How to: Not lose faith in dating

15 February 2017

If you've been dating for a while or are feeling fed up after some not so great dates, you might be tempted to throw in the towel and give up on dating altogether. But whilst there's no harm taking a break from the dating scene, in fact a dating detox can do you the world of good, don't use the faith that there is someone amazing out there....because there is! How do I know? I'm a professional matchmaker at Mutual Attraction, I spend my days meeting with, and matching, incredible single people and trust me, there are so many wonderful commitment minded people out there.

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Everyone has a wobble every now and then. Dating isn't without it's up and downs, and it's totally normal to go through a range of emotions - excitement, disappointment, intrigue. The best part of love, and also the most frustrating, is that you can't control it. You don't know when it will happen. When that 1 person who is going to change your life forever is going to walk through the door, or pop up on your dating app or be waiting outside the station for your 1st date. That special person could be right in front of you, a day or two away, a month or a year away. The point is it can happen at anytime, so try not to worry, or to get stressed about 'finding the one'.

Get out out there and start doing the things you love, meeting new people and making sure you’re not closing yourself off to new people coming into your life. Sometimes it’s good to step back and have a think about where in your life you might meet someone. Are you going to interesting talks, a sports club, attending a cooking course or signing up to some language classes? Are you saying yes to going out and being approachable and not scared of saying yes to a date? It’s really good to just make sure you know you’re putting yourself out there which will mean you’re more likely to meet someone compatible.

Make sure you’re saying yes to dates and that you’re giving yourself time to get to know each other. You never know where that attraction might come from once so be sure you’re not too dismissive too quickly. It’s very easy with online dating to have another date around the corner or to think 'maybe there's someone even better out there'. Spend time on quality over quantity when you’re meeting someone and try and do a fun activity together. You’re more likely to bond well if you’re doing something fun together!

Be happy, it’s a choice, worrying about being single won’t change anything so try and stay positive. It’s ok to be happy and single, if you have this mentality you’re more likely to attract someone to you, they’re going to want some of that upbeat attitude.

Every now and then it’s a good idea to break down your 'check list' (better still ditch it completely!). It’s really good just to see if you’ve been letting a great match pass you by because of a barrier you’ve put up. Have a little think about what’s really important to you and hopefully you’ll be concentrating on qualities rather than focusing on physical features.

If you haven’t tried it grab a single friend and try out some single events or networking evenings. There are so many great ways to meet people and with an event you can always have a giggle with a friend even if you don’t meet someone you’d like to date.

Above all, be open and embrace life and all the opportunities that come with it and trust that love will happen for you - it's worth the wait.