One of the best things about dating is that with 8 billion people in the world, you have almost limitless options for moving on from a bad date. Bad or uncomfortable dates are inevitable unfortunately even when both parties have the best intentions, lack of chemistry, differing viewpoints and lack of attraction can lead to what might feel like a waste of a date night. It’s important to remember that each failure is a learning experience and with that in mind, here are a few of our best tips for recovering after a bad date.

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1 – Learn from your experience

After a bad date, you have to take a long hard look at what went right or wrong. Sometimes this is easy, but sometimes it’s a bit more complicated then it first appears. No matter what be honest with yourself and use what you learned to do better next time. This might mean changing your own behavior or identifying potential issues with your date earlier on the next time.

 

2 – Decide if it’s worth a re-do

Sometimes a bad date is just a matter of circumstance. Evaluate if you felt any sort of connection or see any value in pursuing a second date even if the first was less then ideal. Sometimes nerves or anxiety can get the best of us and we shouldn’t be too hasty to write off a good potential match. If you made a mistake during the date – don’t be afraid to apologize, at worst it won’t change anything and at best you might move forward and redeem yourself.

 

3 – Let it go

Don’t let a bad date define you. It doesn’t matter if you embarrassed yourself, don’t dwell on any hurt feelings. Allow yourself to acknowledge any residual feelings about your bad date, but then move on. Sometimes it can be easy to get discouraged after a few bad dates and allow it to affect your self-esteem and confidence, but try to get past that response. Interacting with other people will always come with some complications – but that’s just life.