5 Ways You Know You’re Ready to Date Again*

Dating can be the most amazing and the most heartbreaking experience in a person’s life. I have honestly loved watching my friends fall in love, some of their stories are worthy being considered great loves. It honestly fills me with hope, because as of yet, I haven’t had that amazing all consuming love. At least not in the positive sense. I’ve spent much of my adult life healing after a few terrible relationships. But in 2020, I feel I’m finally ready.

It’s taken me a lot to get here. Including some professional help. Going through therapy has helped me heal and now I recognise the signs that have made me realise that I am now truly ready to put myself out there. Today I thought i’d share those signs with you;

You feel emotionally ready

One of the most important parts of being ready to date again, is being emotionally ready. This is even more important if you’ve gone through a bad break up in the past. You have to be ready to move on. One of my favourite quotes is “if you carry the bricks from your past relationship, you will end up building the same house.” You have to let go of the hurt and pain an ex caused otherwise you’ll punish a new partner for something they didn’t do. If you aren’t emotionally ready to roll with the bad and enjoy the good, a new relationship will never flourish.

You know what you’re looking for

It’s so important to know what you’re looking for in a partner so you don’t come across desperate or you find yourself settling for less than you’re worth. It’s harder to meet someone as an adult, so why not try a local dating site such as Love Nottinghamshire Singles if you need a Nottingham dating site or if you’re after a Cumbria dating site you could try  Love Cumbria Singles. If you date locally it means you’re more flexible for dates, you can see as little or as lot of each other as you’ll be close enough that it doesn’t disrupt day to day life. Long distance can be hard and it’s a lot to deal with if you’re just returning to the dating scene.

You are willing to make something work

Relationships only work through a lot of dedication and compromise. Especially in the beginning. You have to know you’re in a place where you’re willing to lay the foundations for a good relationship. If you aren’t in that place or you know that you will walk away when it gets tough.. you aren’t ready and it isn’t fair for anyone involved if you only go into it half heartedly.

You have the time

Like with the above point, you need to know you have the time in your life to add another person. This is so important if you have a family. If you are one of those people who runs into a relationship and nothing else matters you need to make sure you have the time in your life to do that. You can’t let you children struggle because you shove someone else needs before theirs. You can’t sacrifice your career just to please your new partner. You need to ensure you can balance everything well before adding in something like a new relationship.

You want to date

Finally, you have to want to date. Not because you think that’s what you should want. Not just because you think you’re getting old no one will want you. Not because you think you should offer your child a nuclear family. You have to be really ready to go there again. Relationships are hard, and as you get older and have more aspects of life to juggle, throwing youself back into the world of bad dates and kissing frogs is something you have to really want to do again, for you and you alone.