It’s no secret that you don’t have to be in your 20s or 30s to enjoy an active dating life. More men and women are enjoying dating, sex, and romantic relationships later in life than ever before. And they’re having a great time.
If you’re an older single who knows you’ve still got it, and you’re looking to start dating and finding love again, here are our top tips to navigate today’s dating world.
Have an open mind.
Often older men and women have fixed ideas about what dating and romance should be like, as well as the kind of person they’re looking to meet. Maybe you want to meet someone a specific age, or you’re looking for someone who already has children.
This is a very limiting way to approach dating at any age, and can prevent you from meeting someone who’s actually a great person for you.
As an older person dating, you’re probably going to meet people who have been widowed, divorced, suffered a serious illness, and have grown up children or even grandchildren. You probably fall into at least one of those categories, too.
As long as you have a good connection with someone, and you share similar beliefs, try to be open to dating whoever that might be.
Try online dating.
Online dating services are a great way to ease yourself back into dating without putting too much pressure on yourself. There are so many services available today, with some aimed specifically at older singles—the best thing to do is give a few a try to see which one suits you and your personal needs.
All you need is a current profile picture that shows you in your best light, then you answer some questions and create a short bio for yourself, and you’re ready to meet other singles. Online dating is also the perfect way to get to know people before you commit to going on a date with them.
Make it clear to the universe you’re ready to meet someone.
Even if you’re on dating sites, that doesn’t mean you want to stop meeting people in the rest of your life. There are so many other ways you can meet people—so make it known to your friends, family, and community that you’re looking to meet someone. You might be set up on blind dates, introduced via mutual friends, or end up bumping into them on the street. The point is, when the universe knows what you want, somehow things seem to happen for you.
Be open and honest with your friends and family.
If you’re divorced and have children, you might be concerned about how they’re going to take the news that you’re ready to start dating someone who isn’t their parent. If you’re widowed, you may feel guilty about moving on, and worry what your friends and family might think of you.
This is another reason why it’s important to have a conversation with your children, your family, and your friends, and tell them how you’re feeling and that you’re ready to start dating again. Chances are, they’ll be supportive of you.
Dress for success.
By no means do I mean you should be obsessive with your looks—they’re not nearly as important as who you are—but making an effort to dress up will not only signal to your date that you made an effort, but it’ll also make you feel far more confident.
If you hate shopping for clothes and you never know what looks good on you, ask someone stylish in your life to help you out. Plan your outfit well in advance, get a haircut, and bring the best of you to every date you go on.
Meet in public.
Whenever you decide to meet up with someone in person for the first time, make sure you meet in a busy public place, and always tell someone where you’re going. This isn’t meant to scare you, but it’s much better to stay safe and avoid putting yourself in dangerous situations. You’ll feel much more relaxed knowing you’re out of harm’s way, and that will help you to enjoy your date’s company and have fun.
Communicate your expectations.
If you’ve just come out of a thirty-year marriage, you might feel like you never want to get married again—and that’s okay. Whether you’re looking for a serious relationship, or you’re just looking to have some fun, it doesn’t matter; just be sure to communicate that clearly to the person you’re dating early on so that you both know where you stand.
Dating as a mature adult can be a lot more fun than dating when you’re younger. For the most part people act like, well… grownups and don’t like to play games. And chances are you know more about what you want and know how to get it. So get out there and give it a try.
