The Time Has Come To Date Offline!
Our14 Day Offline Dating Challenge requires you to abandon your online dating profile (temporarily) to take a stance against ghosting, wasted energy, and disingenuous conversations.
From Feb 1st to 14th, we’ll be sharing daily posts with concrete tips that will guide you through the challenge, one step at a time. Each post will lead you to take a step forward in your offline dating life, gain confidence, and create more meaningful connections. Remember, this is not a permanent thing and we’re not against online dating. We just know that as soon as you become reliant on something, that’s when a break necessary. You can actually meet someone in the real world!
Plus, completing the challenge will let you re-enter the online scene with a fresh and more intentional perspective.
Join in the fun on social media by sharing your journey, learnings and anything else using the hashtag #offlinedatingchallenge. Don’t forget to follow and tag us, @dashingdate.
You can follow the challenge right here, on Instagram, or on Facebook. New posts will be shared each day at 12PM.
DAY 1 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Bring any ongoing conversations within your dating apps to a close (ghosting ain’t cool). This will allow you to transition without lingering thoughts of wonder or what ifs.
This doesn’t mean you need to end fruitful conversations abruptly. If necessary, tell them you’re taking a break from online dating and move the conversation out of the app. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 2 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
It’s time to delete your dating apps. You don’t have to delete your accounts but it is important that you remove the apps from your phone so you’re not tempted to check in when you’re feeling curious or bored.
Take a deep breath and… Bye, Felicia!
#offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 3 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Allow yourself to get used to the change of no longer having access to your dating apps. If you have FOMO and feel like jumping back on, take a few moments to remember you why you started this challenge. Delay for as long as you can.
Also, don’t engage in disingenuous conversations via text with people from your dating apps just because you have their number. This is your time to detach and detox. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 4 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Online dating can take up a lot of time and energy so now, without dating consuming your life, redirect that time and energy to an area that could use some nurturing. Is there a person in your life who’d love some extra attention, like a family member, friend, or… dare we say it… YOU?! Invest some time today be it a phone call to mom, an outing with a friend, or a hot bath and a good read.
Revisit this tip again and again, as needed. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 5 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Go out and meet someone in real life, now! Ok ok, we’re kidding! But at least start thinking about it. Here’s how.
First, get into right mindset by reminiscing about how real-life crushes used to make you feel. Go way back to high school days, and remember those intense butterflies.
Pro tip: Dig up some old love notes if you have them!
Second, think about how you used to meet people before online dating existed. Give it a minute, that time existed.
Lastly, think about what you’d do if online dating didn’t exist ever again. Seriously, what would you do?
We’re in the process of setting the foundation for meeting someone IRL (in real life), so get those wheels spinning. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 6 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
It’s time to get in tune with your feelings. Before you roll your eyes, give it a chance, we know what we’re talking about. This is an effective exercise we do one-on-one with our coaching clients, and we’re sharing it here, for free, for you.
Pour yourself a glass of wine this evening (or bubble tea, or scotch neat, whatever floats your boat) and take 30 to 60 mins to write out a scenario where you meet someone special. Consider the following…
How do you meet? Where do you meet? What are the first few words exchanged? What do you feel inside that makes you know you like this person? How do they treat you? How do the first few weeks play out?
You get the idea.
Why is this exercise important?
Because we tend to be so lost sometimes (most of the time?), heads buried in our phones, stuck in our daily routines, on autopilot, that we no longer notice that opportunities are actually all around us. Once you’ve done this exercise you will be more in tune and aware the next time an opportunity presents itself. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 7 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Now that you’ve started to get more in touch with your feelings, let’s dive deeper. The next step is to drop your dating checklist.
Why?
Because it is limiting you.
It’s important to have standards but silly to write someone off based on superficial items, like height for example (ladies, you know who you are!). When you have a real connection with someone and sparks fly, suddenly those items that seemed so crucial beforehand tend to no longer matter. We’ve seen this scenario play out time and time again. Go through your checklist and eliminate the superficial items. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 8 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Write down 10 ideas on how you can meet someone offline. Take it one step further by adding 3 additional ideas to each one.
For example, let’s say one of your ideas is to go speed dating. You can elaborate further on that idea with…
“Give it a real chance by going 3 times in total.”
“Say yes to someone at the event who isn’t my usual type.”
“Make the first move after the event”.
You’ve already spun the wheels about this on Day 5 of the challenge, now it’s just putting everything on paper. If this feels hard, remember… this is a challenge after all.
Coming up with ideas is like planting little seeds in your brain that will sprout when the time is right. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 9 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Choose one or two things from yesterday’s list and make a move.
Ask a friend to set you up on a blind date, sign up for a speed dating event, start a conversation with someone cute at a coffee shop.
Don’t feel the need to do everything all at once. Start small but start. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 10 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Today you’re either going to do something or commit to something new and different (that you can’t back out of).
It can be anything as long as it’s totally out of the box for you, on your bucket list, or scares the hell out of you. How extreme you choose to go will vary from person to person but it could be asking someone for their number, going to a salsa dance class, or jumping out of a plane.
You can also substitute something positive in place of a bad habit, like opting for a night of classical music and meditation instead of binge watching Netflix.
As long as it’s out of your comfort zone, you will grow from the experience.
Growing feels so good. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 11 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
What’s something you want but have been waiting to be in a relationship to have? A romantic dinner, a fancy gift, affection?
Today is the day you no longer wait, because YOU don’t need someone for that.
Treat yourself the way you want someone else to treat you.
Kiss your own arm up and down (we’re so dead serious), write yourself a love note, take yourself out on a romantic date night.
Of course, we understand that there are things you want to experience with a partner, and that time will come. But, in the mean time, wrap your head and heart around the idea that you don’t have to go without until then.
You have you, and you’re super lucky. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 12 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Will be posted on Feb 12th at 12PM
This may feel uncomfortable but that’s exactly why you’re going to do it. Today you’ll say hi, wave, or smile at a stranger. You’ll ask a cashier how their day’s going and you’ll offer help to someone who may or may not need it.
Pro tip: take yourself out for an hour or two and mentally set the intention to connect with someone else. Leave your phone at home. #offlinedatingchallenge
DAY 13 of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
Nothing is sexier than confidence and today you’re going to do a short and easy exercise that will boost yours to where it needs to be.
Write down at least 10 positive things that you have to offer as a partner in a relationship.
What do you bring to the table?
Why would someone be lucky to have you?
What amazingness have you contributed to your past relationships?
Bringing this to the forefront of your mind will allow those qualities to shine through, be it online or offline.
By practicing this type of exercise regularly, you are less likely to be communicating from a place of desperation or insecurity.
People see what you see first. #offlinedatingchallenge
LAST DAY of the 14 Day Offline Dating Challenge
But first…
Ok, back to it… the last tip. The last step.
The very thing we’ve been preparing you for is finally here.
