I couldn’t resist. In this super political climate, I just had to find a way to compare it to something a little more lighthearted—dating. Some of us do our research regarding voting in government elections and some of us just stick with a party affiliation and choose from there. Regarding dating, it’s not wise to stick to a certain “affiliation”. We would be wise to do our research when choosing our perfect romantic candidate. Here are 5 requirements to use when narrowing your search and making your selection of the perfect romantic candidate for you.
Emotional
These requirements are some of the most important and I would suggest sticking to two major emotional boxes you need your ideal candidate to check. For me, I need someone who is reassuring and empathetic. It’s hard to deal with someone who can’t place himself in your shoes. During conflict, I need to know that he is able to at least fairly assess my viewpoint. I also need someone to validate me emotionally on occasion. I’m not emotional Teflon, so I know that I’ll need that assurance at some point.
Physical
This isn’t just about having a six-pack or super jacked muscles. What’s your bare minimum here? I don’t require muscles, but my bare minimum is a man that is physically fit. Does that mean you can’t require a six pack as your personal preference? No way! If that’s what you want, it’s what you want. Just make sure that it’s your bare bones requirement. Stick to one physical requirement that you can’t live without here. (There’s no need to build a superhero.)
Mental
What type of mindset are you looking for your guy to have? Of course, we want someone who’s mentally stable, but what type of mentality do you want him to have. What do you want to be important to him? What should he value? I prefer a guy that values family and family values. His mentality should be about building, strengthening, and or protecting his family. Again, you should be choosing one mentality you want over everything else here. What is your ideal mindset match?
Intellectual
This has been a hot topic of many debates because it’s tied to education. I’d like to point out that having several degrees doesn’t make you an intellectual. There are many women who have degrees and require that their partner has a degree too. I can understand the sentiment, but it doesn’t guarantee that they will be will a critically thinking intellectual. While I appreciate degrees as a testament of some level of intelligence, I prefer someone who is a critical thinker. This can be found in a person who may not have a degree, but actively seeks to educate himself. Does your guy have to have any level of degree or are you willing to individually assess his intellectualism?
Spiritual
Religious differences have broken up its share of relationships. It would be safe to have this as a requirement for your ideal candidate. If differing religious beliefs is something you know would be a deal breaker for you, have it on your criteria up front. There’s no need to waste time dating someone who you will ultimately bump heads with down the road. Radical Christians and Muslims probably would not mix well in a romantic relationship because at some point there will be time where they have to choose to honor their religion or their relationship. This is a tough spot to occupy. Set the criteria early to avoid situations like this.
It’s not hard to figure out what works for you and what won’t work for you. Take out the guesswork in some of your dating encounters by having a short list of hard criteria that will match your personality/lifestyle. This isn’t being picky, it’s more like dating smarter. Find your perfect candidate!
