Dating at any age can be nerve-wracking, but dating in your 40s comes with a whole host of new and different pressures. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Instead, a few simple rules can go a long way to making your experience a whole lot less stressful and a whole lot more successful. Here are 4 simple tips we believe are excellent for dating in your 40s. So read on and then get on and put yourself back in the game. 

4 Tips for Dating in Your 40s

Tip One: Don’t Rush In

Fools do that, you know?

Seriously. If you’re recently divorced or just out of a long-term Relationship, give yourself some time to breathe. You might think it’s a good idea to jump straight back into the dating pool, but before you even consider dipping a toe in, think about why your last relationship broke down, and what you could have done differently.

By rushing into a new relationship, you could find yourself repeating the same mistakes. Instead, pace yourself, figure out what you want and who you want it from, then put yourself out there.

Tip Two: Know What You Want – and Communicate It

Maybe you’re after another long-term relationship, culminating in marriage. Or maybe you just want to sow some wild oats with a casual fling, or two or three. Whatever it is you want to get out of dating in your 40s, you need to be able to clearly communicate it to your potential dates.

You don’t need to tiptoe around this matter either. Who’s got time for that? Speak up and let them know that you’re only interested in the short or long term, and if that doesn’t work for them, move on to someone more compatible with your wants and needs.

Read More: Divorce? 5 ways to get your groove back

Tip Three: Adjust Your Expectations

It’s one thing knowing what you want, it’s another entirely when it comes to getting what you want.

Don’t enter the dating pool expecting a barrage of eligible and baggage-free bachelors and bachelorettes all falling over their feet to meet for coffee. Chances are, those also dating in their 40s will have their own complicated situations, full of exes, kids, and complexities.

If you set out to meet a 40-odd-year-old who still looks 25, has a good job, owns their own home, enjoys weekend city breaks, has no children, no ex, and no overbearing family members, you’d be as well trying to lasso a unicorn.

Adjust your Expectations and appreciate that you too are single in your 40s and dating again. Things might be a little messier now than when you were younger, but there’s no point using that as an excuse to avoid meeting someone new.

Tip Four: Be Yourself

Dating is hard. It’s daunting. And it’s all too tempting to hide your quirks and idiosyncrasies, wear clothes you wouldn’t ordinarily wear, and laugh at jokes you don’t find funny. But where’s that going to get you? Stuck in an unfulfilling relationship? Or feeling like you’re wasting time on yet another mismatched first date?

That doesn’t sound like much fun. Instead, set out to find someone that likes you for you. Someone that fits with your lifestyle, bounces off your personality, and wouldn’t change you for the world.

Some people spend their teens and twenties (and possibly even their thirties) dating behind a facade. Time to drop that. Be yourself, put the real you out there, and meet that special someone.

Bonus Tip: Embrace Online Dating

Chances are you’ve grown up just as online dating has become more and more mainstream, but if you missed out on the thrill of browsing profiles, messaging inboxes, and swiping left (or right), now’s your chance!

The good news is, with so much variety out there, you’re bound to find a dating site or app that fits with your lifestyle and your expectations.

Just take a look at our own selection of dating sites: from sociable singles, to single parents, we’ve got you covered. Give it a go – sign up today!

Do you have any other tips for dating in your 40s? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

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