Contributed by: ElyseRomano on Saturday, September 11 2010 @ 05:44 pm
Last modified on
Whether you're looking for love in a committed partnership, low-key companionship, or just a more active social life, online dating is worth exploring at any age. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that the Internet is only the province of the young - older people are using the Internet with increasing frequency to find partners of all kinds. In fact, according to Mark Lasky, author of "Online Dating for Dummies," "Seniors are the fastest growing area of online dating."
If you're not part of the social networking set, sharing so much private personal information with strangers online probably feels strange and intimidating, but don't let anxiety get in the way of having a happy love life. The Internet, in the grand scheme of things, hasn't been around very long, and online dating has been around for an even shorter period of time. Consider the fact that online dating has only recently lost its stigma, and you'll find that using the World Wide Web to meet matches is a relatively new phenomenon for everyone, no matter how young and technologically in-tune they may be.
If you're worried that you cannot compete with the expertise of the tech-savvy youth, think again. You have a host of advantages that they do not, like:
• You are significantly more self-aware than people in their 20s and 30s. You have a clearer picture of your wants, needs, desires, values, and future plans, which will allow you to create a profile that reflects who you truly are and attracts the kind of people you are truly interested in.
• You understand exactly what you want and need in a partner. It takes a long time to figure out precisely what you require in order to feel happy and satisfied in a relationship. Just as age gives you a better understanding of yourself, maturing provides insight into the kind of person you want to spend your life with. While younger people are squandering their time in relationships that are doomed to failure, you can weed out defective dates quickly.
• You have developed strong people skills. You understand how to read people and are able to make judgments about whether or not they are compatible with you more easily, meaning that you will waste less time courting unsuitable matches and will be able to devote more of your time and energy to the people you really connect with.
If you're not already convinced that online dating is worth investigating, mull over the following facts:
• The number of people using online dating actually increases with age.
• Older singles focus on deep compatibility and important qualities like intelligence and personality, whereas many younger singles are more concerned with superficial things like physical appearance.
• Research has shown that older singles have more success finding partners via the Internet than younger singles do.
All evidence points to one compelling conclusion: online dating is definitely not just a young person's game. So what are you waiting for? Companionship could be just a click away!