Flirting Tips this Valentine's Day and Beyond

Brush up on these age old ways and flirting will have you arm in arm with a Valentine

Sure you can send someone flowers, candies or a gift to let them know you exist. But there are more ways than typical to drop hints to a potential mate. In fact, the fine art of playfully displaying one's interest in someone is alive and well contrary to most beliefs. A whole industry has developed and online dating especially has picked up the pace in the last decade. Tons of people are giving advice and coaching (in print, in person, and online) on the art of flirting, especially for Valentine's Day.

The following is some real, live flirting advice:

1.) Have confidence

"Sometimes, when you do what looks like all the right romantic things, you could look too eager to please, which gets interpreted as if you don't have that essential ingredient for Earth Men: masculine confidence. Keep building your self-confidence in other ways such as improving your physique, gaining skills in things that interest you, and making friends both male and female. This will make you all around more attractive."

2.) Speak up!

"If you see someone in the local store, say Hi! Make eye contact and smile with whomever you can. You'll find the more you do this, the easier it will become." This is great advice. Ask yourself this question - Have you ever gone out of your way to be friendly to people? Simply by grinning or saying "Hi" to another person while passing them by is just something more people need to do. And by the way, return the favor. You are not too cool.

3.) Practice being friendly - but don't over do it

The key is to practice. You don't have to decide to be super friendly to everybody, but if you recognize that maybe others feel like they're getting the cold shoulder...chances are so is the cute guy at the end of the bar.

4.) Find support

There are also support groups available for you to join either in person or online. For example, if you're dating someone in the military and they can't be by your side this Valentine's Day...find a friend and make dinner together and gush about him all night long!

5.) Just be yourself

"Develop your own individual style, because by doing that, you're saying, 'I like who I am,' and that's very sexy.

6.) Focus on how you make someone feel

Writer-lecturer Linda Stambaugh defines flirting as "letting someone know that you like them, and would like to know them better. Flirting has less to do with how you look... and a lot more to do with how you make people feel."

Other helpful tips and flirting advice I found interesting in my flirt research:

"If you want someone to approach you, be sure to carry or wear something that is eye-catching and noticeable." You will be surprised how much easier it is to go up to someone and ask a question about what they're wearing or comment on how cool their shoes look.

"Flirting is not about winking and slinking--it's the art of making people feel special."

"Eye contact, good listening skills, humor, expressing self-confidence and respecting others are vital not just for attracting a mate but for reaching "your professional and personal goals.... When you flirt with someone you find a magical connection."
--Jill Spiegel, author of Flirting for Success


Source: Kristen (Machut) Grace, EverythingValentine.com

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