Dating After 40: Getting Back in the Saddle

Getting back into the dating scene — after being out of it for quite some time — can seem foreign and downright overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you easily get back into the game.

Join at least three dating sites/apps
Most people over 40 are busy balancing careers, single parenthood and personal activities. Time is limited and efficiency is key. Dating apps — like Match, Tinder and Bumble — cast a wider net and expose you to people you would never meet in the real world due to geography or lifestyles. This exposure to the abundance of potential mates in the real world is comforting for someone who is getting back into the dating scene.

Create an engaging online profile
With more than 5 million people in the United States using online dating apps, your profile is important. Have a trusted friend or family member help you develop your profile, or download my four easy tips. Choosing the right dating profile photo is important because it’s the first impression you will make. Make sure your profile reaches who you want.

Avoid being set-up by friends
Friends’ criteria can be vastly different from yours.  If you have a friend who really wants to set you up, and you are game, I strongly recommend getting a picture of the person they want to set you up with and ask your friend if they would date that person.

Relax, have fun, be safe and enjoy the ride
Theoretically, you are a more complex person than you were in your 20s, and it will take some vetting —through dating often — to refine your list of "wants.” Don't feel like you need to know exactly what you want right away. Think of this new dating experience as trying on shoes. Sometimes you think you want red ones, but then after trying on several other pairs, you find comfortable beige ones are more comfortable and suit you so much better. Maybe a bad analogy, but you get the point. Relax and have fun for a while until you refine what you want in a relationship.