Most people will say that confidence is one of the most desirable qualities in a mate. Confident people can inspire those around them. People are drawn to others who are sure of themselves and aren’t worried about tripping over their own feet on a date. Confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something that comes with time. The problem is that you don’t have time. You have a date this weekend and you’re feeling nervous already. If this is the situation you find yourself in, relax! Take a look at the following simple tips to help get you in the right frame of mind.

Get your hair done. The last thing you want to worry about during a date is how you look. Take care of this before you head out by getting a fresh cut and style. It will help you worry less about the physical aspects of attraction and allow you to concentrate on the conversation.

Buy a new outfit. Men and women can benefit from a fresh coat of paint and that’s exactly what a new outfit will do for you. It doesn’t have to be big. It could be a new shirt or earrings. What’s important is how you feel in whatever it is you’ve bought. Confidence is easier to showcase when you think you’re looking your best!

Rest up the night before. You’re going to want to be alert when you finally meet your date. Drinking a pot of coffee or popping a few energy drinks are sorry crutches for the sleep deprived. Make sure you present the real you – the one that’s awake and on the ball!

Think of some open-ended questions: A great date is more than a question and answer period. It’s about building a relationship. Questions, though, help to get the conversation rolling and having a few in the back of your mind to call on when needed never hurts. Try and think of some that start with ‘how’ or ‘what’ as they usually provoke the most detailed responses.

Show up early. Assuming you’re not picking them up, make a point of being the first one at your meeting place. Slide in 15 minutes beforehand so that you don’t have to worry about getting frazzled while looking for a parking space.

Don’t care. Okay, this is one of the hardest things to do when you meet someone you really like. If you can’t be confident naturally, you can always try and fake it. It’s hard but imagine it like this: confident people know that a relationship will either happen or not based on factors that are out of their control. You may really like them but they might not be attracted to you at all. So what? There are plenty of other singles out there for you to meet. One will click and you’ll both be happy you met each other. Life won’t end after this date. If you don’t really care, you won’t have the pressure on your shoulders and you will be more at ease.

You can pretend all you’d like, but when it comes down to it, confidence comes with experience. However, if you look your best, are in top form mentally and have prepared a little beforehand, you can rest assured that you’re putting your best foot forward.