Contributed by: kellyseal on Tuesday, March 29 2011 @ 11:05 am
Last modified on
Are you thinking about trying online dating for the first time, but don’t know if it’s the best way to meet a potential partner? Or are you weary from your last couple of forays in the online dating world, fearful of more bad experiences?
Despite our collective fears surrounding online dating, it’s still one of the best ways to meet new people and widen our opportunities for meeting Mr. or Miss Right. But like most good things in life, we have to go into it with an open mind as well as open eyes.
There are online daters who lie, whether it’s about age, income, height, or even marital status. There are also those who are searching for love in earnest, just like you. The key is, be smart about your communication, but don’t always expect the worst from people. There are signs if someone intends to cause you harm. If he or she won’t give you a phone number or only wants to meet last-minute or in the late hours of the night, that’s a big red flag that they probably aren’t single. Don’t give away personal information about yourself, especially financial details. And always Google your dates, to make sure you have some background information. Tell a friend who you’re meeting and where you’ll be.
Most online daters aren’t there to scam or manipulate you. They may be trying to make themselves look more attractive by adjusting age, income, or height. You can’t know unless you meet them in person. I believe it’s best to give people a chance. If you discount online matches based on a photograph or age requirement, you are filtering out a lot of potentially great candidates. Instead, keep a more open mind. If you are willing to meet people outside of your type, you will find yourself not only with more dates but with a wider and more interesting variety of people. Someone older might have more financial and emotional stability than the 24 year-olds you prefer to date. And someone shorter may be the funniest, most successful person you’ve been out with in a long time.
I do advocate being honest and straightforward on a dating site. If you shave a couple of years off your age, post old photographs, or try to impress a man or woman by lying about your career success, you will attract other liars. Being honest means you filter your matches down to those people who are interested in you despite what you feel might be a dating hindrance. Don’t you want to feel loved and accepted for who you are, rather than your “dating stats”?
The bottom line is, while online dating is not for everyone, it’s a great way to meet new people and get back out there. Just remember, keep your eyes open as well as your mind. Do this, and you won’t be disappointed.