For most men, there comes a time in your life when you want nothing more than to settle down with a partner and live happily ever after. The question is, of course, how does one get from point A to point C. Meeting women isn’t nearly as difficult as some people make it out to be, and keeping someone you’ve fallen in love with is even easier is you have your head screwed on straight. Here are a few simple tips you can use when you decide that you want to meet someone new and possibly marry.

We are all taught as children that honesty is the best policy. This is true for talking to the cops and talking to our future significant others. Some men, however, think that this policy only kicks in once you’ve moved in together or exchanged rings. The truth is that honesty starts from day one. If you approach a woman and immediately tell her you are a millionaire or a major league baseball player, you may end up spending the night together, but she likely won’t stick around once she finds out you were lying. Meeting a woman for the first time is sort of like a more casual job interview. You can’t really fib and get away with it, so don’t even try. If you want to know how to attract a girl, start with being honest in every facet of your relationship.

One of the most difficult parts of being in a relationship for most men, and for women, as well, is learning to make room for someone else in your life. If you are reaching 30, or 40, and you’ve been single that whole time, it can be an even tougher transition and it is going to take some adjustment. First, you need to realize what most people want from a relationship. They want to be with someone who cares, they want to be with someone who will listen when they have something to say and they want to be with someone who thinks of them as much as they think of you. If you can handle those basic things, you can be a great partner for any women, but it will take some practice. If you want to know how to attract a girl and keep her forever, you need to be there for her when she needs you.

Finally, much has been made about the idea that the longer two people are together, the more annoyed you get with that person. Not every relationship has to work that way, even if it is the commonly held perception. Not every marriage loses its spark after a few years, but if you see that happening, you are going to have to make an effort to keep that person in your life. Communicate with your partner about what you feel is happening and seek help if you want the relationship to last. No relationship is maintenance free. If you want to know how to attract a girl and keep her forever, learn how to express your feelings and how to understand hers.

No matter how successful you may be with the ladies, there has likely been a time or three in your life when you tried to talk to a girl and she either wasn’t interested or you said something to embarrass yourself. For some reason, teenagers and adult men seem to think that they should have a perfect record of success when it comes to approaching girls and that failure on any level is cause for humiliation. In reality, approaching girls and talking to them takes practice, just like any other skill. You are going to fail and you are likely going to embarrass yourself more than once. The key is to learn from your mistakes and improve. Here are a few helpful tips on how to approach a girl without blowing it.

First, you need to run a quick self-diagnostic. As much as we may not want to admit it, the initial attraction that two people have for each other is based solely on physical attributes. She may end up falling in love with you because of your rapier sharp wit or because you are always there for her emotionally, but none of things matter if you have breath that could knock over a horse when you first say hello. Check to make sure that your clothes are in reasonable condition, that you aren’t giving off any offending odours and that your teeth are brushed before you even think of approaching a potential love interest. Learning how to approach a girl means being able to see your own flaws before she does.

Next, you want to always make an effort to be yourself. It sounds like common sense, or like a cheesy plot device on an 80’s sitcom, but a surprising number of men think they have to act in a way that isn’t truly reflective of who they are to impress a woman. Let’s say, for a second, that this “new you” does manage to woo the girl of your dreams. You are going to have to be honest with her at some point, and when you are, what do you think is going to happen? They say that honesty is the best policy when it comes to relationships and that honesty begins at, “Hello, I’m….” Although fibbing may be tempting, the best tip for how to approach a girl is to be yourself.

Finally, don’t be afraid to close the deal. It can be a bit scary to have to make that final leap, especially if the conversation is going well, but if she walks out of your life, there is a chance you may never see her again. The worst thing that can happen is that she says no. You would simply smile, thank her for chatting and walk away. If you are going to approach girls on a regular basis, you are going to have to get used to hearing no, so don’t blow a potential date because you were afraid of rejection. Learning how to approach a girl means learning how to take risks and accepting their outcomes, even when they don’t work out.

First, what women want from men is someone flexible. We always hear about how it is impossible to “change” a man once you’ve met him, like men are made of solid concrete and are unable to learn anything other than sports statistics after the age of 17. This is, of course, foolish. Any man who refuses to change small things in their life to accommodate a partner doesn’t deserve to have one. A relationship is, above all else, a partnership. If you refuse to do your part, don’t expect anyone to stick around.

Next, what women want from men is someone who is supportive. Support comes in many different categories. Support can be emotional support if they are going through a rough patch or it can be financial support if they choose to stay home with the kids. Most women, even if they have successful careers, enjoy having some kind of additional income. The burden of being the sole breadwinner in any household can be extremely stressful for either person. Support also means being there when they need you, which may be the single most important part of any relationship.

Most people would agree that what women want from men is a friend. Most men who find themselves in successful marriages or long term relationships likely don’t even realize that their partner has become their best friend, but when you consider everything you’ve gone through together, it becomes apparent that friendship is a big reason why. That doesn’t mean that the two of you have to go antiquing together or that you have to drag her to the next WWE event in your area, but you should enjoy telling her about your day and you should enjoy hearing about hers. If you don’t, you should probably ask yourself why.

Finally, what women what from men is someone they can count on. There hasn’t been a situation comedy in history that hasn’t had an episode where the husband let down the wife when she needed him. This is a powerful theme in many relationships. There are always going to be miscommunications and times when you get your signals crossed, but if you want to show someone you love that you are serious about your relationship, you need to be someone they can count on each and every day.

If you don’t have much time to talk, be ready to give her your number quickly, since neither of you will have time to write down anything. It helps to have a business card handy or a similar way for you to exchange information. Don’t expect her to give you her phone number since you’ve only likely been talking for a few seconds. Even if she is gracious enough to take your card, again, don’t expect a call since the chances of success here are slim. If you do hear from her, start with an apology about how awkward your first meeting was and offer to take her for coffee or a drink in a public place. Learning how to pick up a woman in this kind of environment is going to take practice, but don’t get discouraged if you strike out. Like they say, you fail on 100% of the chances you don’t take.

Finally, know when to let things go. If you approach a stranger in a coffee shop or on the subway and her tone tells you that she isn’t interested, back off immediately. You don’t want to be “that guy” that doesn’t know how to take a hint. You tried, you struck out and hopefully you’ll do better the next time. Learning how to pick up a woman means knowing how to deal with rejection gracefully and maturely.

Let’s start with the hands. Not only are the hands the body part most often used in regular, every day communication, they are also a dead giveaway when it comes to subconscious communication, too. If a woman spends the conversation with you fiddling with her earring, checking her watch or doing other busy things, chances are, she’s extremely uncomfortable with the current situation. On the other hand, if she continually reaches over and touches you on the arm or hand while you talk, she’s extremely interested in what you have to say. When it comes to the hands, women body language is pretty easy to read.

Watching the face for body language cues can be confusing when you consider the fact that the words you are hearing could be telling you one thing but the looks on her face could be telling you something completely different. First, you need to see how attentive she is being to what you are saying. If she is making direct eye contact and actively engaging you by responding at the right times, than you might be on to something. If she looks distracted, is glancing around her, is frowning off and on or looks distressed, she is, no matter what she is telling you. When it comes to the face and mouth, women body language can be a little deceptive.

When it comes to the hips, you’ll know exactly where you stand by how she is standing. A genuinely interested woman will do everything she can to face you directly, which means she’ll turn her body to look you in the eye. If all you are getting is casual looks while her body remains positioned away from you, she is, at best, mildly interested and likely just doesn’t feel like telling you to leave her alone. Take the hint and keep looking. If she does turn her body towards you, you know, at the very least, that you have her attention and she’s giving you a chance.

As you can see, women body language isn’t very complicated to figure out. The human body has a way of revealing exactly how we feel at any given time, even if we are trying to mask it with the words we are saying. Pay attention to women body language and you’ll always know where you stand.

Next, practice what you are going to say, either in your head before you approach her, or, better yet, in a mirror at home or someplace where you won’t be bothered. Hearing yourself say the words will help ease your mind considerably. Sometimes, the oddest part of asking a girl you like out is hearing your own voice speak words you aren’t used to saying. By practicing, you will sound much more natural, and, again, more confident. When asking girls out, confidence is the most important thing.

One method that many guys use is to open with a joke. If you want to go this route, make sure you ask someone else first if the joke you want to use is appropriate. Nothing can end a potential dating relationship faster than one person telling the other a joke that is either completely inappropriate or just not funny. You can try to be self effacing, but don’t come off as sounding pathetic or that your self directed humour is a sign that you actually have no self confidence. It is the men that are most comfortable with who they are and are the most confident that can make fun of themselves the best.

Finally, it is important to force yourself to relax and breathe normally when asking girls out. Although you may think that you aren’t communicating with her, you begin to send signals the moment you approach her. If your body language is all wrong and you are practically making yourself hyperventilate because you are so nervous, you may have blown your opportunity before you even open your mouth. Relax, take a deep breath and try to act naturally.

Next, a lot of guys have trouble getting started when they approach a girl for the first time. They might have prepared themselves well, have plenty of confidence but when it comes to actually speaking, nothing comes out. This is why it is always good to start with a simple hello or how are you. Once you get that first syllable out, you’ll notice that you suddenly have the ability to talk again. Nerves can play funny tricks on our ability to communicate clearly, so don’t be surprised if you freeze up once in a while. When it comes to asking girls out, the easier the start is, the better off you’ll be.

Another common problem that men often fall victim to is that they wait too long to make their move. Guys will often wait until the person they want to talk to is alone or at least not actively engaged in a conversation with someone else, but if you are in a social situation, like at a bar or club, you may end up waiting forever. Besides, you don’t know how long that person is going to be there, so if you don’t make your move quickly, you may never get the chance. If you want to be successful at asking girls out, you should act sooner rather than later.

Finally, a lot of men get too discouraged by rejection. No man, no matter how successful he might be with the ladies, has a perfect batting average. Part of asking girls out is facing rejection. Simply smile, be polite and walk away. Don’t let it get you down for too long, you may end up missing a golden opportunity that is right in front of you.

Don’t – Start by complaining about something. Even if you find yourself in a tedious and boring situation, opening up a conversation with a complaint only shows you to be petty and unoriginal. You would be much better off starting with a joke or a comment or just about anything compared to a complaint. When you open with a complaint, you are sending negative energy to someone you want to be interested in you. It fails the logic test and it will likely lead to a failed attempt at flirting. Flirting with women should be fun and light hearted and opening with a complaint sabotages you before you even get started.

Do – Exhibit self confidence but not cockiness. While there are some women that enjoy the frat boy, alpha male type who oozes confidence, most women find that type of guy obnoxious and you will immediately alienate yourself from the women you wish to flirt with. You can show your confidence by telling a self effacing joke, by having solid posture and by making direct eye contact and smiling. You can even show your confidence by being polite and gracious if you feel that she isn’t interested, you never know, she may find that very thing attractive. Flirting with women should boost your confidence, even if you don’t succeed.

Don’t – Approach a women to flirt with if you’ve had too many or if you can’t keep a thought straight in your head. There is a reason why alcohol is often called liquid courage, it has a history of getting people in situations that they wouldn’t have entered into otherwise. If you are finding it difficult to string together a sentence, don’t try flirting. You’ll either end up saying something you regret or doing something you’ll regret. Flirting with women should only be done with a clear head.

Good pick up lines should be memorable, but not for the wrong reasons. If you are looking for a traditional pick up line that will instantly make someone interested in you with a single phrase, you are setting yourself up to fail. Women are far too complex and sophisticated to simply fall for someone that quickly. Good pick up lines start with a conversation, continue with listening and finish with a smile, a nod, and hopefully, an expression of interest for more at a later time. Think of a modern day pick up line as a marathon, not a sprint and you’ll be in the right frame of mind.

There is nothing wrong with approaching a love interest with a strategy in mind, but try not to have a predetermined script in mind. It will make your delivery sound practiced, which is a huge red flag for any women. Most women find the idea of being with a man who knows what he’s doing attractive, but if you come off as a player, they will likely run for the hills. You also need to know when to break away from your predetermined strategy if it isn’t working. Good pick up lines are all about flexibility and thinking on your feet. If you don’t have that skill, you might be lonely for a long time.

Good pick up lines should put a smile on the face of the woman you are talking to, make you memorable without making you infamous and open the door to further conversation. Don’t overthink it and, above all else, remember to be yourself. Follow these tips and you’ll be flush in phone numbers before you know.

Next, don’t dominate the conversation during the date. She will likely be peppering you with questions and it can be a lot of fun talking about your life, especially if you have recently has something fun and interesting happen to you, but a good date is all about equality. You need to ask her the same kinds of questions she is asking you. If you realize half way through the date that you simply don’t care, it might be a good idea to just end things right there. Leading someone on is a horrible thing to do and it can be difficult to “get the message” that the other person isn’t nearly as interested in you and you are in them or vice versa. When you learn how to date women successfully, you’ll learn how to read body language so an event like this doesn’t happen more than once.