Before you go on a holiday dating spree, perhaps it is worthwhile to figure out what your short-term and long-term goals are. When you approach your dating life, having some sense of what you truly want is a good way to get the results that you want. I know what, you’re saying..that’s a no-brainer, Diva! Well, you would be surprised at the number of single people walking around with nary a clue of what they want.

Generally, you meet people who either want to keep things casual or those who want to ultimately move towards a committed relationship. The casual dating folks will say things like, “I just want to kick-it with somebody cool, and see where things go” Or one of my favorites: “I like just going with the flow.” Keep in mind, these are the same people that will try to have sex with no strings attached.

People who want committed relationships are fine with taking things slow. They feel comfortable with the idea of making room in their lives for somebody special. They don’t stress about giving up freedom or allowing someone to them for who they are.

I believe that casual dating has it’s place and those who want it should clearly state that intention upfront. There is nothing wrong with casual dating if that is what you want. The trick is figuring out when you should be casually dating people and when you are ready to build a relationship with someone.

How do you know when to keep it light, fun and easy with casual dating? When do you know that it is time to take it to another level?

What do you do when you are ready to leave casual and go committed? If the person/people you are seeing don’t want the same thing, what do you do?

By Wise Diva, Misadventures in Atlanta Dating