10 Things Strong-Minded, Independent Women Wish Men Knew
- We hate pet names, especially if we’re not in a relationship. In the beginning stages, refrain from using baby, baby girl, honey, sweetie, sweetheart, or love when referring to us. We cringe inside every time you use these.
Let us have our “me” time. No, we’re not mad at you. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with us just needing our space every now and then and doing our own thing.
Once in a relationship, we are loyal AF. Consider us your ride or die. We will defend you when you’re not around. We will support you. And we will side eye the girl who looks at you 15 seconds too long. We expect the same in return from you.
Challenge us. Tell us no sometimes. We need someone who’s going to mentally stimulate us. This is a major turn on.
Understand there are many layers to us. There are aspects of our life we’re not comfortable sharing yet. Be patient. The only way to uncover these layers is through time & the building of trust.
Little things matter. We remember the guy who walked us to our door. We remember the guy who paid for our Uber home after a date to make sure we were safe. We feel special when you remember little random things about us like what we were wearing the first time you saw us or the food that we absolutely hate.
If YOU ask us out on a first date. We 100% expect you to pay. We’re not offering. After the first few dates, things are different. We understand and acknowledge that you have your own financial goals, as do we. Let us pay for things too. We’re fine with taking turns. Either we pay or you pay. Just know, that splitting is not an option. Splitting is for friends.
Persistence works with us. We may turn you down for a reason that has nothing to do with you. If you want to date us, let us know. Keep asking. We respect a man who goes after what he wants. Your persistence shows that you're a man who follows through. We love those qualities. However, know that we are not making any promises after agreeing to that first date. There’s still the chance that we’re still just not that into you. After that, move on.
Let us vent. Sometimes we want you to just listen and be on our side. We don’t need you to fix the problem. We can do that on our own.
Don’t let us convince you we don’t need you, because we do. Our feelings get hurt even though we try to act tough on the outside. We get mad and say things we don’t mean all the time. Independent woman or not, we appreciate and acknowledge all that you do.
-B
(and the rest of the strong-minded, independent women out there)