15. Fishing for Instant Commitments
"Do you think we have enough chemistry to go out again next weekend"? Putting him on the spot to make a definitive decision about his feelings can trigger an immediate urge to pull away. Men appreciate having time to digest how a date went without feeling like they are facing an interrogation.
16. The Self-Deprecating Pity Party
"I totally get it if you don't want to see me again because I was a total mess tonight". Projecting negative thoughts into his head is a self-sabotaging habit that completely ruins the romantic vibe. You are essentially telling him how to feel about you instead of letting him form his own positive opinions.
Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
17. Recruiting Your Friends Too Early
"My best friend thinks it's so funny that we both grew up in the same small town". Mentioning that you have already recapped the entire date to your inner circle can make a guy feel like he's living under a microscope. He wants to feel like he's getting to know you in a private, safe space, not being judged by a panel of your friends.
Eduardo Simões Neto Junior on Pexels
18. Micro-Managing His Reply Time
"I see that you're online right now, so I don't get why you're ignoring my last text". Tracking his active status across various apps and calling him out for a delayed response is an instant dealbreaker.
It introduces an element of control and paranoia into a connection that is supposed to be fresh and fun.
19. The Novel-Length Summary
"I just wanted to write out how much I appreciated everything you said tonight about your career goals and your family values because it really resonated with me". Sending a massive wall of text that requires a lot of scrolling can feel incredibly daunting to reply to. Long paragraphs can accidentally make you seem overly invested too quickly.
20. Playing Hard to Get via Insults
"You're actually a lot shorter than I thought you'd be, but it's kind of cute". Teasing him about physical traits or using backhanded compliments to seem elusive usually just ends up hurting his feelings. There's a massive difference between playful banter and making someone feel insecure about themselves after a date.
