Dating: Ready To Date? 3 Questions To Ask Yourself

I was ready to date about 30 seconds after I moved into my own place. 

You might think I’m joking, but it’s the honest-to-goodness truth. 

How did I know? Because I was excited. Excited to get out there and meet new people, have new experiences, try new restaurants and bars. 

Not only that, I wasn’t invested in the outcome. The experience was enough for me. And if I met someone amazing? Well, that would have been the cherry on top. 

Of course, being excited and having a positive attitude weren’t the only indicators that I was ready to date — and they likely won’t be for you either.

To figure out if the timing is right for you, ask yourself these three questions.

1. When you think of dating, how does it make you feel?

Do you feel excited? Or does it fill you with dread?

How does your body react? Do you break out into a smile? Does your heart start racing?

Get curious about the thoughts that run through your head — and what happens in your body when you consider this question. It's common to feel anxious when you think about dating, but take it a step further: Are you anxious because you’re not ready or because you are and it scares you?

2. Are you willing to invest time and energy in dating?

Dating — especially dating post-divorce — is a totally different vibe than dating in our twenties. We have full lives, demanding careers. It’s not as easy to just meet someone, which means often we have to go through other channels, like online dating apps. 

But that doesn’t mean that dating apps are a magical, time-saving solution. You still need to be willing to invest time and energy in dating — not only on the apps, but also when it comes to actually meeting people. 

In terms of the apps, the algorithm favors activity. In other words, the more you interact with it, the more your profile will be served up to potential matches. 

I always recommend signing up for multiple apps to better your chances. 

So if you’re on three different apps, and you’re interacting with each one...