Be Bold and Make the First Move

Want to breathe some, well, life into your love life? It's time to take the bull by the horns and put your sexual future into your own hands. One of the biggest benefits of modern dating is that you can ask him out just as easily as he can ask you. Always been the askee? Don't worry — being the asker is simpler than you might think.

Whether you are newly single or a dating aficionado, making the first move and asking that special someone out can be frightening. Yet if you let your fear control your actions, you will risk missing out on some amazing experiences (and some amazing men, as well!). Not to mention, you won’t be tapping into your full power and potential, meaning that your mood and self-esteem will deteriorate alongside your social life.

Fortunately, there are many ways you can increase your confidence and channel your inner vixen. By mastering a few flirting basics and harnessing your innate sex appeal, you can transform yourself from a wallflower to a heartbreaker. You can also learn how to create more confidence and joy in other aspects of your life as well.

Believe it or not, these seemingly unrelated aspects (such as your job or your relationship with your friends) greatly impact your dating success. A woman who is empowered and fulfilled in her career, her interests, and her relationships is a woman who comes off as confident, sexy, and interesting. Hence, if you want to master the dating game, you first have to master you inner doubts and become your best version of yourself.

The trick is to ease into it. Make your approach more of a suggestion, rather than an actual proposal. That takes the pressure off both of you. For example, if you find you two have an interest in common, let him know that you'd enjoy trying it together sometime. Plus, choosing an activity to do together will feel less like a "date," where one of you is forced to plan the events of the evening.

Here are some creative ideas to get beyond the age-old dinner-and-a-movie. Your originality will score you some extra points, on top of your stunning smile and winning personality!

• See a recently opened exhibit at an art museum.
• Have a cookout with hot dogs and s'mores.
• Scope the Humane Society for a new puppy or kitten.
• Ask him to teach you (or you teach him!) how to play Frisbee.
• Go bowling.
• Visit a local winery.
• Take a trip to the zoo.
• Rent a tandem bike and tour a state park.
• Go apple picking.
• Have brunch at a newly opened restaurant in town.

The possibilities are endless — pick something you've never done on a date before. It'll be a unique memory for the two of you to share — and an adventure together will give you plenty to talk about on your second date!