Waiting while dating is an exercise in self-discipline and above all other things, that is what you need most.
Whether you are a man or woman practicing celibacy in your relationship, dealing with your sexual desire and urges will be things that you'll need to pay serious attention to.
This is because celibacy goes against the grain of bodily desires. As a [young] adult, your body is wired to crave sexual release and the fact that your mind becomes tuned to celibacy does not mean your body will be.
There will be times when it will be nearly impossible to keep the sexual urges under control. So here are 5 healthy tips to help you cope in this situation:
1. Guard your space
Keep to the barest minimum anything that will lessen your inhibitions and trigger the desire for sexual contact. Movies, clips, photos, people, etc.
Mind you, spending time with your partner will also sometimes trigger this desire. Your discipline will especially be most tested in these periods.
2. Talk to someone
Yeah, it could be quite awkward to ask one or two married people you know if they waited for sex before marriage.
But then, if you somehow know someone who managed to abstain from sex before tying the knot, talk to him or her. It’d require some kind of close relationship to get to the point of speaking about something as intimate as this but if you’re lucky to have such person, ask them how they did it.
Their solutions could come in handy for you.
ALSO READ: 5 things to know about sex before dating anyone
3. Get busy
Invest yourself into something that requires your time, dedication energy and all. The busier you are, the easier it will be to get lost in activities and forget about yourself and the urges, even if momentarily.
There’s a reason why they say an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, remember?
4. Discipline
The truth is that none of these things mentioned above will completely, absolutely take away the urges.
There can be nothing to take that away as it is a natural phenomenon which, to an extent, even confirms your healthiness.
At some periods it could be quite a real struggle to rein it all in; but then again, putting these urges under control is the very underpinning idea of celibacy and you must have known that before embarking on this kind of relationship. This is why the need for sexual discipline cannot be overemphasized.
Waiting while dating is wholly an exercise in self-discipline and above all other things, this is what you need most. Restraint, discipline, a mental fortitude to keep your eyes on the goal is the most supreme here.
5. Will it be worth it in the end?
Never forget to keep asking yourself this question, and reminding yourself of the real reason why you decided to abstain from sex before marriage.
Constantly reminding yourself of this reason will also help keep your urges at bay. It’s like setting a personal target and meeting it.
You’ll be happy with yourself, and feel a sense of pride and satisfaction if you see it through to the end. And again, all struggles you overcome make you stronger, right?
This is why celibacy should be a thing of personal conviction. It is better to date someone who wants to stay celibate before marriage than someone who only agreed to it because that’s what you want.