Dating over 50: advice to put you in pole position

1. Leave your baggage behind

A hard truth to face but an issue that can be circumvented is emotional baggage in a new relationship. With life experiences, broken relationships and loss, you invariably face a few life lessons on the way. Herein lies a choice - one can take these as opportunities to learn and grow or one can let them build up into regret, cynism or doubt. If that happens, it can become emotional baggage.

When you start dating again, you need to check your baggage at the gate. It doesn’t belong in the fresh territory of a new relationship. This doesn’t mean you should bury it but rather learn and grow from the challenges so you don’t drag past experiences along with you. Don’t rush into the next relationship – but once you have found a healthy and balanced space within yourself, the time is right to start again.

2. It’s still sexy

One topic that dating over 50 advice often neglects is sex. Just because you’re over 50, doesn’t mean it isn’t sexy any more. Research has shown that people in the 57-72 age group are still having intimate relations, with 72 % of men and almost 50 % of women being sexually active at least 4 times a month – a figure similar to the rates of sexual activity of 44 - 59 year olds . Getting older just means getter better!

Remember, even if contraception isn’t an issue you need to be conscious of at this stage, it is always better to be safe than sorry! Sexually transmitted diseases don’t discriminate on age – use protection and in the long run, best to both get tested.

3. Honesty from the outset

It’s not the time to play games. By this stage in life you have the advantage of a person who’s comfortable in their own skin – you know who you are and what you are looking for. The goal is to meet a compatible companion. There’s no reason to waste time on people who you know are just not a good fit. Dating over 50 isn’t an exercise in ego bolstering but rather looking for real connections with real people.

Be honest about what you want and open about who you are right from the outset. You want someone to fall for the real you. There’s no point in playing games. To meet the right person, put your authentic foot forward! Although youthful love is fun, it can also be frivolous – so take advantage of the benefits of age and leave game playing to the kids.

4. Open yourself up

A significant aspect of a happy love life over 50 and beyond is opening yourself up to experiences. New experiences and environments stimulate brain activity. Novelty triggers the happy chemical dopamine in the brain which motivates you and gives you a mood boost. Doing new activities and putting yourself in new environments also exposes you to new people and opens your world.

Drop your judgements and expand your horizons. It will not only be good for the happy chemicals in your brain, but also keeps you young at heart and adventurous. And this stays true for the people you meet. You may have a preconceived notion about who you want to meet and what kind of relationship you want, but you never know who could be a great new fit and make you happy!

5. Be patient

Love and relationships unfold in their own time. You can’t put a deadline on it and expect it to follow your expectations. Be patient and wait for the right person. Sometimes you kiss a few frogs on route to meeting your prince charming. It doesn’t always take time but the right person is worth seeking out. Never settle for something less and know that good things are worth waiting for.

Online dating introduces you to a whole new community of people and gives the opportunity to build different kinds of relationships. Not everyone you meet will be destined to be your partner, but you might even make some new friends and discover great companions on the way. Be patient and let the relationship unfold naturally.

6. Great expectations

Expectations are the mother of all evil as the saying goes! It’s easy to sit in the comfortable position of creating a long list of preferences we feel entitled to in a partner. However, the truth about people is that no one is perfect, and secondly, they aren’t created to fit into neat boxes.

For sure certain qualities such as loyalty, respect and kindness, are fair to expect in a relationship. But deciding on what you want your new partner to look like, do, or where they live - before you’ve even started - puts limits yourself and the opportunity of meeting someone amazing!

7. Enjoy the ride

Just enjoy the process. As you may well know, life is about the journey too, not only the destination. That means sometimes it is as much about what you experience along the way as it is the reaching the end point! Taking the pressure off allows you just to go with the flow and make the most of the experience.

Remember each person you message or meet doesn’t need to turn into your dream partner. However, being open and relaxed allows each connection to be a positive experience.

8. Confidence booster

A great way to step into over 50 dating is to give yourself a good old fashioned confidence boost! Feeling confident opens the door to feeling like, and being, your best self! Although one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, everyone feels better after a little shine and polish.

A simple piece of dating over 50 advice is to give yourself a dating make over. Go for a good haircut, and maybe even a new colour. Buy a comfortable, classic and stylish first date outfit. Get a new pair of shoes. And treat yourself to a little pamper. Confidence is one of the most attractive traits and looking after yourself is a great way to feel more self-assured!

9. Online dating is for everyone

A misconception with dating over 50 advice is that online dating only caters to a younger crowd. The truth of the matter is that online dating is for everyone, and it makes it easier to meet people from your community. By joining the right online dating service, you can have instant access to a membership base of similar singles who share your relationship goals and values!

And with an online dating site like SilverSingles you can make the most of a dating service tailored to over 50s dating. It’s easily accessible and designed with user-friendliness in mind with our easy 3 step registration process, you can enjoy premium matchmaking technology that cuts out the fluff and gives you the best chance of meeting your perfect match! So, what are you waiting for? Take the first step and join our community of like-minded, older singles today.

Ready to put your over 50 dating advice to use? Register with SilverSingles today!