When venturing into the dating world, most people tend to be interested in people they consider their type. And in most cases, the choice is influenced by factors such as physical attributes, personality, and general qualities that align with their own. But have you ever considered hooking up with someone who’s not your type?
According to experts, dating outside your type could be the beginning of a meaningful and fulfilling relationship. After all, limiting yourself only holds you back from experiencing what the dating arena has to offer. And trust me, it’s a lot!
Why do we date the same type?
There are several reasons you constantly find yourself gravitating toward the same type of partner. First, your relationships with parents or primary caregivers have the power to influence your choice of partners. Second, you consider compatibility, and third, you’re more likely to encounter people who are your type as you go about your daily life.
But, there’s something special about dating outside your usual type.
Smash your boundaries.
Confining yourself to one type of person can significantly limit your chances of finding someone who makes you tingle. On the other hand, being open to diverse types of people is the only way to expand your dating pool, which could also mean finding the right person.
So, whether it’s dating people from different faiths, races, or personalities, smashing your dating boundaries can be the beginning of something amazing.
What you want isn’t always what you need.
More often than not, your ideal type of partner isn’t always the best one for you. For example, if your past relationships always ended in heartbreak or never went past a certain point, you probably have a type, but that type never works out. So for the sake of your happiness and peace, why not try something different this time?
Expanding your horizons allows you to connect with people you never thought would pique your interest. If all your relationships with outgoing people have ended badly, maybe it’s time you give that introvert a chance.
You become more flexible in your dating approach.
Stepping outside your usual dating boundaries pushes you to try things you never thought you were capable of. As a result, not only do you learn to be more flexible but open to new ideas and experiences. In addition, you become comfortable dating people you may have never considered in the past.
Sometimes the first person you hook up with doesn’t excite you the way you thought they would but keep trying, and you never know who you might find.
Step outside of your comfort zone.
In this era of online dating, most people tend to choose partners merely by their looks. Typically, they scroll through thousands of options and settle for one random person based on a few photos and lines on a bio. The truth is, failure to scrutinize people further by learning their strengths, personalities, how they treat the people they are with, and so forth only increases your chance of ending up with the wrong people.
As experts advise, it’s crucial to get to know a person on a deeper level. Even if, at first, they don’t meet your standards of the ideal partner, you might find something more interesting about them, which could be the one thing that sparks a true relationship, whether it be romantic or sexual.
You may learn something new about yourself.
Dating a person who’s not your type can be an enriching experience. Being unique in their own way, they can introduce you to new activities and hobbies you never knew you could enjoy. Even if the relationship doesn’t work out in the long term, you may learn something about yourself and, more importantly, your priorities in a relationship.
In other words, dating people who aren’t your type helps you grow more in touch with who you essentially are. This is probably a change you would never experience if you continued to date similar people.
You might be judging someone prematurely.
The person you deem not a perfect fit for you could very well be the one. Similarly, the person you consider your type can be incompatible with you. In simpler terms, avoid judging people prematurely because you might be missing out by applying standards that are far too rigid.
Moreover, you have probably already noticed that dating people who are your type doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be happy. So, instead of judging people prematurely, invite them into your life and see how things turn out.
Attraction grows over time.
Just as relationships wane over time, attractions to people who aren’t your type can grow over time. In fact, the best relationships happen between couples who were initially not attracted to each other but allowed their bond to grow organically. This is mainly because they weren’t distracted by the need to prove their physical chemistry, which allowed them to focus more on the fundamental aspects of a healthy relationship.
Get rid of unhealthy relationship patterns.
Dating your typical type of person can condemn you to a life of heartache and frustration, especially if you’ve been with non-committal people you spend too much time trying to fix. The worst part is that you might never realize this destructive relationship pattern since you’ve already grown into it, which can negatively affect your mental health in the long run.
Sometimes the only way to break free of this cycle is to go for someone who’s not your type.
Summary
Indeed, dating someone who’s not your type can open the door to new experiences and greater satisfaction than you could have ever imagined. So instead of writing someone off based on superficial qualities, step outside of your dating boundaries and see where it takes you!
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