Ladies, we all know that love doesn’t just stop because you reach a certain age. If anything, we can say that love evolves as we grow. Whether you’ve just turned 50 or are already cruising through the second half of your life, now is not the time to give up on love. Finding love after 50 isn’t impossible, you just have to play using a different rulebook.
Every year, our dating coaches help 50+ men and women find their happily ever after. We often find that our singles look and feel great, but their mental game has been worn down by failed relationships over time. You’ve changed over the years, and your dating habits should reflect that. Here are our top rules for dating after 50.
There’s no magic rule somewhere that says “thou must find love by 30”, so stop being weighed down by the fact that you find yourself single at the moment. Whether you’ve been married before or have yet to find that perfect someone, being single at 50 isn’t a crime; it just means that you’ll have more life experiences to bring to your eventual relationship. And that’s a good thing! Now that you’re older, you probably know much more about yourself, including your likes, dislikes, and beliefs. Embrace the fact that you’ve already lived a life outside of a relationship and use the skills you’ve learned so far to better your approach to dating. Besides, Daniel Craig is 50, and you can’t tell me that he’s not rocking his age. Meow.
When we’re younger, it’s easy to be flexible while looking for love. We don’t usually have to worry about things like kids, mortgages, or our career trajectory. But when you’re already an established part of a community, you’ll need to ask yourself some questions to figure out how much you’re willing to compromise when searching for your special someone. For example, does it matter to you if your significant other has kids? How far are you willing to drive to see your significant other regularly; are there any lifestyle choices that you are unwilling to explore? Make your list, write it down and stick to it.
While Hallmark movies would lead you to believe that you’ll find your Prince Charming at the grocery store by chance, or that your neighbor’s nephew will be the love of your life, this isn’t usually the case. While it can certainly be true that love can find you at the most unexpected times, we believe in taking a more active role in your pursuit. Try using sites like MeetUp, Eventbrite, Facebook, or Boston.com to find fun groups that are free to join and allow you to socialize and look for love in a stress-free way. Don’t feel the need to limit yourself to singles-only groups. Try out new activities or find a group that enjoys one of your favorite hobbies.
This goes both ways. Just because you’re older and looking for love doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve all the perks of dating. Romance, courtship, passion; they can all be yours. But at the same time, you have to be willing to bend a little. Remember how we talked about your must-haves? For the best chance at love, you’re going to have to be realistic with your expectations. While we’d all love to find an attractive, single someone who makes over X dollars per year and lives within 10 minutes of our house, that’s just not possible for most. You don’t want to keep yourself from finding a great relationship by having unrealistic expectations.
Whether you’re 25 or 55, it makes no difference to LunchDates. We believe that love is out there for everyone of all ages; you just have to play by the right rules to find it. You define your dating age. Don’t let society hold you back from finding your special someone. If you’re ready to find love but aren’t sure that these tips were enough, then feel free to give our relationship professionals a call. Whether you need a great pep talk or any other form of dating support, we’re always here for you!