Maybe you’ve been single for years, or perhaps your relationship recently ended. Regardless, you might feel like you’re ready to start dating again. That’s great! But there are some things you should know first.

While dating can be exciting, you want to be prepared. After all, the best way to be successful in love is to feel confident in yourself. This article lists eight things you should do to help you start dating. From checking in with yourself to understanding your priorities, here’s everything you need to consider.

1. Make Sure You’re Ready

Did you recently end a long-term relationship? Are you laser-focused on furthering your career right now? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, you should think twice before entering the dating world. Before bringing someone else into your life, you must be in a good place. Not just for their benefit but for yours.

You deserve to feel confident, so spend time reflecting to ensure this is an excellent time to start dating if it is, great. If not, that’s OK, too. There’s no pressure. You can jump back into the dating world next week, in a few months, or whenever you are ready.

2. Take Things Slow

Dating is about getting to know the other person to determine if they are a good match. This takes time and shouldn’t be rushed. Instead of going from 0 to 100, take things slow.

We live in a world where people feel pressured to be in a relationship. Because of this, they may ignore the red flags and go all-in with someone who isn’t right for them. Don’t make that mistake. Be sure you spend quality time together to learn about one another. This will ensure you both feel comfortable and aren’t rushing into a relationship prematurely.

3. Don’t Forget About Protection

Even if you don’t plan on being intimate immediately, it’s better to be prepared. Make sure you have a plan in place ahead of time. For example, what contraceptives will you use? Barrier methods such as condoms will help protect you and your partner from STIs. To prevent pregnancy, you might also consider using a hormonal birth control option.

Many birth control options are available, including several you can get online. Consulting with a doctor — virtually or in person — will help you determine the proper method for you. It’s important to remember that it takes time for hormonal birth control to be effective. If you’re starting to use this method, keep that in mind as your relationship becomes more intimate.

4. Have a Goal

Before beginning anything, it’s necessary to have a plan — even regarding relationships. Now, we’re not saying you need to have everything mapped out. After all, the best relationships happen organically. With that said, you should set a goal for yourself.

Do you want to date casually? Are you looking to find someone you could potentially marry? You must go into dating to maintain your integrity from start to finish. And don’t worry if you don’t know your objectives quite yet. It may take time to figure out what you want, and that’s fine.

5. Know Your Priorities

If you’ve been in a relationship before, you might already know how easy it is to make someone else a priority. And while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, you don’t want to lose yourself.

That’s why it’s crucial to get a handle on your priorities before entering a relationship. It would help if you always kept yourself at the top of your list. Make sure you continue to adopt hobbies, spend time with friends, and do the things that are important to you.

6. Change Your Routine

When looking for a new relationship, there are a few things you should keep in mind. For one, meeting new people spontaneously isn’t as easy as it used to be. Chances are, when you were younger, you met someone new almost every day. There were more opportunities to make friends, whether in a college class or through other people. Now that you’re older, you probably don’t have as much time or chances to put yourself out there.

Don’t worry. Being older doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make new friends and meet potential partners. But you might have to change up your routine a bit. For example, consider getting a gym membership or joining a club. Create new opportunities for yourself to be around new people.

7. Set Realistic Boundaries

Dating isn’t always easy. Navigating your emotions while learning someone else’s can be exhausting. Not to mention, it could cause you to put your own needs on the back burner. To keep that from happening, it’s a good idea to set boundaries for yourself and your relationship before it starts. You should do this before you even go on a first date.

Spend some time writing out your boundaries. Having these boundaries in place will hopefully avoid wasting time with the wrong people. For example, maybe you want to wait until the fifth date to be intimate. Or perhaps you’d like to avoid spending time with people who don’t respect your communication style.

8. Be Open and Honest

Whether you’re trying to meet someone in person or through a dating app, you must lead with honesty. While omitting certain information might be more accessible, it won’t do you any good in the long run. The truth always comes out.

Furthermore, you want someone to like you for who you are. That can’t happen if you’re not completely honest from the beginning. So share your feelings and be open about who you are and what you’re looking for in a relationship.

It can be stressful, exciting, and maybe even a little nerve-wracking to jump back into the dating game. Thankfully, the tips above will help you feel more confident and prepared to start dating again.