I’ve lost count of how many of the couples I know met originally online. Once people meet and get to know one another it does not matter how they met.
Whether you are introduced to your grandfather’s neighbor at a family party, or sparks fly with someone you meet at your local bookstore, meeting is just the beginning of a process I’ve written about here before – a process that has a beginning, middle, and end. My goal is to get you on that road. Meeting is the very first step on that road. Despite some negative publicity about using online dating sites to meet eligible singles, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a great option.
Is it difficult to get online and start the process? Absolutely not. Even the most computer-challenged find the sites quite user friendly.
In order to complete your profile, all you need to do is:
- Write about who you are. What are your likes, interests, and hobbies? What matters to you in life? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years? This is a wonderful opportunity for a little personal reflection.
- Write about what you want in a relationship. Who are you looking for? What does your ideal relationship look like? What would you like but could be flexible about, and what is a deal breaker? Registering on an online dating site spurs you to consider that stuff and, if you have not already, it’s time you did!
- Acquire a wonderful, recent, honest photograph of yourself. What a great chance to weed through your clothes, go shopping, rethink your hairstyle, and update the best version of your true self.
So we’ve established that it’s not that hard, and it spurs you into necessary, healthy action. Now let’s look at the advantages of online dating.
Online dating sites:
- Enlarges your circle of possible dates. Online dating is the third most popular way to meet new people, second only to meeting people at work and introductions through family and friends, which is number one. There is no down side to having more options.
- Clarifies that the “shortage of single people” is a myth. The bigger dating sites have vast databases of singles you can select by age, interests, religion, geography, etc. There are smaller, regional, interest or faith-based sites that do some of that narrowing down for you, but whatever the case, you’ll never feel like you’re “the only single person in the world” ever again.
- Allows you to comfortably and privately look at profiles. What a relief. You don’t have to gussy up every time you want to check out the scene. You can look at profiles, answer queries, chat online…in your PJs.
- Enables you to know a lot about a person before you meet face to face. A great deal of what might be time consuming “screening” can happen from the comfort of your home before you decide to take the important step of meeting (at which point you will want to gussy up a bit). You can communicate via email, phone, Skype, or FaceTime thanks to technology. Putting out early feelers, and getting to know a bit about one another can alleviate a lot of first date jitters, or even eliminate obvious non-contenders before you get involved in the dating process.
Online dating is perfectly respectable way to meet new people. Is it a sure ticket to “happily ever after?” Since there is no such thing on the planet, I’d say you probably know the answer to that.