Dating is a fun time in anyone’s life. Learning about your new mate can be the most exciting time, from the things that make her tick all the way to the things that make her sick.

Entering a new relationship, you really aren’t sure what to expect. You can hope that you are able to fulfill all of her dreams and that you click on the same level. In a perfect world the things you do to make her smile and show how interested you are would fall in line with her needs and desires. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world.

Often you will have to step outside of your comfort zone in order to show her affection. This isn’t all bad, as being uncomfortable will in the end help you to grow. Even if this new mate is not the one that stays forever, it is possible that she will help you on your journey to finding the one who is meant to be.

I recently sat down with a group of women and asked them what it was that made them feel wanted and appreciated. I am interested in understanding the similarities we all share, as well as where we differ. I received some good insight, along with some ideas that were out of reach for the average person.

So what were the ideas you ask? First they went as big as they could. A new car was on the list of one one woman, and of course the others agreed. But that wasn’t really what I was looking for. I asked them to think on a much smaller scale. While the cliche answer of “flowers” was in there, that is a given. Every woman needs flowers from time to time. This is the number 1 way people give and feel affection.

Next on the list of one of the women was a cute text or email. Not the average text of “I am thinking about you.” Women want to feel special. A text that points out the things that are unique. Maybe more like “I really like your crooked smile”. This will tell your love that you acknowledge the small things about her and she will love that you are looking at her individual characteristics, not the big picture.

Another thought was to take the time to go shopping. This serves as a double purpose. Quality time is essential for any relationship to grow. But by joining her on a shopping extravaganza you will find out the types of things she would pick out for herself and use that the next time you want to surprise her with a gift.

A romantic night out topped the list of many of the women. Choosing a place and making it sporadic. Women tend to like to be surprised. No matter how often you hear her say she hates surprises, she really does, so long as it is a good one and includes the things she likes. Taking her to your favorite restaurant will annoy her, so make sure you put some thought into it before making a rash decision.

A final thought was as simple as it gets. Not a woman in the group disagreed with this one. Help her around the house or yard. When she is working on her garden, pick up a hoe and help her out. Don’t be afraid to get dirty or if you are not sure of what to do, offering a helping hand is enough. Showing an interest in the things she loves (even if you don’t) will show her that you are ready to learn anything she is willing to teach you.

If you are looking to surprise the lovely lady in your life and you are unsure of what to do. You can never go wrong with any gift. So long as it is pretty, sweet or it tastes good. A card that expresses emotions you are unable to put into your own words, chocolates and of course flowers always melt a woman’s heart. FloristExpress.com has some gift ideas for even the trickiest of women.

“Dating isn’t easy,” is the understatement of the year. Women are complicated creatures and no two are the same. So, how can you impress her without intimidating her? How do you win her over so she agrees to that second or third date and then a relationship? These tips are sure-fire ways to convince her you’re the gentleman she’s been waiting for. Win her over by incorporating these surefire dating moves.

1. Appreciate Her

All women are different, but humans fundamentally hope to be appreciated by the people they care about. Admit it, you like your ego stroked once in a while too. So, don’t leave out appreciation. Say, “thank you,” when she offers to pick up a check. Be decent and listen when she speaks. If she shares something personal, thank her for that too. Remember that appreciation can be shown non-verbally too.

2. Do The Things She Likes

Especially when newly dating, you’ve got to treat her to the stuff she likes. Maybe you’ll find some new hobbies along the way. If she loves ice skating, take her to the rink. Let her teach you how. If she’s fond of Italian food, make a reservation at an Italian restaurant. This ties in with the first tip, because doing what she likes shows her you appreciate her.

3. Be Romantic

Spontaneity is the key to romance. Don’t be afraid to surprise her. Blindfold her, put her in a car, and drive her someplace she doesn’t expect. These spontaneous gestures show her you’re different than most guys. It’s also a good idea to brush up on your cooking skills, because many women express they love a man who can cook. If you’re terrible in the kitchen, why not take a cooking class with her?

4. Little Gifts Mean a Lot

Flowers make a great first impression. Don’t go for the sagging ones at the front of the supermarket. Make the extra effort and visit a florist. To really make this move work, ask her what her favorite flowers are before the big date. Next time get her a small box of a candy she likes and don’t forget these little gestures work both ways. Chances are she’ll start treating you to the things you like too.

5. Be Yourself

Don’t lie to her. Don’t try to run game on her, because the truth will eventually come out and you’ll end up breaking her heart. If she’s truly special to you, be honest about who you are. If you’re a sports fanatic and her last boyfriend spent hours on the couch watching hockey, let her know you don’t mind spending a Sunday watching the big game, but you’re not her ex either. Highlight your positive attributes before your negative ones. If she’s the right girl for you, she’ll accept you for who you are.

6. Don’t Rush Her

Finally, if she isn’t ready to hop into bed with you, take this as a sign of her class and don’t rush her. Your hormones may be racing every time you see her in a new outfit, but she has to be careful. Chances are she’s protecting herself for a reason. Show her that you’re willing to wait for her. Be patient, but don’t be afraid to let her know you’re ready whenever she is. If you can handle all of these tips, then you’re ready to sweep her off her feet.

Last week we were invited by Toyota to Breckenridge, Colorado to test drive their 4-wheel drive vehicles over snow and ice covered trails, and to spend some time on the slopes with US Olympic snowboarder, X-Games sliver medalist and Team Toyota competitor, Elena Hight.

Sure she was the first woman to land a 900 in competition (doing it at a ridiculously young 13 years old) and is the first snowboarder ever, male or female, to land a double backside alley-oop rodeo in Superpipe competition, but the 23-year-old is also a hottie. So besides learning how to shred the mountain, we wanted to know what it takes to date an Olympian.

Here’s what Elena had to say about being manly, whether her success intimidates guys, and the worst line she ever heard:

1. What qualities do you look for in a guy? And be specific. If you like a guy who can deal with being second place to boarding, who has enough self-confidence to be okay with that, or an Alpha guy who will take control, or a guy who will treat you like a queen, say so.

Elena Hight: I don’t necessarily have a “type” of guy that I look for. I think that the most important qualities are a good sense of humor, intelligence, a passion for life, and someone who is comfortable and confident in their own skin.

2. How important is it to you that a guy be into snowboarding or skiing? Or surfing. Or is it better that he be into something totally different that he can introduce you to? And how important is it that he be fit and active?

EH: I definitely look for a guy who is active and into sports. I love to play outdoors, so anyone who is into some type of athletic sport is good for me. They don’t necessarily have to be the best snowboarder, but they have to be able to at least hang!

3. Do you find that guys are intimidated by your success? Does it make it harder or easier to meet guys when you’re an Olympic athlete? Does the constant travel help or hurt?

EH: Traveling is great to meet new guys or people in general, however not great to keep in contact with those people. But it is really fun to be able to hang out and get to know all sorts of different guys with different backgrounds, which is nice because it’s easy to get stuck just knowing the same guys in the snowboard industry.

I am not sure that guys are necessarily intimidated by my success, but if they are, then they probably aren’t the guy for me.

4. What do you think makes a guy “manly”? Is it having no fear facing the toughest mountain runs? Knowing how to fix a car or build a deck? Protecting you from harm? Not being afraid to cry?

EH: Because I grew up in the mountains, I was constantly surrounded by manly mountain men. To me, being manly is being able to take care of others. Whether it is fixing a car or bike or snowmobile, building a fire, shoveling the driveway, or building a tent, taking charge of a situation is manly.

5. What’s the worst line any guy has ever tried to use? The absolute dumbest thing a guy ever said or did? What was your reaction?

EH: Maybe, “Can I have your phone number because I lost mine?” That is just so lame!

And what was the sweetest/funniest/best line or thing a guy ever did to try to meet you? And did it work?

EH: Flowers are the way to a girl’s heart, and it will work every time.

Eric Rogell is the author of The Art of War for Dating and the is founder of The Casanova Code, a program where he teaches sales teams, corporate executives, and marketers how to achieve unrivaled business success by using the wickedly effective secrets of seduction. You can follow him on Twitter @ericrogell.

You see this hot girl waiting for her order at the coffee shop. Feeling confident, you walk up and say, “Hi, I’m Mike. I just wanted to…” And that’s all you can get out before she grabs her double skinny decaf soy latte, says “I have a boyfriend” and bolts for the door.

Shot down. In cold blood.

Now most guys will take it personally when that happens. But you shouldn’t. Because 9 times out of 10, you weren’t the reason she blew you off. And by “you” I mean your looks, your personality, your clothes… anything that makes you “you.” Nope, instead you just fell victim to one of the most insidious traps a guy can fall into: The Panhandler Syndrome.

Here’s how it works: Think about the last time you were in a big city and got approached by a panhandler. Some guy shuffles up, hand out. “Excuse me, sir. I haven’t eaten today, can you spare some change?” Being a generous guy, you reach into your pocket and hand him whatever coins you have. No big deal. Good deed done for the day.

Now imagine that every time you walk down your city’s streets, 10 or 15 panhandlers approach you. All with the same come-on: “Excuse me sir…”, “Pardon me, friend….”, “Hey mister, can you spare…”. By the time the 5th or 6th one approached you how willing would you be to dig in your pockets for change? Exactly. Not at all.

In fact, after just a couple of these bums hit you up for money, you’d start to ignore them, maybe even snap “I don’t have any change!” before they can even finish the word “Excuse.” And it doesn’t matter how compassionate and caring a person you are, at some point we’ve all had enough.

Now imagine you’re a hot girl. And all day, every day, guys are coming up to you. Hitting on you. Just trying to talk to you. All using the same dumb lines… “Wow has anyone ever told you…”, “Excuse me, but I just wanted to…”, “Hi, my name is Mike and…”

Yep. We are panhandlers to women. Begging for phone numbers. Dates. And sex. A never-ending stream of us, all using some version of the same old lines. And by the 3rd or 4th guy, they’re blowing us off like we were Charlie Sheen in a convent.

It’s not their fault either. They can’t help it. The Panhandler Syndrome becomes reflex—a knee jerk reaction to an endless parade of jerks. Even if you might be a great guy for her, she’s got her bitch shield on high alert, and she’s shooting down any fool who trips the wire. And unless your name is Channing Tatum, you’re gonna trip the wire.

So what can you do?

You’ve got to avoid the triggers that set off the Panhandler Syndrome. Let’s go back to the city streets for an example. Forget all those guys shuffling up with a sad, “Excuse me.” Think about the creative panhandlers you’ve seen. The ones with the signs that say things like: “Yell anything you want at me for $2″ or “I’ll listen to you complain about your wife/husband for $3″ Did those catch your attention? Make you stop? Laugh? Even consider giving the guy a couple of bucks just for the effort?

Exactly. Because they didn’t come up with a line that triggers your reaction to avoid their insufferable neediness. And you have to think the same way when approaching a woman. This is why indirect openers can let you side step her triggers, rather than coming in directly.

You want to come across as if you’re not hitting on her at all. As if you’re simply asking a question or an opinion. “Is that chai? I’ve heard for every 3 cups you drink, you add a week on to your life. What do you think, is it really that healthy?” or “You look like a coffee veteran… Help me settle a bet with my buddy, I say a latte and a cappuccino are the same thing, he says they’re different. Who wins?” It doesn’t really matter as long as whatever you ask is creative, different, and can’t be answered with a yes or no. Or doesn’t make her think you’re angling to get in her pants. That comes later, after you’ve made yourself immune to the Panhandler Syndrome.

Eric Rogell is the author of “The Art of War for Dating” and is the founder of The Casanova Code, a program where he teaches sales teams, corporate executives and marketers how to achieve unrivaled business success by using the wickedly effective secrets of seduction. You can follow him on Twitter @ericrogell.

If you’ve looked for love online, you know that it’s easy to make a few mistakes that could cause a potential romance to fizzle quickly. Don’t let online dating turn into a dangerous minefield; use common sense to find someone who will make you happy.

Do Proofread

In the age of text messages and emails, poor spelling and improper grammar is common. Surprise the women reading your profile by proofreading your words before you update your profile. You might impress a potential date with your excellent command of the English language.

Don’t Waste Your Time

Don’t feel obliged to respond to every single inquiry you receive. If you don’t see a potential connection or feel any interest towards a particular reply, let go and move on.

Do Embrace Your Interests

Using websites to find romance gives you a chance to instantly connect with people who share your interests. Be upfront about your interests, even if your love of “My Little Pony” seems silly.

Don’t Use the Internet to Stalk

Although a quick search online can usually yield plenty of information about a prospective match, don’t abuse this power. You may run across incorrect information and potentially ruin a relationship before it even starts.

Do Use Humor

Your online profiles should not resemble a boring advertisement for a car. Inject your personality and humor to make your profile stand out among the rest.

Don’t Lie

Although you may feel tempted to stretch the truth about your job status or wealth, lying can come back to haunt you. Even small untruths may be uncovered in the future.

Do Choose a Good Picture

A picture of your attempt to mimic Arnold Schwarzenegger may not win over any women browsing your profile. Instead, choose a picture that shows off your sincere smile.

Don’t Share Your Life Story

Don’t start providing the details of your life’s history in your initial emails with a potential match. Feel free to share some information, but be sure to ask her to talk about herself as well.

Do Take Some Breaks

If you’re not having luck with online dating, take a brief break. A break will give you the chance to rest and review your strategy.

Don’t Pursue Too Many Options

If you strike up too many conversations with prospective matches, you may feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Instead, hold back and cultivate only a few profiles on dating websites.

Finding romance online may seem like a daunting task with no possibility of a positive outcome. However, online dating isn’t an advanced science. Be yourself and avoid common mistakes and you may end up finding the right match for you. For more advice about navigating the online dating world, as well as other practical & effective dating tips, visit our friends over at the ArtofCharm.com.

Here’s a great gallery of actual photos uploaded on a new social media dating site – SocialSex.com. They’re basically just like the photos we’re seeing hotties posting all over the popular social media sites as girls try real hard to look sexy, except here they have a much clearer agenda. Check it out and see of you can hook up tonight!

There was a time when first dates often meant sweaty palms and plenty of nervousness. Not only did people agonize about where to go and how much to cram into a date, they also wondered about making a first impression with what to wear.

Over time, the concept of dating has changed. Where face-to-face interaction when meeting was the way to plan a first date, a lot of times first dates are planned in front of a computer. There is a chance you have exchanged pictures, but a lot of the planning is done with messages back and forth.

Most dating websites have downplayed the art of dressing up. Instead, dressing down, or casual, has become normal. If your first date happens to be a sporting event, then you won’t want to wear a suit or a dress to the occasion. Meeting for a drink or a meal? Now there is where you want to make the impression.

Here are some ways for both men and women to impress the opposite sex and increase the chances of a love connection:

1. Dress the part

Men, if you are taking a date to a restaurant that isn’t swanky yet is impressive, then you won’t likely need the suit-and-tie route. A nice shirt and a pair of dress pants or khakis will do the trick. More formal first dates for men are when you bring out the Brooks Brothers men’s suits so you can look your best and show your sharp dressing style. For women, a nice blouse and pants will work out for less-formal occasions. Dinner at a very nice restaurant involves breaking out the evening dress, or maybe you go the three-piece suit route if you are in a corporate job. With a little transformation, a daytime suit can easily become a nighttime outfit.

2. Accessorize

For the men, a nice watch or a small necklace looks good on an outfit. Make sure it goes well with what you are wearing at dinner. An extravagant watch may look out of place on a mid-priced outfit and may draw attention away from you. For women the rules are the same. Don’t overdress with plenty of jewelry. Wear something simple around the neck and ears and maybe one or two rings on your hand.

3. Finish the Look

Not only does this involve proper hygiene, with fingers and exposed skin washed and cleaned thoroughly, it involves what you wear to complete the outfit. Men should wear comfortable socks with shoes. Make sure the socks and shoes aren’t too tight. There’s no use gazing at your first date while you wonder about blisters at the end of the night. Women should wear appropriate heels with their outfit. Don’t wear spike heels with a conservative dress, for example. Make sure the look completes itself. And yes, ladies, it is acceptable again to wear hosiery with an outfit. If you do, match the look of the hose to the outfit and its accessories (purse, etc.). They always say one color makes you look better, if not slimmer.

4. A Little Too Much Fragrance?

Be sensitive to your date’s needs. This means don’t splash on too much cologne or perfume. A little fragrance dabbed on certain areas of the body goes a long way toward impressing the opposite sex. A lot of fragrance can trigger sensitive noses at a table, not to mention other tables might notice.

5. A Fresh Ending

This is not so much a dressing tip but a tip about how to end the night. This falls under accessories. Have a mint or something fresh ready that you can sneak into a purse or pocket. Breath spray works just as well. This will help you in the event the first date ends in a kiss or you feel the need to share a smooch during the night’s activity.

This is the million-dollar question that drives many men crazy. If you want to do better with your dating life, you need to start trying to understand women better.

First, start paying attention! Women will give you all sorts of subtle signals and you just have to pick up on them.

Next, start doing some reading and getting advice from guys who have studied this. The pickup artists we recommend know what they’re doing, and you can learn a ton about women and the mistakes you been making by reading up on their advice.

Dan Bacon has a helpful overview on what women want, so check it and and see the importance of how women want to feel.

We all want to meet more women and date more, but none of this matters if we don’t know how to close the deal. Dan Bacon gives some helpful tips on hooking up and closing the deal. Things like initiating physical contact and maintaining eye contact are critical.

Touch her: Words are great, but the skin is the largest organ in the body and very responsive to sensual touch. Get sex by using any part of your body to rub or touch a woman’s skin.

It can be as simple as holding and caressing her hand, to using your leg to rub her dress against her skin, or even a casual touch of your hand against her face. This will help get a girl to have sex with you.

Maintain good eye contact: Guys often use eye contact when approaching women, but they tend to ignore or underestimate its ability on revving up a woman’s libido.

The next time you are talking to a girl and wondering how to get sex from her, simply tell her she is the sexiest woman in the room, while gazing directly into her eyes. Don’t be surprised if she starts to make out with you in public minutes later.

Check out the entire article.

This is what it’s really about. We don’t want to date women for the sake of dating. We want to seduce women and enjoy their attraction to us.

If you want to improve your success with women, learning the art of seduction is critical. Dan Bacon gives his perspective on how to seduce a woman where he focuses on avoiding the friend zone. Check it out.