Making the first move is always a sign of unbeatable fearlessness.
Cady Heron technically made the first move with Aaron Samuels. Carly Rae Jepsen’s endlessly brilliant pop career was launched by blatantly shooting her shot on ‘Call Me Maybe’. Kim was the first to sow the seeds with Kanye, apparently.
Aside from romantic endeavours, taking the initial shot in a potential friendship, career-mentor relationship, or being the first brave soul to dive into a shared pizza at a group dinner signifies a sense of unmatched levels of fortitude.
Unfortunately, I know I’m not the only one who feels as though social media has seriously flipped the universal perception of what being the maker of a first move signifies. Hitting “follow” first is too thirsty. Reacting to an IG story is just a lil too obvious.
Personally I believe that is all a load of total hogwash. Life is short and unpredictable, and if we wait around for what could be, ya could end up spending a lot of time missing what you never knew. (Soz, iso is getting me super philosophical.)
So, to break down the myths surrounding making the first move, we asked women about times when they’ve taken the initial leap that lead to an ultimately positive experience.
To be clear, not all of these moves have lead to finding The One – but boosting your confidence with enjoyable dates, cheeky Rendevous and surprising friendships that inspire you to be ya best are all part of the fun.
The Number Slip
“While I was waitressing in a hotel restaurant I met an extremely hot flight attendant. Aren’t they all? I’d spent all night flirting with him while taking his order and delivering drinks.
Anyway, I decided to slip my number in with his bill and told him what time I finished that night. He ended up texting me immediately after he left the restaurant and whenever he was in staying in for Sydney we would end up going for dates which was nice.” – Sammy
The Eye-Off
“My friend and this guy had been eyeing each other off all night and then he finally came over to her. Before he even had the chance to say anything she said, ‘Well, it took you long enough.’
~ Technically ~ she didn’t make the first move, but the sass and empowerment of it all was so damn good and shows that taking charge can pay off – they’ve been together for 7 years and are engaged.” – Jenna
The Londonder
“I have a good friend now living in London who I met on Bumble – and by “met” I mean we dated for a few months, it didn’t last but he’s a great guy.” – Kate
The SuperSwipe
“I’d been on a string of bad dates and even worse short relationships and had lost faith. Just before I was about to delete my online dating account, I gave it one last whirl and saw this 20/10 absolute stunner.
I gave her my one and only SuperSwipe and it just so happened she reciprocated. After 48 hours of intense messaging, I knew I had to meet her that weekend. It’s been almost 3 years to the day and I’m very lucky to say that she is now my wife.” – Char
The Bar Regular
“I worked behind a bar in England and this hot guy was always there, same time every Friday, chatting to me, and then with a little encouragement, I slipped my number under a plate of chicken wings.
When I served him and he was like ‘Is this who I hope it is?’, and I said I think so and we started to hang out which I consider successful.” – Amy
The Quickie
“I was in a group of friends and there was someone I hadn’t met before in the mix, but really good chemistry between us. It was hard to find alone time so that one of us could make a move, though. When everyone went to the bar to get drinks, we stayed at the table and, knowing I had limited time, I just put it out there and said ‘I’m really attracted to you.’
He responded ‘I’m really attracted to you too’ and we quickly kissed, seconds before everyone else came back from the bar and we acted as if nothing had happened. Funny what time constraints can bring out of you.” – Tam
The Banter
“I met this guy on Bumble and we went on two great dates that were super fun and cute. His banter was next level which is always a positive.” – Jo
The Six-Month Stunner
“I made the first move with my ex on Bumble and it was successful? Like I asked him out and then we dated for half a year.” – Fran
The Wifey
“I asked my husband to marry me so I locked shit down in that respect.” – Emma
The Closing Time Rush
“I had a huge crush on a bartender and kept making eyes or ordering on behalf of my friends so that I’d get to have more exchanges. When it was closing time, I said, ‘I don’t usually do this, but we should hang out sometime.’
He got me to write my number down on a coaster and the next night we hung out, and ended up dating for a couple on months. Truth is, I actually always ‘do this’ because it’s 100% better to know than wonder ‘what if?’, right?” – Yasmine
So, if there’s a target you’re eyeing, hopefully, these stories spark just enough inspo for you strike while the iron is hot.
Whether you’re SuperSwiping on Bumble or just simply sending the first message, it’s clear that chalking up the confidence and making your move works – not just for those long-term relos, but for the thrill of those tingly butterflies and banter-filled friendships you might pick up along the way.
