable of loving genuinely and deeply.

And she hopes that you are one of them. She believes that you’re the one who will love her wholeheartedly and unconditionally. The one who will treat her the way she deserves. The one who will show her that love doesn’t always have to be hard and painful.

She hopes that you hold a door open for her and bring her cute love cards because you’re truly in love with her, not because you’re just trying to make her jump into your bed.

She hopes that you’re capable of loving her the way she loves you: honestly, intensely, selflessly, and deeply.

And, please, don’t let the intensity of her love scare you off. Don’t be intimidated by the way she loves you. Because she doesn’t know other way of loving but hard and genuinely.

Instead of fearing her love for you or hating the fact that she gets easily attached, shower her with attention and love. Show her how you feel about her. Wear your heart on your sleeve. Undress your soul in front of her.

Accept her the way she is. Respect and cherish her for who she is. Embrace her imperfections and let her know that she’s perfect to you.

Show her that you value genuine emotional intimacy as much as she does.

Love her the way she deserves and show her that she wasn’t wrong choosing you.

Life Taught Me That I Shouldn’t Chase After Love, But Instead Focus On My Own Personal Growth

Love isn’t the most important thing in life. Finding a soulmate is not the only thing there is to life. There I said it.

And believe me, I’ve been through a lot of things to prove this to you.

Yes, being in love is a remarkable feeling that doesn’t happen to everyone. But it is not the only valuable experience that will make your life worthwhile. It’s scary how most of us often overlook everything else and only focus on finding love.

What about self-love and self-care people?

Who will do that for you if you don’t bother to do it for yourself?

No one, that’s who.

To be honest, I wasn’t always this conscious about myself. There was a time in my life when I was blinded by my desperation. I was alone and all I could think was finding someone who would love me and fill in all the blanks in my heart that I convinced myself I couldn’t fill.

There was a time in my life when I wasn’t enough for myself. I was incomplete and I was convinced that I should do whatever it takes to find my other half. Nothing I did could ever make up for the emptiness inside of me. When I say nothing, I really mean nothing. Because eventually, I found a boyfriend. But the feeling inside my heart never left.

Until one day I realized that I’d spend my whole life searching for my happiness someplace else when it has always been a part of me. After going through all that in life, I learned the hard way that the only person I can truly rely on is and always have been myself.

It’s scary how much time and energy I had wasted searching for that life, when in reality it was there in front of me, all the time. That was the moment when I realized that I will no longer chase after love but focus on myself and my personal growth.

That period of time wasn’t the easiest for me, but here I am. It took me a lot of tears, many sleepless nights, a few heartbreaks and a few disappointments. Luckily, I had my loved ones beside me. And so, I made it. I found myself and I realized that there is more to life than just relationships.

I learned to cherish myself and cherish the opportunity to be alive and well, right here at this moment.

I learned to appreciate my solitude and enjoy my time alone.

I learned to open up and talk to myself more.

I learned to let go of people who are not destined to be a part of my life.

I learned that self-love and self-care always come first.

I learned that I am the only person that can truly help me find myself.

Either Choose Her Every Day Or Let Her Find Someone Who Will

I spent five precious years of my life struggling in a relationship. You are probably wondering how I let myself get stuck in something that was clearly bad for me. Well, here’s the answer. I was in love. Wait, let me paraphrase that. I was the biggest fool in love.

He was the first person to whom I opened my heart. There are not enough words for me to explain the intensity of the love I had for him. He was the love of my life and the first person that ever made me realize what is love. But I made a mistake. I believed in his words that I too am the greatest love of his life. Because, as I turned out, I wasn’t.

At the beginning everything was fine. We were two love birds who couldn’t get enough of each other. He was my favorite little nook and I was his happy place. Every day he told me how lucky he is to be with me. Every day he chose me all over again. But then something changed. Something in him shifted and he was no longer the same. I remember the day as if it was yesterday…

As months passed, he chose me less and less. Every day, for five years, he chose me less.

All the while, I was aware of it but didn’t do anything. He convinced me that everything is fine, and poor me kept believing him. I guess deep down, it was too painful for me to lose this man from my life, so for some reason, I thought that having him by my side like this is better than not having him at all. Boy, was I wrong…

The man that I was deeply convinced he loved me was only stringing me along.

For a very long time, I was in denial. It took me a few years to realize that I was actually hurting myself. And I finally did it. I left him and the memory of him behind me because I realized that I deserve better. It also took me quite a while to forgive myself for giving my unconditional love to someone who couldn’t love me the same. But now it’s all in the past.

And the only thing I have to say to all the men out there is this…

Either choose her every day and let her know that she is loved or leave her alone and let her find someone who will do that. She deserves more than your lousy, half-assed love. She deserves more than your maybe and your we’ll see. She is a human being with a pure soul, and she loves you more than you anyone ever loved you. Find the courage inside of you and let her know how you feel. I know that it must feel hard for you, but it will be even harder for her when you break her heart.

Don’t ever let her go through that if you care for her, even a little bit. If you aren’t capable of loving her the way she deserves to be loved, just let her go. She will struggle, but eventually, she will find her path in life.

So, please choose wisely.

Either choose her every day and let her know how loved she is or leave her alone.

Bright Girls: Here’s Why They’re Often Their Own Worst Enemies

Being a nice girl is certainly not easy, but it appears that being a smart, nice girl is even more difficult, as explained by Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson.

Dr. Grant Halvorson explains that intelligent and talented women seldom realize that one of the hardest obstacles they’ll have to surmount to be successful in any male-dominated profession and look competent as our male coworkers do actually lies within. The reason for this is that we judge our own intellect and abilities more harshly and in a significantly different way than men do. Figuring out the reason(s) why we do this is the first step to putting right a great wrong.

To do that, Grant Halvorson focuses on the results of a series of studies which psychologist Carol S. Dweck carried out in the 1980s, analyzing how smart girls and boys in the 5th grade dealt with new, complex material.

What Dweck found was that when bright girls were given foreign or confusing material to learn, they were more likely to throw in the towel and the higher their IQ was, the quicker they were to give up than bright boys. On the other hand, boys found the material challenging and energizing and they were more likely to put in additional effort rather than throw in the towel.

So, the question is: What’s the reason for this? What makes bright girls lose their confidence when they should be the most confident children in the room?

Girls usually do better than boys in every subject, including science and math at the fifth grade level. But, there wasn’t any difference between these girls and boys in ability. The one thing they differed in was how they interpreted difficulty, i.e. what difficulty meant to them when material appeared difficult to learn. Smart girls were quicker to become less successful learners, lose confidence, and doubt their ability consequently.

Researchers have brought to light the reason for the difference in how difficulty is perceived and understood, and here it is: bright girls commonly believe that their abilities are inborn and unmodifiable, whereas smart boys believe they can develop ability through practice and effort.

Grant Halvorson traces the reason for this back to childhood feedback, i.e. the messages we get from both teachers and parents in our childhood. Namely, girls, who are more able to follow instructions and develop self-control skills earlier in life, are oftentimes praised for cleverness or goodness. This type of praise suggests that characteristics such as goodness and smartness are qualities you either possess or you don’t.

On the other hand, boys commonly receive feedback from parents and teachers that accentuate effort, for example: “If you’d only pay attention and try a little bit harder, you could do this right.”

We go on to carry these beliefs, more often than not, unknowingly, with us throughout our adulthood. And since smart girls tend to perceive their abilities as inborn and unmodifiable, they grow into individuals that are way too hard on themselves, i.e. individuals that will too soon conclude that they lack what it takes to be successful in a particular arena and throw in the towel prematurely.

This means that even if every obstacle to a woman’s achieving success in her workplace and career is removed  as well as every challenge that we deal with balancing family and work, every gender stereotype, and every inequality, we’d still have to face the fact that due to our wrong beliefs about our abilities, we may actually be our own worst enemy.

So, what you need to remember is that intelligence, self-control, creativity, or charm is changeable. When it comes to learning and/or improving any skill, your persistence, effort, and experience are all important.

So, if you are a bright girl, it is time for you to get rid of your wrong belief about your abilities, accept the fact that you can always do better, and regain the confidence to face any challenge you didn’t respond to or maybe lost years ago.

I Am A Modern Woman, But I’ll Always Cherish These Old-Fashioned Dating Habits

I am a hardcore feminist. I am an independent and modern woman that knows how to take care of and stand up for herself. But, when it comes to love and dating, I must admit that I still like those old-fashioned dating habits.

I don’t settle for mediocre love. Instead, I want to experience love in its most genuine form. I want to experience the kind of love poets write poems about.

I love men who are not afraid to openly express their emotions. Men who are not scared to love with every fiber of their being and from the bottom of their hearts.

Yes, I get it. We live in a modern-dating society of the 21st century in which most people think that chivalry is dead. But, I don’t share that opinion. I don’t think that chivalry is dead. Instead, I think that there’s actually a great number of both women and men out there who still cherish and hold onto real values.

Here are 8 old-fashioned dating traditions which I will always cherish:

1. Asking for my permission for things.

It’s not like I expect my boyfriend to always ask me if he could hug me or kiss me. But, when you go out on a date with a guy for the first time and he doesn’t ask before kissing you, this might make you feel uncomfortable or even weird, especially if you happen to be a shy person.

P.S. I believe that many ladies out there will agree that when a guy asks for your permission to kiss you on a first date, this makes him incredibly sexy.

2. Holding a door opened for me.

Yes, it appears like a small and seemingly unimportant gesture, but it’s actually one that means a lot to me, and I’m sure, to every lady out there as well. I completely melt when a man takes his time to open a door for me. This gesture shows me that he’s a real caring gentleman.

3. Dressing nicely for dates.

It takes me a lot of time to get ready for dates. I always make sure I look tidy and elegant. That’s why I respect guys that take care of their style. I respect guys that put a great deal of effort into their appearance and care about the way they look around me. When a guy always dresses nicely for a date, this shows me that he is thoughtful and that he cares about what I think.

4. Being picked up for a date.

Don’t doubt that I am capable of driving or walking to the place where I am supposed to meet my date, but there is something really thoughtful and irresistible in being picked up for a date. This move is a sign of respect and care.

5. Being clearly asked out on a date.

In the era of Tinder and all other dating sites, being openly asked out on a date has become pretty hard. I am the kind of person that appreciates open communication and I want to know what the other person wants and expects from me. That’s why I always prefer a straightforward approach. No mixed messages or emotions, just the truth.

6. Being showered with attention.

Unfortunately, we live in a time when phones and social media attract most of our attention. But, the truth is that when someone is truly interested in you, they won’t allow their mobile phone, tablet, or profile on social media to prevent them from showering you with attention, especially if you’re on a first date.

7. Being surprised with a cute card or flowers.

There’s something powerful and irresistible when a guy brings you a cute love card or a bouquet of roses on a first date. It’s a small gesture, yet one that can make your heart go crazy.

8. Not assuming that there’ll be sex on a first date.

… or on the second or third date. When it comes to such assumptions, there’s only one thing I can say – I hate them. As a matter of fact, I believe that any smart and self-respecting woman does.