Dating after 40 is hard but not impossible. And don't just take it from us. Take it from people who actually live it. But to prove that you it's still possible to meet your match, we've gone and asked single people in their 40s how they do it. They're proof that love is waiting around every corner, and their advice is a helpful reminder that you just have to know where to find it. And for more on dating in your golden years, check out these 40 Ways Dating Gets Easier After 40.
Volunteer.
Dave Munson, the CEO and founder of Saddleback Leather, suggests trying to meet people who are less self-involved.
"Those people do activities that are focused on others, like serving at a homeless feeding program on Tuesday nights or volunteering at a food bank stacking shelves on the weekends. Be more focused on others, too. It's amazing how self-focused so many people are today.
"And you can tell by how selfless they are by how many questions they ask. Most people only want to talk about themselves—or about what they know—and aren't interested in other people's victories or struggles. Don't think less of yourself, but just think of your self less. Then go to where others who think like that too and just hang out. Common experiences bond people together," Munson says.
Try meet-up groups.
As a successful divorce coach and wellness expert, Dawn Burnett has seen first-hand how love can foment after 40. From illustrator groups to motorcycle clubs, there are numerous types of meet-up groups that spark joy—and love.
"By engaging in activities that bring you joy, you attract like-minded people. Joining in on the fun raises your positive energy and you become like a magnet, attracting someone who has similar likes with a positive attitude," she says. And if you're just looking for platonic pals, check out these 40 Ways to Make New Friends After 40.
Go to conferences.
"Plenty of relationships have started through meeting someone at a conference," Burnett says. That's right—sometimes it's okay to mix work and pleasure. "It’s all about putting yourself out there and showing up with an open heart and mind, all while releasing [yourself] from the outcome and how things should be. Open yourself up to flow," she says. Whether they are industry-specific events or workshops that help you refine your skills in the workforce, there are a myriad of ways that you can mix work with pleasure.
Be more open to meeting people out.
As a professional love life coach, Lisa Concepcion knew to use the Law of Attraction and Inner Bonding Method to find potential mates—she just never knew that it could happen in such a surprising way.
"I agreed to meet my girlfriends at this nice outdoor marina lounge/restaurant for a Sunday Funday. The weather was gorgeous. I had worked out that day and gone to the beach, so I was feeling great. A friend recognized me and called me over. His friend seated beside him extended his hand to shake mine. When we touched hands, we both felt an immediate connection. I mean, it was like nothing around us existed. We just locked in. It was amazing," she says. "Three years later, we're talking about moving in together this summer."
Head to Starbucks.
Yes, the age-old meet-cute cliché can work in real life.
"I have spoken to three people recently that have dated or married a partner they met at Starbucks—one is a contributing author in my book. So many of us today are tied to our electronics, and we miss out on the blessings of life. So the next time you go to Starbucks, choose to go inside and be open and aware of conversation opportunities. You never know, you may just meet Mr. or Miss Wonderful," Burnett says.
Talk to your family and friends.
Maria Sullivan, the vice president of dating.com, says your loved ones can be an invaluable resource on the dating front.
"If you have children or younger friends you feel comfortable talking to about dating, get their input. You’ll be surprised at what kind of advice they have to give. You may notice that dating culture today is much more different than what you’re used to, and these loved ones can be great resources and confidence boosters," Sullivan says.
Get out more.
Whether you're finally allowing your friends to take you out on the town, or you're accepting that invitation to the party that you typically wouldn't attend, it's important to say "yes" more often to social outings where your better half would be waiting, says Burnett.
"If you're a woman, go to a boat show or car show or some place where men hang out. Also, it could be a friend's party, since a lot of people have met their partners through other people. The key with my friends meeting people at parties is they didn't go to look—rather, they were just there to have fun," Burnett says.
Travel and make friends overseas.
After two divorces, actress Vanessa Williams was beginning to feel a bit jaded in the romantic department—that was, until she met her current husband, Jim Skrip, on vacation in Egypt. Her love story is the perfect example of how getting out of your comfort zone has the ability to pay off in truly exciting ways.
"I was on vacation with my daughter going to Egypt, cruising on the Nile. I wasn’t looking for anything. I’d been alone for a number of years and divorced for ten years at that time. I found a hometown guy from my mom’s town in Buffalo, New York, and started a conversation. He happened to be traveling alone and happened to know who I was but wasn’t a super fan. He accepted me for who I was after a wonderful first three-hour date of talking about ourselves. We found out we had a lot of things in common. Three years later we’re getting married," she told Wendy Williams on the The Wendy Williams Show.
Reconnect with old flames.
Reconnecting with old flames can ease the stress of dating someone new and reunite you with a former version of yourself that you had forgotten, according to a true story recounted by Mumsnet user gettingeasiernow.
"I had known him as a colleague years earlier. We'd lost contact, moved to different workplaces, and then bumped into each other again, by which time we had both separated from our partners. I was 49 when I reconnected with him again.
"Unfortunately, dating these days seems to require snap decisions based on attraction, and that just doesn't work when you are a bit jaded. It helps if there is history, no matter how vague, so you can reminisce a bit over old times, it's a far more innocent type of conversation you can be having while figuring out if you like each other. I think also the attraction thing is helped if they knew you when you were younger and at your peak of gorgeousness and they remember fancying you like crazy back then."
Be open-minded on social media.
Though it might seem like only young people use social media for IRL connection, those in the over-40 set can also have luck by remaining open-minded online.
"I'm 52. I've been married for almost nine years. My husband and I met on Facebook. We'd both been very unhappily married before, enough so that we had both given up on relationships. We started texting as friends, because we didn't want more. One day in January, he called me, because he knew I was sad. The first time we spoke, we knew we were supposed to be together. We were married in March," user ruinedbykarma posted on the Reddit thread AskWomen.
Rethink your current relationships.
Even if it may seem like a strange concept, rethinking your current and past relationships can lead you to unexpected romantic realizations. As Reddit user spotthj pointed out in the AskWomen thread, the love of your life could have been in your life the entire time.
"I started dating my husband at 40. He was 35 and we were engaged within one year and married six months later. We are each other’s first marriage. We were solid friends first and actually worked together for around ten years, never giving the other a romantic thought—until we went hiking alone and away from the friend group.
"Perhaps take a good hard look at some of your male friends and see if there is one that may stand out just a little. Connect with them to see if you start to vibe off of one another. Marry someone you can be friends with first, it will deepen the connection and joy you bring to each other," she said.
Start swiping.
They're not just for young people. After all, here are the 40 Best Dating Apps for Singles Over 40.
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