Friday, 04 March 2011
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Things Women Do That Drive Men Away

I almost blew it with my dream man! We were going to lunch at Panera Bread and I was making small talk as we drove from campus to the restaurant. Although I was teaching at a university in the Midwest at the time, I had an interview for a position at a university in the South that was coming up and I mentioned it as we chatted.Before I met him, I was trying everything in my power to land my dream job in the South. But now things had changed. Even though we weren’t officially dating, I knew that he was the kind of man I had been looking for.
I knew that I wasn’t going to take the job but I didn’t tell him that. When I brought up the interview he said, “So this job is just temporary? You’re not really planning on staying here, huh?”
There must have been something in his voice that made me realize that how I’d respond to his question could either make or break my chances with him. I could tell that he was trying to find out whether or not it was worth it to pursue a relationship with me.
In other words, if I was serious about moving and he had no desire for a long distance relationship, I might have become less desirable for him. Why even take time getting to know me if things wouldn’t work out anyway?
I thought about my answer to his question very carefully. “Well, I used to really want to move there but now things have changed . . .” Of course I didn’t tell him that he was the reason things had changed, but I wanted him to know that I was available and I was interested!
You might also be in a make or break situation, but you just don’t know it. Instead, you’re confused and frustrated because the guy you’re dating seems to show you all the signs that he’s attracted to you and then suddenly stops calling!
Because you don’t know how to decode a man’s secret language and make him feel intensely attracted to you, you may actually be driving him away. Most women think, “he must not be into me,” when the fact is they may be sending him signs they’re not interested!
Keep your dream man dreaming about you with these 4 tips:
1) Be yourself: Men are deathly afraid that you will change once they commit to you. So if you pretend to be someone you’re not—self-effacing, always giving, never complaining, always flawless—when the real you comes out, they may pull away from you.2) Appreciate and encourage him: Everybody wants to feel appreciated. But guys especially want to know that you notice the things they do for you. Whether it’s thanking him for taking you to a restaurant you’ve never been to before, or giving him a sincere compliment, letting him know you appreciate him shows him you’re genuinely interested in him and makes him want to get to know you more.
3) Listen to him: Not only does this make him feel special and important, but you’ll find out whether he is casually dating or looking for a serious relationship. For example, most people think they need to impress a man on a date and end up talking most of the time.
Try listening instead. Ask lots of questions to find out what he likes about what he does for a living, what he does in his free time, what it was like growing up in his family, etc. and you’ll find out what his strengths, needs, interests and goals are.
Armed with that information, you won’t do what one sister did on a date. When her date asked her about her career goals she told him she’d thought about moving to another part of the country.
He didn’t ask her on a second date because he said he was ready to settle down and wasn’t interested in moving and because she’d talked about it all night long, he assumed she was very serious about it.
When she found out the reason he didn’t call for a second date, she was upset: She’d only mentioned the move because she was nervous and didn’t know what else to talk about!
4) Don’t use the date to upstage him. This one-upmanship not only makes him feel like he can’t do anything right, but it also makes you look bad. For example, one sister found out her date liked to go to art museums in his free time.
So she told him all about the museums she went to in Paris. She’d also shot down his suggestion for the restaurant and spent the majority of the time talking about herself. He did not call for a second date because he felt like she was trying to outdo him. And instead of looking impressive, she came across as selfish and controlling.
These four tips can help you discover if the man you’re dating share the values you’re looking for without accidentally sending him signs that you’re not interested. You'll catch his eye, and keep his heart!
Are there any specific rules or guides you follow when going on a date?
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Comments (39)
Yes, one guy kept telling me how men want to know they're being appreciated.
I would add, don't jump into it too soon. Once a guy feels like he's being cornered, he'll try to escape! So don't be clingy or insecure.
Men don't have a secret language. We're as simple as it gets.
Such guys aren't as much of a problem to women as guys who suck up to women, buy them gifts, etc.
@Kazydai@mancouch - What he said.
We like to tell things how they are, because girls do like honesty, right? Also, for me anyways, I don't like it when girls assume I can read her mind and get mad at me when I don't know what she's talking about, yet she doesn't tell me.
@laytexduckie@xanga - You don't know? Apparently within five seconds of meeting a girl you're supposed to know all her likes, dislikes, interests, hobbies, her shoe size, how she likes her coffee, what her favorite kind of chocolate is, and all her pets' names in alphabetical order.
So I hear anyways.
@tokyoexpressman@xanga - This comes to mind.
I agree with all of these, the only thing I would add and emphasize is body language! Our culture is so used to multi-tasking; texting while in class, driving while eating, everything. But the thing is, people still want to be paid attention to, and I think on a date it's very important to not distract yourself, or rather, not make your date feel like another task in the midst of many... Make eye contact, while he's talking and while you're talking to him, face him and not other thing, etc. Not to change your whole way of interacting, but really when you try it, it's hard not to do it all the time, you can really feel that they are feeling more important/appreciated - plus when you get that kind of behavior turned back at you, you realize how good it feels to not be put aside for a phone, your manicure, anything that might be distracting you.
actually in #4, I think the guy is insecure more than the girl is controlling. if a guy was talking about his trips and other things, I'd think he was cultured and intriguing than selfish and controlling
it depends on perspective I suppose. I don't expect guys to read my mind. however, I do appreciate it when they pay attention to the trifle things that I say and keep them in mind and get the hints to surprise me later...like if I casually mentioned that I like a specific thing, then he goes out of his way to fulfill it and I don't necessarily mean materialism, but the fact that he paid attention. I was just saying that my complaint was that they need to pay more attention. I think I pay too much attention to guys lol and ask too many questions and they think I'm invading their space
nobody can ever really win or be satisfied.
you're not going to take your dream job over a guy that you're not even dating? wtf.
I always thought that there were 3 sentences in men language. "I want food. I want sex. I want sleep."
I think number 1 is the hardest for me to do =/ I always feel like I HAVE to be flawless for them to even look at me. Though after a while it gets tiring to be a f**king barbie doll all the time XP So I'm trying my hardest to NOT be flawless and just be my complete self =] Something that I'm getting better at now. Great tips and awesome post!
wow, advice from a woman about men that I actually agree with. Well done author.
This is good.
Also would add:
Take the pussy off the pedestal.
Talk to him like a genuine person and not someone you see as disposable or that you could find a million just like him, all waiting in line to offer you dick... Even if that's true, it's better for both parties to know that a date isn't an interview and actually a hang-out session between two human beings. Dates don't have to be some sorta dog and pony show for the dude.
This stuff applies to women too. Be yourself, compliment her, listen to her, don't try to upstage her. I actually have heard more of the upstaging from men than women, likely due to a naturally more competitive nature (or just those people's personality, whatever). Whatever the cause, it's super annoying.
Good list.
I would never give up a job for a guy I'm not even dating. That just screams stupidity, especially in this economy.
Things women do that REALLY drive men away:
1) Get a haircut
2) Gain a lot of weight
3) Get pregnant
4) Lose control over PMS
5) Discuss things like breastfeeding in public
6) Have a large vagina
I'd say just keep the damn thing simple. Go for the jugular and cut with the phony dating games. Keeping it real. In the long run is the way to go. If its meant to be it will happen. If you screw with it too much, trying to mold a date forcefully to your needs. It will eventually catch up to you and its curtains from there on.
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@Kazydai@mancouch - win.
I have a strong and odd personality. It takes a special person, often a sociopath, to be satisfied properly with my personality. And, luckily, I find sociopaths to be quite attractive, but the good ones are quite rare.
Thus, when it comes to crazy, screwed up, people, this list doesn't apply. My relationships tend to feel like speeding down the road at 100 mph on a motorcycle until it crashes into an nuclear bomb, which can be a very good thing or a very bad thing.
So when it comes to dating advice: In my relationship, we don't date; we just do stuff. We've never actually "dated". Most likely, our relationship is surprisingly successful and lasting due to the lack of dating. My other relationships failed because there was all this pressure due to going out on dates and they crashed and burned. So, I honestly think that, first and foremost, your significant other should be your best friend. Treat them like the best friend you have ever had. It eliminates a lot of complications that way.
Also: You didn't take your dream job due to a prospective boyfriend? Sorry, but have you lost your bloody mind?
I dont think they have a secret language. I think they are too simple and we're the ones that overthink sometimes
No secret language. Listening is nice, we rarely have someone sit across from us who is interested in hearing how our day went. And when we do... its a good change. Communication makes the world go round.
Ehh... I don't think men have a secret language.
@Kazydai@mancouch - Agreed... if anything its women who have a secret language... like the auther demonstrated "I really wanted to move there but things are different now". I would never understand that that meant she was interested in me.... Maybe I am too simple :P
Wow. You gave up your dream job to be with this guy? You're going to regret that later. NO MAN stands between me and my dream. I told my boyfriend if it comes between me and my dream I'll say see ya later.