Spring Clean Your Love Life!

Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth, so why not apply this to your dating life? If you've let your online dating subscriptions go or have become a bit of a dating recluse, now's the time to turn things around.

Following are some tips to restart and refresh your love life:

Open your mind. While your old dating life might have left you a little worse for the wear, you have a chance to start anew - so start with a change in attitude! Accept invitations to go out, even if you feel uncertain about a guy. Respond to emails. Approach every date with a new perspective and don't make assumptions. A way to assist: try meeting your dates in new places that you've wanted to try, or by doing an activity together like walking dogs or biking. Mixing things up adds an element of surprise and fun to any date. You'll find this will open the conversation up more than usual so you won't have to ask the same old questions.

Get focused. Dating is a numbers game, and it isn't always easy to meet someone special. So it's necessary to put some time into it - much like your exercise regime or finding a great job. It takes concentrated effort, so log on to your dating sites every day, respond to emails, and change your profile on a regular basis to keep things fresh and to keep generating new matches. Aren't all good things worth the effort?

Freshen up your profiles. online dating and Facebook. Like cleaning out your closets, freshening up your online presence can make you feel like a new woman (or man). Need help? Ask a friend to look over your description or take some new photos. (And take down the drunken Facebook photos from a friend's bachelor party.) Putting your best online self forward will do wonders in attracting others.

Have fun! Sometimes we forget that dating is supposed to be fun. After all, when you're single you're likely more socially active than any of your married counterparts, spending your evenings getting together with friends or going on dates. So enjoy yourself and take advantage of this particular freedom. It's the best time in your life to try new places and meet new people without feeling guilty or checking in with someone else. Enjoy!

Get away. Sometimes we all need a little break to reinvigorate the spirit. For me, traveling was a necessary part of jump-starting my dating life, especially after a break-up. When I was exploring a new place, I was more open to adventure and possibility. So take a day trip to go hiking or a weekend away with the girls. Getting away from a routine and seeing a new place is a good mental readjustment for all of us.