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Dating Terms To Know

There’s a lot of new terms that have been popping up on social media lately.  So let’s learn what they are and what they mean:

1- Submarining

There’s more to modern-day dating terms than just ghosting and catfishing. Here is some new and unique millennial dating lingo that people are using to describe their dating situations that you should know.

2- Breadcrumbing

Breadcrumbing is when someone leaves proverbial breadcrumbs for someone through actions like texts or Instagram likes. It gives just enough attention to keep someone interested without having to commit fully.

3- Benching

Athletes aren’t the only ones who can be benched — this term essentially means someone that you are interested in is keeping you in their dating rotation, while they continue to play the field. They know they can keep coming back to you, but don’t have any interest in committing 100%.

4- Kittenfishing

Many of us are familiar with catfishing, where a person physically poses as an entirely different individual online than they are in reality. People who kittenfish will post photos of themselves on their profile, but usually have heavy editing, are several years old, or they may lie about things such as their height or job.

These terms you will mostly see the younger generation use, but for the most part the ideas in each aren’t new.  Don’t fall for phrases that are made up online- as there are plenty such as, hopscotching, glazing, shareholding and bleating.

My advice?  Don’t get hooked on stupid terms.  Don’t get in to a relationship just because everyone else is and don’t get into a relationship just please others.
The #goal is not to GET into a relationship but the goal is to BE in a relationship. When you love and accept yourself finding a partner that appreciates you won’t be hard. You won’t stand for anything else.

 

 

 

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Traditional Dating vs Online Dating

Traditional dating is quite simple; it is going out to a social event, (Bar, community gathering, library, coffee shop, sporting event, etc,) and meeting people. While you are out, your eye catches someone who tickles your fancy and you make your way over there to start a conversation. While conversing, you decide to give this person your phone number. You both start talking and then one day decide to go out on a date. That is what traditional dating is all about. Make no mistake, meeting people offline is better than meeting them online. Today, people have given up on traditional dating. It’s work. It’s effort. People want that quick relationship and that quick date. And if they get into a situation, they just are a click away from replacing them instead of working things out.

The first thing you see online is someone’s profile picture and dating profile. Not only can they post fake pictures, there have been people who post pictures of what they looked like five years ago! They also can tell you they love life when in fact they complain about just about everything. When you meet someone in person, they can’t pretend they don’t really look like that. There’s no fake picture or who they truly are. You can’t read body language through the computer.

Any site that “claims” to be able to match you to your perfect mate if you fill out all 60 questions, is a hoax. There is NO scientific evidence that backs up these algorithms. If they claim that their scientific algorithms work, why do you need to spend 9 -12 months to find someone with whom you should totally click with right away?

When it comes to love it seems we are at the mercy of our biochemistry. First there is a lust, then an attraction, then love. If we get down to the science, attraction happens in the first 30 seconds. You can’t do that online. Dating online is totally different. Two Words: Choice Overload. Not only are there way too many people on these sites, but you would have to have gone out on 100 dates before you actually have chosen your “perfect match.” Now seriously who has time to not only read through all those profiles, but who has actually gone out with 100 people they have met online?

When you go on a search for love, you are looking to settle. But when you let love find you and unexpectedly, you find the person who is meant for you. Online dating is good for one thing, banging and the quick fix while going out and meeting people the traditional way is for those who want the real thing and refuse to settle. You have to show people you are emotionally available to connect and online you can’t feel or see that connection at all. Not only do you connect emotionally faster in person, but pheromones are known to be involved in sexual attraction and during the most fertile time in her menstrual cycle, a woman gives off a different scent which may make her more attractive to potential male suitors. How can you do that online?

We use Yelp to check which restaurant to go to. Pick movies using another app. We are so anxious to control the outcomes that we are unable to take any real risks. We don’t see Andrew or Andrea as people on dating sites, we see Andrew or Andrea, the 70% perfect match. We don’t see them as people, we see them as objects.

A 2015 study found that positive personality traits actually increase perceived facial attractiveness. So if you are just basing your choice on looks, you maybe choosing in correctly. When you find someone to date traditionally, you already can see or get a glimpse of that person’s personality while online you are only going by what they are telling you.

When you meet people traditionally, you typically see them in a social context, such as how they interact with workmates, friends and family members. Online is made of words and images.

Researchers estimate that 25% of rapists found people to assault through online dating services and being scammed in person is less likely than online. Online dating is great if you want a casual fling, but not for anything longer lasting because there are so many dishonest people seeking cheap thrills. If a situation arises, you can split fast and a click here or there, you have your next fling. Marriage is down 50% because everyone is falling for the, “Your perfect match can be found on this website,” crap.

Traditional dating allows you to learn about your partner slowly over time, preserving an element of mystery and making future discoveries more meaningful. You don’t have to physically meet the individual until you are completely comfortable and secure in your interactions, which can go on for months or even years. All that time you “try” and get to know someone online, you could be actually physically getting to know someone you met in person.

One downside to Internet dating has to do with one of its defining characteristics: the profile. In the real world, it takes days or even weeks for the mating dance to unfold, as people learn each others likes and dislikes and stumble through the awkward but often rewarding process of finding common ground.
Online, that process is telescoped and front-loaded, packaged into a neat little digital profile, usually with an equally artificial video attached.
This means that people may unknowingly skip over potential mates for the wrong reasons. The person you see on paper doesn’t translate neatly to a real, live human being, and there’s no predicting or accounting for the chemistry you might feel with a person whose online profile was the opposite of what you thought you wanted. Offline, that kind of attraction would spark organically.  Also, traditional dating has something so important that online dating doesn’t: The use of one’s intuition.

When you meet a creep or a jerk, your intuition goes off and let’s you know- there’s body language that you are reading and your intuition let’s you know. Whereas online, while we are talking to someone using these sites, we create this image of who we believe these people are like, creating a false pretense and not being able to “weed out” the creeps, jerks, and losers we would have not even given the time of day in person.   So, when you finally meet the online person in person, you false image you created deludes your intuition from working at all- meaning we trust these people when we really shouldn’t.

 

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Chapter Eleven: 7 Reasons Why You Are Still Single

Chapter Eleven: 7 Reasons Why You Are Still Single( From The Book, Hello Love, Where’s Cupid? 2nd Ed)

“I hate being single!” or “Why am I so unlucky in love?” Do these sound familiar? If so, then welcome to Singlehood. I will admit, some people are really unlucky when it comes to love. I have seen it first hand. There are those who are still single due to being left in the “pool” while others are single due to being their own worst enemy. Then of course you have those people who call you “desperate.” Lets get one stereotype cleared up though: I am not desperate because I am single. I am single because I am not desperate. There’s a difference. If you are running from relationship to relationship, then okay, you are desperate. But if you struggling to find someone and you have your standards, you are NOT desperate, you are smart.

This chapter is NOT for those people. The ones who are smart enough to take a step back, look at the situation, and go slow finding someone to have a real relationship with instead of rushing themselves to the altar, are the ones who will “win” in the dating game.

This is for those who are sabotaging any chance they get at having a relationship and there are seven good reasons why you are still single.

Let’s start off small:

1- You have annoying habits that scare people away.

I know someone who has this annoying habit of talking with food in their mouth. I also know someone who is obsessed with their blackberry or iPhone. You interrupt people while they are talking and talk about something else or just talk on and on. This behavior was another relationship breaker that was mentioned.

2- You don’t pay attention and constantly make the other person repeat.

It doesn’t cost anything to pay attention. If someone is talking to you and you are too busy doing something else, what does that say about how you value the other person? We as a society need to learn to listen better. Most people just listen for the cue to when it’s their turn to speak. They don’t actually listen to what is being said.

3- Loyalty, Honesty and Trust issues.

Let me give you the straight definition of each term. Loyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause. Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and connotes positive and virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness and straightforwardness along with the absence of lying, cheating or theft. And Trust is, the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. These three are tied together. When you don’t have one in any relationship, you don’t have any of them. When you are loyal, you don’t cheat. When you have faith that the person you love only loves you; then you have trust. And when you trust someone, you know that they are being fully honest with you about every aspect of the relationship.

4- You constantly talk about your ex or previous relationship nonstop.

I know some ladies who constantly talk about previous relationships as if they are still continuing. If you still talk about it, you still care about it. Period. When you have serious baggage you cannot and SHOULD NOT even start to think about having a new relationship. Work through and get over the previous relationship, before moving on to a new one. This is mistake that many single ladies make. They hop into a new relationship just so they can forget about how “Dave” ripped their heart into a million pieces, or they sleep with the first guy that glances over at them in a bar, restaurant, gym, etc. This is also very “desperate” behavior which signifies very deep self-worth, self-esteem issues. When you settle just for “anyone” to get over someone with whom you had an emotional and physical relationship with, you are setting yourself up for an even a bigger disaster. Then of course you have people who go out with someone just to get over their ex or because they fear being “alone” and then end up engaged but still hung over their previous ex. Here’s the thing: If you are not crazy about the person you are about to marry, take a step back. This doesn’t mean go chasing down your ex, since you cannot make someone else want to be with you. But you will be doing yourself and your future husband/wife a disservice by marrying them, when it’s obvious your heart is not in it. Remember, Love won’t grow just because you marry.

To get over an ex, you need time in between relationships. Jumping from relationship to relationship will not help you at all. The fact is rebounding is dangerous because you’re at your most vulnerable and have not had enough time to mourn the loss of your previous relationship and move on. You’re still suffering from heartbreak, even if you deny it. When you meet someone else without getting over the previous relationship, you don’t fall in love with someone but fall completely infatuated with the feelings you are feeling instead. You may gush over the rebounder, but the reality is, that you’re trying to recapture the feelings you had while you were with your ex.

You also have not given yourself time to look at WHY your previous relationship failed. Subconsciously you will make the same exact mistakes with this relationship that you just made with your previous one. So how long should you wait before getting involved with someone new? If you were together for six months, you wait 3 months. If you were together for 12 months, you wait 6 months. The key is to give yourself enough time to get through the pain you feel and get over him/her. That means erasing his/her number from your cell phone, erasing text messages, voice messages and deleting them from your social network. When you can do that, then you are over them.

5- You have a negative outlook on life.

First, don’t complain about someone not treating you right. If you know you deserve more, then why are you with them? Negativity breeds negativity just like positivity breeds positivity. If you have the “woe is me,” attitude, who wants to be around that and listen to it 24/7? I know that I don’t. Who wants to keep hearing how work stinks, how much you wish you could live somewhere else, or how everyone around you is having babies and families but not you?

6- You are oversharing too fast.

Making a full disclosure within the first few meetings can be disastrous since you are not aware how the other person is going to react to the “skeletons” you reveal. Again, your new date doesn’t need to know why you hate your family, why your previous relationships didn’t work, your money issues, etc. Once you share something, you can’t take it back either. Over-sharing. It has always been a problem but has become more so in the digital age. Just look at Facebook and how everyone shares every aspect of their lives. Everyone needs to know everything about everyone. And that’s a bad situation for someone who is meeting someone for the first time. People with bad intentions can get your information and either manipulate you with it or share it with others you don’t necessarily want it shared with. Then you will have put yourself in a position you could have avoided. Also, do NOT become Facebook “friends” with new suitors either. I would actually block them from finding you on Facebook and then once you get to know them, and feel confident/comfortable with them, allow them to then become your online friend as well. Remember, less history equals more mystery. More mystery leads to more dates. More dates leads to having a serious relationship. And if you want to let your potential suitors see your Facebook page, then you must be cautious as to what you post publicly. Remember, what you post can generally come back to bite you in the ass. It happens all the time. Don’t let it happen to you.

7- You have fantasy-like, unrealistic ideas about the opposite sex.

Sadly some women just want to meet a tall, handsome guy who has money and other perks that will make them live happily ever after. The problem with fairy tales is that they set a girl up for disappointment. In real life, the Prince goes off with the wrong Princess. If all you want is to be somebody’s “trophy wife,” you really are setting yourself up for disaster, heartbreak, and torture. Relationships shouldn’t be based on looks, money or perks. Relationships should be based on personality, compatibility, and civility. There’s a difference between being picky and being discriminating. Being picky is about focusing on traits and other details that look good on the surface. Being discriminating is about using good judgment and focusing on how well a man treats you and how you connect with him. (same for a man, a woman should treat you with respect as well.)

You must be clear about what qualities you’re willing to live with and what you can’t live without.

In today’s society we are all told that men need to be with someone “hot” and that women need to find a man with money. Don’t fall for what society tells you. Look at how screwed up it is. Never apologize for having HIGH standards because people who really want to be in your life will rise up to meet them. Stop dreaming about the fairy tale, stop wanting a guy to put you on a pedestal, and stop wanting the movie-like romance. Relationships are REAL. Treat them with a dose a reality, not fantasy.

There is someone for everyone, just because you haven’t met that special someone, does not mean you never will. Take this time in your single life to focus on you and love yourself, so when the right person comes along, you can wholeheartedly share that love with them too.

The Links To Purchase Book are here: http://www.stephaniedolce.com

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Singlehood: Click Here To Enter

Women these days, if you haven’t noticed, are shamed into believing that there is something wrong with them if they are in their thirties and still single. Online dating has surged beyond belief, because it’s better to be in a relationship and miserable than it is to be single and happy.
It’s hard to completely understand this phenomenon that is online dating. People claim that they want to be liked for “why they really are,” while at the same time, their dating profiles reflect white lies in order to be liked and accepted by the opposite sex.

All those sites that claim that they can find you your “perfect match,” are pulling at your heartstrings and not to mention, your wallets, and people are falling for it at a completely large rate. Here’s what I don’t get, if they claim that their scientific algorithms work, why do you need to spend 9 -12 months to find someone with whom you should totally click with right away? The answer is this, you are never truly someone’s choice. Instead you are one of many options in case the one person they thought was, “the one,” failed them and they need to move on quickly.

Online dating is like going to the casino. They want you to keep going at it, so you keep putting money in the machine because according the the odd makers, something will eventually click and you’ll hit the jackpot.

Relationships that start online don’t last as long as relationships that start offline.

Researchers from Stanford and Michigan State University found that breakups between unmarried and married people happened more with couples who met online, rather than couples who met in “offline venues.” See, the founders and CEO’s of all these online dating sites know that when it comes to love women are desperate, easily manipulated, and trustworthy.

As a fellow female I am here to awaken every female to the lies these online dating sites spew. Here are five facts that I have uncovered about online dating that they don’t want you to know.

5- What every site has failed to recognize is that there really is no way to successfully predict that a relationship will last, especially when the most crucial information is not collected:

A) Individuals Characteristics of each partner which include personalities, attitudes and if each partner is relatively stable.

B) Quality of interactions – This can only be measured in person, not online. This includes how well the couple will communicate and also support each other.

C) Unforeseen Circumstances: This includes stress, financial problems, cultures, family issues, etc.

4- Two Words: Choice Overload. This is where people undermine their ability to make a good, well thought out decision due to having way too many options available to them. So most likely you will end up “thinking” that you chose the “correct” partner, when in fact you picked the wrong one.

3- One of the things that all these sites have in common is this: The insert fear that unless you are on their dating site you will NEVER find your “soul-mate.” They tug at your heartstrings to make you believe that you mate is on the other side of your computer screen, when the truth is that you can meet the love of your life ANYWHERE.

2-Some dating sites just don’t get the meaning of the word, “dating” and allow for married men and women to look for sex so they can cheat on their husbands and wives. And there are actually some online sites dedicated to helping married folks cheat which is disgusting! Again, it’s 1 out of every 10 on those dating sites that are married and don’t spill the beans on that either. The online dating world is also filled with criminals and sexual predators. Again, its 1 out of every 10. Remember, the FTC and FDA don’t regulate these sites- ever! The online dating world is filled to the brim with scam artists all who use emotional hooking to get their prey. 1 out of every 10 users is a scammer. Guys who get women to send them money or use them in such a way are on EVERY dating site you can find.

1-Finding a partner is not like finding a new car or a new pair of jeans. You can’t simply wake up one morning, say to yourself, “I need a husband or wife,” and then look through thousands of models until you find the right one. REAL love doesn’t work that way.

Sometimes being single is a choice you make. It doesn’t mean lonely or desperate. It just means “content and drama free.” It’s always better to be single and wait for the right person to come along then it is to be in a relationship, “just because.” Don’t let society tell you that you aren’t worth it if you aren’t in a relationship. That’s why they call it falling in love, because you just fall. You don’t force yourself to trip.

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Links of The Best Of Stephanie Articles…

Here are 7 articles Stephanie has written that have been featured articles for Blogher and SheKnows.

Why Women Should Enjoy Having Orgasms As Much As Men Do Link: http://www.blogher.com/why-women-should-enjoy-having-orgasms-much-men-do
The High Risks of STDs and Online Dating Link: http://www.blogher.com/online-dating-and-stds-go-together-cookies-and-milk

Why Women In Their 20s Can Learn A Lot From Women In Their 40s Link: http://www.blogher.com/why-women-their-20s-can-learn-lot-women-their-40s
#womenslives I Want to Adopt and Become a Single Parent Someday Link: http://www.blogher.com/my-5-reasons-why-i-want-adopt-and-become-single-parent-someday

The 20 Worst Pick-Up Lines Of All Time Link: http://www.blogher.com/20-worst-pick-lines-all-time

Do You Believe In Fate? Are Two People Simply “Meant to Be”? Link: http://www.blogher.com/there-such-thing-fate

Turn Your Good Sex Into AMAZING Sex Link: http://www.blogher.com/how-turn-good-sex-amazing-sex

 

 

 

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It’s Ironic When You Find Someone Who You Wanted On A Dating Site

So while doing my online dating research I came across a profile nearly made me throw up!

This guy that I was involved with, grew a friendship and wanted to move the relationship to the next level.  After that he told me, “We’ll talk,” and then that was pretty much the last I heard from him for six months until I saw him again and we slowly started our friendship all over again. Then once again, he vanished and that was it for me. I had enough. I gave him a second chance and he blew it.
People don’t believe me when I tell them that 99% of people flat out LIE on dating sites. Well, I can vouch on this one since I know him and know him very well.
The end where he lists his “ideal date” for coffee or a drink: He doesn’t like coffee and he doesn’t drink due to his liver disease he has. Or maybe he lied to me, but EVERY time we were together all he drank was Diet Coke.  He also listed that he enjoys running. Let me tell you that when I told him that I go running he said, “I can’t get into running, running is boring.”  Of course after I told him my running schedule ( time and place) he shows up on the path.

I laugh at his story and for what he is looking for because he HAD all that and chose to pass it by. Instead he wants the leftovers that are on online dating sites.

Most women think it’s a good idea to just send that “Dear John” letter and vent, but I will tell you that is one of the worst things to do. It just makes you look ridiculous. BUT… if you have a blog and you write, you can always just write what you would love to say to him and call it a day.  ( TIP: don’t use his name that is not such a good idea either.)

WHAT I WOULD SAY IF I COULD:

I know the Bible says to turn the other cheek, but right now I think Jesus would hold my jacket while I kick your ass. You’re a liar, narcissistic jerk, and you better pray that your daughters never run into a jackass like you.  Karma is like a boomerang. What you throw at others will eventually come back to smack you in the face.  I don’t think you were a mistake, because had I not been with you and gotten to really know you, I would have never realized that I seriously need to raise my standards. I finally realized months ago that I deserve better. I’ve moved on. My new beginning starts now- without you.  As Kelly Clarkson sang, “Since you’ve been gone, I can breath for the first time.”

I was simply an option you kept open just in case your plan to test the dating pool backfired. I’m no one’s option. I’m not anyone’s plaything. You don’t get to drop me & pick me back up whenever you feel like it.

I pity the woman that ends up with you.

The End

THE LIAR’S PROFILE:

“I am looking for someone who wants to be loved and enjoy life. I am hardworking kind man looking for a woman who wants to be happy and share great times.

My match is sincere and honest. Someone who can laugh and joke and also be romantic. There needs to be attraction of course.

Ideal date: A relaxed meeting for coffee or a drink.”

REMEMBER:  If you want to be treated differently, accept no less than what you deserve. Know Your Worth! I know mine. ❤️‍

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The Online-dating Research Papers (part 2)

Here’s a profile I found on a dating site. People don’t get it.

1) If you are happy with your life right now, why are you on here?

2) If you aren’t desperate or looking for someone to complete you, again, you are on here for what then?

3) Credit score of 800? His butt looks good in jeans and he can look very GQ? Plus he mentions that he is great with kids. All a ploy to start pulling the heartstrings of a very desperate woman.

 

THE PROFILE:

Hey…welcome to my profile. Pretty happy with my life right now. Have a strong network of friends and family and interests to keep me busy…so I’m not here because I’m desperate or lonely looking for someone to “complete me”. I’m also self sufficient and well organized so I’m not looking for a “mother figure” either. I’m just a hard working man who’s butt looks great in jeans and I can look quite GQ when I throw on a three piece. My ability to make people laugh…especially when they needed it the most, has always been my greatest strength. I give a great massage, am a great conversationalist and a really good dancer. I also have a credit score close to 800. 🙂 Not bad, huh? Oh…I can cook, juggle and play the guitar, too. Also great with kids. My nieces and nephews will attest to that. How bout them apples? You will find me to be very “down to earth” and a versatile playmate. Anyway, if you are seeking a man with very little baggage…then your search is over. 🙂

Again, Get yourself off the clearance rack called online dating. Falling in love, JUST HAPPENS. You can’t force yourself to fall.

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The Online-dating Research Papers (part 1)

I have been researching dating sites all over the internet. Some promote them on Facebook while others promote them on Twitter and Google+.  Even some dating sites have started using Instagram.

As I was doing some hardcore research I saw a young girl, guessing in her 20’s, posing on a motorcycle with the caption:

Send me pics fellas
I might ride you like I do my bike…if you’re man enough to handle me
my number is 1-9*5-2**-3696…don’t keep me waiting

Seriously, this is HOW desperate and dumb this generation has become?

First mistake: Asking for pictures which you know will be sexual

Second mistake: Making a sexual reference

Third mistake: Posting her phone number for the entire world to see.

Online dating sites LOVE these type of people! As someone tweeted me, ” The dating sites love self-destructive people, because they make great customers as they chase away person after person. Dating sites provide a fall back for the attention-starved. Why work it out when there’s another “match” waiting online?”

I’ve been saying that since day one. If you really want love remember, they call it falling in love because you JUST fall. You don’t FORCE yourself to trip.

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TOP 5 ONLINE-DATING SECRETS

If it seems as if everyone you know is online dating, you’re not alone. According to a study done by Pew Research Center, 11% of American adults—and 38% of those who are currently “single and looking” for a partner—have used online dating sites or mobile dating apps. The general public attitudes towards online dating have become much more positive in recent years, and now with social networking sites playing a prominent role when it comes to navigating and assisting romantic relationships, online dating usage is at an all-time high.

To gain a little insight into what makes people tick when it comes to online dating, here are five secrets to the phenomenon and how to better yourself online.

5. Your Profile Isn’t What It Should Be

A professor of Women’s Health and Clinical Epidemiology at the Queen May University of London School of Medicine and Dentistry, named Khalid Khan, poured through 86 studies to find out why he wasn’t lucky in love and found out that his profile on dating sites was one of the main problems.

Users who chose screen names starting with letters toward the beginning of the alphabet got more clicks than those who used screen names that started with the last part of the alphabet. So, if your name started with the letters, A-M, you have a great shot at being noticed. Now to the profile picture. For women who wore red, they received more attention from men then if they wore any other color. Also, if your profile picture was a group shot with friends, you had a better chance for someone to click on your profile and look through it.

It’s as easy as a click here and a click there to write up a very impressive dating profile. About 95% of what is written are exaggerated and everyone lies about salary, job, living conditions, hobbies, weight, body mass, and some even put a fake picture up, just to get people’s attention.

4. Be Selective 

You are completely wasting your time by posting to every free site then posting your profile on the sites that cost the most money. Think about it, when you post on free site, then the quality of the people you are choosing from are “low quality” people or people who are not putting relationships at a priority in their lives. You therefore are not ending up with a compatible mate. According to Dr. John G. Kappa, PhD whose book, Relationship Strategies: The E&P Attraction, we all have an equal and opposite compatible match. Everyone should be aware of characteristics that we are attracted to and also characteristics that we aren’t attracted too. This is why sometimes we keep picking the completely “wrong” partner.

3. Trust Your Gut

Here is the complete truth: your intuition, your gut will NEVER be wrong. So if someone looks good on paper, but in person you aren’t feeling it, the attraction is not there, and the conversation fizzled out, believe what your gut is telling you: this person is NOT the one. Move on and let it go. So many times we doubt ourselves and we talk ourselves into believing that something is good when it’s far from being good for us. There is someone for everyone, that saying is true, but don’t cut yourself short and lower your standards, values and compatibility just to end up in a relationship.

2. Market Yourself

If you want more dates, the simple thing to remember is that you are your own brand. Yes, even with online dating. Too many people focus on likes and dislikes, and overestimate the value of these. When it comes to sustaining a relationship, your love for hiking or street fairs, isn’t going to matter. Instead, think about the qualities that matter to you and that should matter to your partner. You’re marketing yourself and you show that through highlighting your core characteristics. What will make you a great girlfriend or a great boyfriend? Why should someone date you over someone else? Those are the questions you should really be asking yourself.

 

1. When You Send a Message, Make it Personal

Too many times people respond to messages as if they are going on a job interview or they are just filled with hellos. If you get a lot of messages where the conversation isn’t going anywhere, start with an open-ended question, or mention an interest or two, to get the conversation started. If you are a guy, don’t just tell her that she is beautiful or if you are a woman, don’t just tell him that you are into sports. Also, don’t use messaging to bring up sex. If that is all you are looking for, then online dating isn’t for you.