7 Powerful Reasons For Being Open Minded in Dating

7 reasons for being open minded in dating

Table of Contents

Should You Be Open-Minded In a Relationship?

Talk about open-minded relationships and all you will hear is people supporting the idea that ‘anything goes.’ Simply put, anyone who says they are an open-minded couple will most likely encourage thoughts of sexual adventures that some of us can only imagine.

Think about those who wouldn’t think about their own or other people’s boundaries especially when engaging in a sexual act. Perhaps for you, open-minded dating means you’re a thrill seeker who is always on the lookout for a myriad of erotic pleasures, or that you would readily agree to whatever proposals that would be presented to you.

Well, whatever you feel ‘open-minded’ means to you, in this day and age, it for sure doesn’t mean that you lack opinions, judgments, or values. Being an open-minded individual simply means that you have the ability to let go of your assumptions and question your biases so that you can possibly accept other ideas.

It also means dropping the permanent image you may have had of dating and expanding your boundaries for the people you could possibly date or make connections with as you lay down your prejudices.

What Does Open-Minded Mean When Dating?

So then, what does open-minded mean? Should you learn how to be more open minded in a relationship even if you’re with a long-term partner, and what does it mean for you? Well, as we mentioned earlier, being open minded simply means you free yourself to the possibility of enjoying new experiences and having empathy for other people’s feelings.

With this definition, it could also mean that you have an open mind to being in an open relationship with your current partner. When you’re in an open relationship, you can date and have sexual encounters with people outside of your primary relationship.

Being open minded during dating can also mean that you’re freeing yourself to a new direction that your relationship is taking, new foods, or sexual experiences. There are too many possibilities to contemplate when it comes to open-minded dating.

What Does Being Open-Minded Have to do With Sex?

Here’s the thing, just because you consider yourself an open minded couple doesn’t mean that you’ve got to agree to all the sexual acts your partner brings up. In fact, simply being up to something shouldn’t be a cause to participate.

You can share your sexual fantasies and get curious about someone else’s tastes and preferences while getting curious and asking questions about it. You don’t have to do it. When you’re sexually open minded, you want to understand why your partner likes what they like instead of dismissing it simply because you don’t want to do it.

Being open minded about sex simply means that you are accepting of other people’s fetishes or fantasies even when you’re not into them. When you’re sexually open minded, it could also mean that you retain an open mind to those things you previously felt weren’t for you.

The thing is that we often develop prejudices because of our past experiences and interactions. While this may be true, we have to remember that everyone is different and comes with different dynamics. What may not have worked for you and a past partner may be different from a future partner.

Should You Always be Open Minded During Sex?

Here’s the thing, just because you’re practicing open-minded dating doesn’t mean that you should ignore your personal boundaries. Maybe you don’t like bondage because your previous experience with it didn’t work.

Or, maybe you felt powerless and didn’t like the feeling of not being in control. This doesn’t mean that a partner who is an expert at such things will give you the same experience. Even if you still have negative feelings about the act, you can still work through your feelings so that you’re prepared for the future.

Ultimately, being open-minded in dating and sex means that you shouldn’t always assume that just because you said ‘no’ to something, your answer will always be ‘no.’ It implies that you have the capacity to reflect on the possibilities that present themselves. This way, you can enjoy new experiences and connections.

Why You Should Be Open Minded During Dating

Here are seven reasons why being open minded during dating will help you reach an optimal dating experience and broaden your opportunities.

You widen your scope of reach

Most of us already have an idea of the specific kind of partner we’d like in our lives. But, what if there’s more you can enjoy? Think about it this way, if this has been your type and you’ve always had a negative experience with them, wouldn’t it make sense to change what your ‘type’ is? “Your chances are vastly improved this way than when you’re being closed-minded and unwilling to sample the array of possibilities that life often presents.” (ADETAYO)

You can experience much more than attraction

The first thing we see on someone’s profile is how attractive they are to us. While this is helpful, it won’t help to form a deeper, lasting relationship. Being open-minded will help you to figure out whether you’ve got similar interests and values.

Widening your dating pool

The whole point of dating is to have your pick of the dating pool. When you keep yourself within certain limits, you only have access to a certain pool. However, when you re-evaluate your expectations, you might find someone that will blow your mind away. “Just because someone you meet doesn’t appear to be your type, it’s important to keep an open mind and heart.” (Team)

How to be Open-Minded in a Relationship

So then, you know what being open-minded means. But, how do you adopt it in a relationship? Here’s how:

Learn to compromise

When you learn to compromise in a relationship, you adopt the ability to take your partners feelings into account, and they in turn are encouraged to listen to your suggestions.

Keep open lines of communication

When you don’t listen to your partner’s opinions or suggestion, it can seem like you don’t value their emotions. This can seem rude or come across as abusive. Everyone wants a partner that can listen to their emotions or what they have to say.

Express your feelings

One of the best ways to have an open-minded relationship is to learn how to express your feelings. Be honest with your partner and tell them exactly how you feel. If they have a suggestion that you aren’t sure about, tell them that you’re unsure about it, and would like to know more about what they’re asking of you.

This way, you are expressing your feelings while still showing that you’re curious about new experiences. If you don’t want to try it, let your partner know. Being open-minded doesn’t mean you should go ahead and do something that doesn’t align with your values on account of your relationship.