Dating can be daunting. It is a minefield and can be slightly intimidating, especially if you have been out of the game for some time. There isn’t a single person who does not have a horror story to tell. Dating in your 50s is totally different from when you were dating in your 20s or 30s. You are a totally different and more mature person than you were before. The good news is, when you get over the first date jitters, you will come to realize that meeting new people is a lot of fun and an awesome opportunity to find the person who will soon complete your life. When you have been out of the dating scene for more than a decade, you will notice that so many things have changed. There are behaviors like “breadcrumbing” (sending messages to someone enough to keep them interested in the affair but not enough to be totally committed) or “ghosting” (cutting off the relationship or communication for no apparent reason). Such behaviors have become the norm in the modern dating world. So how can you keep up? Here are a few dating advice for over 50 year-olds out there who want to take another leap of faith on love:

Never hesitate

Just because you are already over 50 and single doesn’t mean that your love life ends there. Go out there and give dating a try. Maybe you have not been dating for over a decade and you are anxious to start again. Doing something new can be scary, but if you don’t try you will never know. While being single in your 50s means total independence, having someone to grow old with can be one of the happiest feelings ever. So do not hesitate. Start again. Explore and have fun meeting new and interesting people.

Find a decent dating app online

Online dating has made finding love for many easier. People are busy and may not have enough time to get ready and make an appointment for a dinner date. That is the reason why online dating sites were created. With the power of technology, there are just so many to choose from. Look for sites where users have to pay for a membership. These people are serious about finding a decent partner and not just looking for a one-night stand.

Work with a friend or contact a dating agency to help you create your online profile. It may take some time before you can get the hang of online dating. There is always a learning curve. In online dating, you do not need to invest your time in someone you know will not work in the end. You can be honest and upfront about what you like and what you are looking for.

Do not give up because of a few bad dates

Yes, dating can be fun. However, it can also test your patience. You may feel frustrated after a few bad dates, thinking no one out there is good enough for you. Keep in mind that dating is rarely a seamless process. It has a lot of ups and downs. Your first, second or third date may be a disappointment. Just keep going. You may even have to go out with different people before finding that person you are really connected with. Bad dates are normal. Finding that ideal person may take a year or so, but with determination, you will find that person you are looking for.

Leave excess baggage behind

Everyone carries baggage and insecurities – from failed relationships in the past, family issues, or health problems, among others. In order to go back to the dating scene, make sure you leave your baggage at the door. Do not let it keep you from finding future love and happiness with someone else. Stop worrying about someone not going to like you just because you have been divorced twice and have four kids. Everybody has baggage and it is important to leave it behind.

Many may offer dating advice for people over 50. Some tips work while some may not. Just remember that what you want from dating will vary. Whether you want sex, a good time, companionship or true love, it is essential to always have fun. Combine optimism with a good sense of humor. In the end, whatever the outcome is, at least you will have some fun and interesting stories along the way.

For more dating tips and advice, visit Simply Dating.

When it comes to love and dating, women who have more years under their belt, especially those who are already in their 40s, tend to be overlooked when these topics are being discussed. But even if no two women are the same, dating women who are about this age actually offers a number of fantastic benefits. For one, mature women tend to be more independent. They have more profound life experiences that’ll make for interesting conversations. So if you have considered dating a woman in her 40s, here are some of the things worth taking note of.

She knows what she wants in life

While being in your 40s doesn’t mean that you have all your life figured out, one’s experiences in their 20s and 30s have most likely taught valuable lessons about love and life. These years are more than enough to make someone somehow realize what they want. And if you’ll be dating a woman in her 40s, expect that she will be less dramatic and more focused on what she wants in life. From choices on skin care routine, clothing to career and life choices, she already knows who she is.

She is financially independent

A woman in her 40s is most likely established in terms of career. At this time, she’s already financially independent and is making the most of her financial freedom. And if she’s looking for a life partner, it goes without saying that she might only entertain men who also have a solid career and/or are financially compatible with them.

She probably has some baggage

A single woman in her 40s doesn’t mean that they don’t have a sad past or a significant relationship when they were younger. She might have been married before or have had children. These are the things you should be ready for, especially if your goal is to pursue a serious relationship with her. Whatever experiences she had in the past could affect your relationship one way or another. These experiences might have shaped her notions about love and dating, so be sure to keep an open mind.

She knows what she’s looking for in a partner

Given her age, a mature woman in her 40s believes her time is too precious to be wasted in a relationship that doesn’t make her happy and fulfilled. At this time, she’s pretty much made up her mind about the things that she desires in life. She has decided to let go of the shallow things and focuses on the ones that are more important. This means that she won’t settle for anyone just for the sake of being with someone. This is also the reason why she’s single despite her age.

She is more straightforward

If you’re into dating a more mature woman, then it’s time to forget about guessing games. She will let you know what she wants and she’s going to be upfront about it. Whether she’s into casual dating or looking for a serious commitment, she won’t keep you guessing. Expect her to express her thoughts and desires.

She is open-minded and confident

A forty-something woman doesn’t allow herself to be limited by the belief that age matters. She’s someone who thinks that age is a mere number and that it shouldn’t determine who she should and shouldn’t go out on a date with. She is open to the possibilities and embraces anything that comes her way. To her, the important thing is that she’s confident enough to try things out and find someone who is compatible with her. The last thing she’ll do is to allow society’s expectations to impact her life decisions.

While it’s true that every woman is unique, there’s a couple of wonderful things about mature women that make them more endearing and attractive. And if you have always considered dating a woman in her 40s, this guide can come in handy.

Ready to take the plunge in dating? Please feel free to visit Simply Dating.

You may have heard there once was a thing called “dating.” It worked like this: a young man called up a young woman on a landline telephone and asked if she would accompany him to dinner or a movie. If she said yes, he picked her up at the assigned hour. He held open doors, pulled out her chair at the restaurant and paid the bill. Believe it or not, this thing called dating still exists. However, in these days of cell phones, social media and dating apps, the dating ritual is done a bit differently. Many of the old rules for dating have been moved to the delete bin. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what’s okay to do on a date and what’s not. Here are 10 modern dating rules to help you navigate 21st century relationships:

Keep your commitment.

If you say you’re going to show up, do so. Sure, unforeseen circumstances can arise, but let your date know if you’re not going to make it. Be on time. Fashionably late is no longer fashionable. Stay until the end. Unless they do something totally outside the bounds of acceptable behavior, stick it out.

Don’t ghost.

If your date follows up but you’re not interested, politely reply that this isn’t going to work. You’re not required to be attracted to anyone, or to date anyone a second time, but you should let them know where they stand.

Don’t reveal too much before the first date.

Personal problems, childhood trauma and how much your job sucks can wait until you’ve known each other for a while. Of course you will check out their social media and they will check out yours, but (unless they’re a convicted murderer) be coy about letting on about what you know. And for heaven’s sake (especially for you men!) don’t send any nude photos. Nothing kills a potential relationship like exposing that part of yourself before the moment is right.

Be flexible about who pays.

In the past, the man always paid. Today, be prepared to pay, at least for your half of the expenses. If your date turns out to be a cheapskate that’s a good reason not to sign up for date number two. Also in the past, some people assumed dates only took place between members of opposite genders. Wow, how the times have changed.

Put your phone away.

If you look around you’ll see plenty of people not observing this one. But think about it: you’ve been texting, emailing and Instagramming all day long, and out of all the people you’ve connected with, you’ve chosen to spend time with this one person. Enjoy that time. People are interesting in person. Even if this isn’t the love of your life, notice what there is to appreciate.

If it’s a first date, meet in a well-lighted place with a lot of people around.

Stay safe.
Don’t gripe about your ex. If the two of you become an item, there’ll be plenty of time to talk about what a loser/villain/psycho you were stuck with. Dating is about the future, not the past.

Stay sober.

And be cautious with other recreational substances. Think before ordering that third drink. Even if your date is cutting loose, is this really someone you want to get tipsy with?

Don’t expect sex.

Just as you’re not obligated to fall in love with anyone, you’re not obligated to sleep with anyone either. If the night is fine and there’s magic in the air and you see bottomless pools of wonder when you look into each other’s eyes, then, great, go for it. But don’t go along just because the other person expects it. If the date does end in bed, it needs to be because the vote was unanimous.

Be yourself.

Putting on an act to impress someone else is a lot of work, and in the long run it isn’t going to be successful. It may turn out that you don’t like your date, or they don’t like you. That’s life. There’s someone out there who’s going to like the person you really are.

Even though there are 10 of these, they’re not commandments. Once you start to know somebody, make up own rules for dating together. Good luck with this strange and wonderful adventure!

If you’re ready to take the plunge in the dating scene, please feel free to visit Simply Dating.

If you had the confidence you needed, you could achieve what you wanted in all areas of your life. When it comes to your job, you get confidence by learning how to perform the required tasks and then proving you can do a great job. You get confidence at school by doing well on homework and exams. Dating is harder because it can be difficult to see what a successful date looks like. One of the best ways to be successful in the dating world is to be confident. Here are some tips you can use to get that confidence boost you need.

Deal with your fear first.

Do you find your heart beating faster and your palms sweating when you think about going on a date? You need to face your fears head on so you can put them behind you and relax. When you are getting ready, don’t sabotage yourself. Give yourself plenty of time to get ready, and even take off work early if you need more time. Make sure you have time after you’re ready to relax a little before you leave.

Choose your clothes well ahead of time.

so you can clean or iron them if you need to. Get plenty of rest the night before and eat healthy food throughout the day. Use meditation, yoga or breathing exercises so you will be in a good place mentally before you set out. When you take care of all the details ahead of time, you will be more relaxed and less afraid.

Looking good will help you feel confident.

Some people have joked that it is better to look good than to feel good, but there is some truth to the idea that looking good makes you feel good. Get a friend to help you choose clothes that suit your coloring and style, and get your friend to help you get ready if possible. You want to look good, but you also want to show off your personality and best qualities. Do you have nice hair? Strong arms? Find something you like about yourself to show off. Wear something nice but be comfortable so you don’t feel self-conscious. Another secret to being confident on a date is smelling good. Use a nice soap and shampoo, and just enough of a fragrance so you won’t be overwhelming.

Be authentic.

You don’t want to act or look different on your date in order to be more attractive. You are a valuable person in your own right and you will get the respect you deserve if you are honest about who you are. If you present a fake personality, you will only attract someone who likes that fake self and not the person who is right for you. The fact is that there are few things in the world as attractive as honesty.

Be confident in yourself.

And try to take that confidence with you in everything you do. A lot of your fear is because you worry about being rejected, which is a normal human emotion. Your date is feeling the exact same thing, and you will feel more confident recognizing that and helping your date overcome that fear. While you are worrying about rejection, you are forgetting the important fact that you have the same power in the relationship. You will only move on with this person and keep dating if both of you decide that this is the right choice. You want to consider that if you decide not to continue the relationship, you should be kind about it.

Focus on your date instead of your fear.

You may or may not want to continue the relationship, but you have a limited amount of time on a date to get to know someone. Use your time wisely, by learning as much as possible. Listen, ask questions, and find areas you have in common. You might even learn some interesting things about yourself. Even if you don’t end up dating on a long term basis, you may find a new friend. There is no reason to look at dating as an all or nothing proposition. Enjoy yourself, relax, and look at your date as an opportunity to grow.

If you need more tips on dating and relationships or you are yet to find the “one”, please feel free to visit Simply Dating.

If you’re assuming “love at first sight” is a given for everyone but you—you’re mistaken. Love at first sight is a rarity. It’s neither automatic nor promised. For love to blossom, it takes work and sacrifice. A lot of work and sacrifice. Your best friends know this. Your parents know it. And their parents knew it, as well. But attraction? That’s a different story. If attraction is the seed and love is the flower, then your attention and efforts are the careful nurturing from which it grows. An overused analogy? Perhaps. But a necessary one. Wishful thinking won’t make love blossom. And neither will playing hard to get. And technically, there’s no real way to “make” a girl fall in love with you. There’s no magic wand you can wave, nor can love be forced. But there are ways to make her happy. And happiness is the soil from which love grows…

You Can’t Hurry Love

And if you’re pressuring yourself to make love happen—don’t. At best, you’ll seem awkward. At worst, you’ll seem desperate. And no woman appreciates either. You have to be confident; not only in yourself, but in the fact that love will happen only if it’s meant to happen. More importantly, if she allows it to happen. If she doesn’t know what she’s missing, that’s her fault not yours. You can only hope to be yourself. Anything less is beneath you.

Your Mother Was Right—It’s What’s Inside That Counts

More specifically, the gift of gab. You can work out eight days a week. You can be Brad Pitt’s dead ringer. But it’s all for nothing if you’re incapable of starting (and more importantly, maintaining) a conversation. Believe it or not, women can be just as shy as you are. But ice breakers don’t have to come off like a cheesy pick up line. They do, however, have to come naturally. Think of a topic that stirs your interest. A relatively neutral one; one which you both can relate to. This isn’t just establishing common ground. This indicates you’re genuinely interested in her thoughts, not your own assumptions.

Master The Lost Art Of Body Language

Maybe you do have a way with words. Maybe you can make a crowd swoon by a simple retort alone. Maybe you’re even too eloquent or too clever for your own good sometimes. But you can be a veritable Shakespeare and still manage to send out the wrong signals. Body language is an unconscious quality, one which we all use but never quite seem able to articulate. And it’s also something you need to be conscious of at all times. It’s not just words that can sway her. Your gestures, your posture, your failure to make eye contact… all of these send subtle cues that can either persuade or dissuade. Confidence means both direct eye contact as well as openness. If you have you’re hunched over or have your hands folded across your chest, there’s only one message you’re sending: “Don’t bother with me.”

Laugh And She’ll Laugh With You

A sense of humor is fundamental in most any given situation (funerals aside). If you take yourself too seriously, you either appear dull or simply too intense. Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself, and learn to laugh at her jokes—no matter how boring. She’s attempting to convey something to you through a universal language. Laughter. If you can’t speak it, chances are she won’t be able to speak yours.

But Don’t Be Afraid To Show Sincerity

That means your own vulnerability, as well. There’s a difference between making her laugh and being a court jester every waking moment. She might find it to be amusing for a week or two, but pretty soon she’ll learn to think of you as nothing more than a one-dimensional cartoon. It’s an inherent human trait to want to share our concerns, our fears, our tragedies and what’s truly important to us deep down. Learning the difference between diffusing a grave situation with humor and showing empathy and concern in times of need is an art form. When in doubt, always opt for the latter.

Compliment, Don’t Creep

Think women are inherently vain and persuaded by flattery? Well… we all are, regardless of gender. But showering her with a torrent of incessant praises won’t make her fall for you. It doesn’t show your romantic side. It’s just plain obsessive. Women respond to subtlety, not desperate fear—no matter how much of a puppy dog you are deep down inside. She’ll respond much more positively to a compliment on her clothes or perfume than she will by getting her face tattooed two weeks into the relationship. And it will be a lot less painful.

Playing Hard To Get Means She Won’t Want To Get You

That rule about waiting three days to return her call? That’s as much of a fairy tale as love at first sight. You’re not playing it cool and aloof. You’re simply being a jerk. And toying with her emotions if you’re already several weeks into the relationship. No woman wants to feel like she’s not a priority. Nor does anyone. If you can afford to respond to coworkers or your mechanic in a timely fashion, you owe as much (in fact, more) to the woman of your dreams. And if you can’t manage that and insist on using distance as a strategy, don’t be surprised if she finds someone willing to do so in the meantime.

Attract Her, Don’t Chase After Her

That doesn’t mean putting on airs. That doesn’t mean trying to impress her with empty bragging and shiny new toys. But that also doesn’t mean neglecting hygiene, acting crudely or disrespecting her either. It means being yourself—the best aspects of yourself. Make a list of those qualities about yourself you truly appreciate, and work to emphasize them. It could be your sense of humor. It could be your compassion. It could be your open mind. Whatever they are, chances are if you find them redeeming then she will, too. And if she doesn’t?

Well, as we said early on… that’s her loss.

If you need more tips on dating and relationships or you are yet to find the “one”, please feel free to visit Simply Dating.

Dating in your 30s is more challenging compared to when you were in your 20s. Younger people tend to have more time and energy to date and more carefree. And since you are young, you will always have this thinking that eventually you will meet someone later in life – no pressure.
What do you need to know about dating in your 30s?

When you reach that 30th marks of your age, there comes more challenges and pressure with each day that passes by. The playing field becomes narrower, your biological clock is ticking and lots of baggage to carry. There is a sense of urgency especially when you see all your friends setting down. And you get asked by family members when you will finally get to meet “the one”.

While seeing your friends starting a family, you can’t help but feel left behind. But do not fret. 30 is actually the most exciting part of your life to be “single and ready to mingle”.
So, how to start dating in your 30s and make the most out of it?
Here are the 5 things you should know about:

Relax and do not rush into things

Yes, the 30s is the age when you start thinking about marriage and kids. However, do not put too much pressure into that thought especially on your early dates. Scaring the person off is not a good way to start a happy relationship. Do not come across as someone too intense and passionate about settling down. Relax and have fun along the way. The most important thing in dating is finding that ideal person who perfectly fits into your life – one day at a time.

Perfect timing

A perfect time to date is actually in your 30s. You are more mature, financially stable and more responsible at this age. You make choices that will definitely make a positive impact on your life. At this point in your life, you have already gathered enough valuable knowledge and life experiences that give you a better concept of what a real relationship really means. Additionally, your failed relationships in the past would have given you a better idea on how to explore the world of online dating and find that person who is worthy of your time.

Be comfortable in your own opinion and ideas

As we grow older, we learn more about ourselves. We know what we want and we stand for what we believe in. This makes you less concerned about how other people judge others. You become more open-minded and will have no qualms about throwing the rules out of the window. Dating people who are not in your league and isn’t your normal type will be out of the question – and that is perfectly fine for you. So get out there, explore and experience different things.

Be yourself

Being single for a long time is not something to be bothered upon. It is not the end of the world. This is the time when you can concentrate on focusing on things that matter to you – being yourself. If the right person has not arrived yet, you should not be depressed. Be happy being single – be happy in yourself alone. If and when the right person comes, you will be more than ready for whatever comes your way.

Time is precious

When you are in your 30s, you have more responsibilities and your life will be busier. You won’t have time to play games – you become more serious. When you start dating in your 30s and you tend to choose people who are worth your precious time only. So if you date someone and you probably do not want to see them again, be honest and tell them upfront. Forget about the normal rules of waiting – three days for a text message, five for a call or seven for another meet-up. If you like someone and want to spend more time with them, arrange for another meeting. Your 30s is the time to be more straightforward and honest.

In conclusion, in every dating scene, it is always important to know what you want. Just because you are already in your 30s and time is ticking fast you will simply settle. Never settle for anything less, but stop looking for perfection and be ready to compromise. If you change your mindset and be open to new experiences and new people, you will be in a better place to meet that “one’ person to complete you. The 30s is a transition period – you are not “old” yet but definitely not your “younger” self anymore. Dating in your 30s is fun and interesting, only if you make it be like that.