TIPS FOR DATING

　　Everyone gets rejected sometimes

　　Don't let one "no" keep you away from the dating sc ene forever. Here are some tips for handling rejection:

　　Don't personalize it. Someone who says no to a date is not rejecting you as a human being.

　　It isn't necessary for your well-being to be loved and accepted by everyone you meet. In fact, it's health y to be rejected sometimes!

　　Most of us live to tell the tale after a rejection. It's never quite as bad as we imagined it to be.

　　Remember that there is someone for everyone——if not several someones, so keep looking.

　　The Fix—Up

　　Has a friend (or a family member) tried to get to g o out on a blind date with someone who's "just perfect for you?" You might just want to go. Relationships betw een two people who know someone in common tend to last longer. So why not say "yes" and give it a shot? If not hing else, you can enjoy a painless night out!

　　For Shy Folks Only

　　Here's a little exercise to get you practicing your "people" skills. Each day, say hello to 10 acquaintance s. That is, people you know by sight, but wouldn't cons ider to be your friends. Give yourself a pat on the bac k for every positive response you receive. When you're comfortable with that exercise, take the next step. Aft er you say hello, ask an open-ended question to each pe rson. That is ,a question that doesn't demand a yes-or- no answer. Take notice of who gives you a positive resp onse and seems genuinely happy to air their views. Once you've mastered these two skills, you're well on your w ay to asking someone out on a date!

　　Words of Wisdom

　　Anais Nin once said, "Life shrinks or expands accor ding to one's courage." If you can't muster the courage to ask someone out on a date, you'll never know if they would have accepted!