The Best Ways To Answer The 'Green Flags I Look For' Hinge Prompt
Dating apps are supposed to make finding your soulmate easier in today's world. And sometimes they can. What could be easier than swiping right or left? However, just because you can review potential matches from your couch versus having to go out every night doesn't mean the fundamentals of dating change.
Finding "the one" will take some patience and time. Someone can look great on paper or, more accurately, on your phone screen, but not really match those attributes in real life. Experts like Amie Leadingham, a master-certified dating coach, state that you should be "finding someone who shares your values and is looking for the same thing as you" (via Bustle). Thankfully, apps like Hinge help take some of the work out of analyzing others' profiles on a deeper level.
With almost 30 Hinge prompts, it's easy to get overwhelmed, whether reading them or trying to answer the questions yourself. However, that's not a reason to avoid dating questionnaires. Prompts like "green flags I look for" can be super useful in telling others who you are and what you expect out of a partner. In our opinion, someone confident in who they are and what they want is pretty darn attractive. Here's how to use the "green flag" prompt to your benefit.
Green flags? I thought it was red.
We all have red flags that we tend to live and date by, but what about green flags that give you the go-ahead? Unlike red flags, which are basically a list of all the things you hate, green flags can be more optimistic and less intimidating. Consider them your turn-ons (in a non-sexual sense).
Green flags can be really beneficial in helping you analyze your own wants, needs, and expectations. Sometimes, we can be so caught up in what we're looking for in another person that we forget to clue them in on what it would be like to date us and what values we hold near and dear. Consider the green flag question an opportunity to lay it bare, telling potential matches who you are, what you are all about, and what you want from a relationship (without sounding super picky).
On the flip side, the green flag question can also help you narrow down your options. If their answer says something about spontaneity and flying by the seat of your pants makes you break out in a cold sweat, you might want to reconsider swiping right. The green flag prompt goes both ways; it's a chance to hint at what you want in a partner while getting a better idea of what they can expect from you.
What's the best way to answer the green flag question?
Well, the best answer depends on what's truly important to you. Are you a single parent looking to find a partner? Maybe an important green flag is being good with kids. Alternatively, if kids aren't your thing (yet, or ever), you want someone who's always up for an adventure. Other major green flag answers can include treating everyone with kindness (especially service workers), not being negative all the time, having an open mind, or having a great relationship with your pet. You don't have to be super specific with your answers, especially regarding big-picture qualities.
That being said, the green flag prompt is also a chance to be funny and show your personality. You can choose topics you're half serious about and incorporate humor. Dating is supposed to be fun, after all. For example, user @tabithawatosh lists her 10 green flag responses, which include letting her steal all of your hoodies. They're lighthearted hints to her turn-ons. Other less serious, but still earnest, responses might include Taylor Swift being your top artist on Spotify, staying away from selfies, being a great plant parent, mixing a mean drink, and depositing chocolate into my lap unannounced.
There's nothing wrong with cutting to the chase about what you want in a partner, and we love how the "green flag prompt" lets us do just that without sounding too needy or choosy.