11. Before Trying Anything, Read Her Mood
If she’s tired or in a bad mood, learning something new will just feel tedious for her.
If she’s tired or in a bad mood, learning something new will just feel tedious for her.
Too much information at once makes it seem like she back in school in a class she doesn’t care about. Start with the basics, then explain some of the more complicated parts as they come up during a game. Again, read her mood to see when she is done learning for the day.
A game someone doesn’t care about has no chance at holding their attention on its own. Make sure there’s a smart phone, iPad, or something like that around so she has something to play with to make watching games less of a chore. Little by little, she'll pick things up and get a better understanding, and in turn a stronger interest in the game.
Intimacy is another great way to make the process seem less like a chore. Very few people out there will complain about what’s on TV while they’re getting a foot rub.
Make some good food and invite some good friends to improve the experience. Again, sports can’t hold a non-fan’s attention on their own so until they are into it, you have to make the experience better.
Sports are a great common ground for family and friends to get together. It’s just a fact that people who support the same teams have more reasons to hang out, and more to talk about.
When a player has an interesting background that would make someone want to root for or against them, share it with her. Half the stories that make the headlines these days are closer to gossip than actual sports news, and sharing those storylines is good for keeping interest and establishing the good guys and bad guys.
Fantasy sports and football pools are ways to make what happens in the games affect her directly. It’s tough to make a game matter to someone new to sports, but the spirit of competition and sometimes money can be good motivators.
Sports movies are a great way to get someone in the mood for sports. Who doesn’t feel like boxing after watching a Rocky movie? The important part is to pick movies she would like, not ones you would like. There are tons of sports movies that you don’t necessarily need to be a sports fan to enjoy.
If you’ve had arguments about being with your friends too much, this can partially help that issue. She can come with you when there’s a get-together for a game, or you might not go out as much if the game is on at home. Face it, if the relationship is going anywhere, hanging out with your friends will become an increasingly rare occasion as time goes by anyway. Nobody is still hanging out with their friends every week when they’re 40.
If you want your girlfriend to put out an effort, you have to put out an effort as well. If she wants you to learn to dance, take cooking classes together or something like that, give it a shot.
Get our content customized for you directly to your inbox!
