This could be “the one” after all, and too many times our nerves get to us and cause us to do some, well, less than attractive things. 

I’ve listed the top 4, in no particular order, and some solutions that can help you overcome the nerves and just be you… calm & confident.

Nervous Habit #1: Eating. 

Believe it or not, this is one of the most common signs of nervousness.  Picture it: you’re sitting there with a fantastic person across from you… it gets quiet for a moment… nothing brilliant comes to mind to break the silence with, so you reach for a roll and comment on the restaurant’s atmosphere.

Reaching for a roll isn’t the problem… but if you’re not careful, you’ll find that your mouth is constantly full of food.

Just take a deep breath, and be okay with silence.  Look at what’s on the table in front of you and make a quick decision to eat only what is appropriate.  Then pace yourself.  The key is to not allow yourself to get so uncomfortable that you reach out for food.

Some people tend to eat because they are uncomfortable with attention, and they focus on the food in an attempt to draw attention away from themselves.  In this case, just relax and enjoy the attention.  If it’s creepy, just end the date earlier than normal and you won’t have to see that person again.  There’s no sense going home with a disappointing date AND a few extra pounds of food!

Nervous Habit #2: Talking -  or NOT talking.

This is perhaps the most damaging sign of nervousness, because it can really affect the way a new person thinks about your personality.

If you are someone who seems to go quiet and blank when you are nervous, then you might want to rehearse your date.  You might feel silly doing it, but if you visualize over and over again asking specific and interesting questions, or bringing up unique conversations that fit your personality and interests, it won’t be very difficult at all to get those conversations started.  And soon enough, you’ll be comfortable with this person and will not have to visualize the conversations in advance.

If you’re someone who seems to talk fast and incessantly when you’re nervous, you’re going to have to also do some prep work.  Wear a piece of jewelry that will remind you to listen to yourself speak.  Anything that is slightly intrusive on your awareness level will work great.

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3. Mirroring – Discover This Little Known 1st Date Secret (Video)
4. Second Date Ideas… Keeping it Fun and Exciting after the First Date
5. What To Do When He Doesn’t Call After Your First Date… What Happened? (Video)

You may balk at first, but then you think, "Oh why not? What have I got to lose?" and you agree to meet Mr. or Ms. Perfect.

As the big night approaches, keep an open mind  and follow these ten tips to make it an enjoyable experience.

Enter the date with a blank slate approach

It is best to apply the pinch of salt rule here – Whatever information you think you know about them or how much they’ve been bigged up by your friends, don’t get carried away.

People LOVE to exaggerate and they tend to tell you about qualities that the person fails to exhibit on the date but leave out crucial nuggets of information.

Always remember: people have their ‘date version’ and their ‘friend version’ so unless these people have actually dated your date, they really just don’t know half the time! Which brings me to…

Don’t be toooooo familiar

I know you’ve been set up and may know a little info where some of it can be used for conversation fodder…but proceed with caution. You may get carried away and repeat something that wasn’t intended for consumption…

Manage your expectations

This is a dating opportunity. You don’t have to get married, you don’t have to see them again after this date if you don’t want to, and you certainly don’t have to like or sleep with them. It’s a date like any other date except for that you got set up…and they know your friend.

I know, I know, awkward sometimes! It is a good idea to draw a line in the sand before the date with your friend so that they manage their expectations too. This way you can find out if they’re the sort that will take offense if you don’t come back with glowing praise.

Remember that your friend is the introducer not the facilitator of your date

Think of it like using a free dating agency. Would you phone them up and cuss them because your date wasn’t what was expected? Would you expect the agency to run interference between you both? From the moment that you arrange the date, three is a crowd.

You also don’t want to get into high school territory with the whole getting your mate to find out what the score is. Do your own dirty work! Oh and obviously if things go sour, the last thing that your friend will want to be accused of is having any part in it!

Be positive

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Related articles:

1. Second Date Ideas… Keeping it Fun and Exciting after the First Date
2. How Can I Tell If My Date Really Likes Me? (Video)
3. First Date Question – How Can I Avoid the Conversation Dead Zone and Keep From Striking Out?
4. 4 Ways Nerves Can Wreck A First Date
5. How Not To Screw Up Your First Date! (Video)