I think that even if you are in a relationship – committed or not – you should not be shy or ashamed to flirt with strangers.
If you pass a nice man or woman in a shopping centre or stop next to someone at the traffic lights or if you go to a dinner party and find someone there interesting and engage in a whole evening of flirting (assuming your partner is not there as well – that’s just uncomfortable), I think it is ok.
In fact, it might even be beneficial to your relationship. Feeling desired makes you feel sexy. And that sexiness is what you are bringing home to your partner.
Of course there needs to be a boundary and there is a fine line between flirting and emotional cheating. It really depends on your intention. If you flirt with a stranger because it makes you feel good about yourself, then why not flirt? If you flirt with them in the hopes of beginning a little fling; don’t. Or do, but end your other relationship first. No one likes a cheater and if that is what you are planning, then your heart in clearly not in your current relationship anyway. Or you need therapy.
So if it is harmless flirting, I say go ahead – as long as it doesn’t upset your partner beyond a little beneficial jealousy. You will probably make the other person feel good about themselves too. It’s win-win.
Blog-tionary:
There is a fine line between…: there is a very small space between one thing and another.
Fling: short, uncommitted relationship