As a psychologist and dating coach, I know that there are a lot of limiting beliefs about, ‘love and dating being for young people,’ and ‘Men only wanting to date young fertile women.’ It is this type of thinking that keeps your situation the same. If you want a companion, you need to be willing to take action and to remember all that you do have to offer. Many people are lonely and would be thrilled to have a loyal, well-adjusted, intelligent, attractive, generous person to have fun with and to love and accept them…and it only takes one. So, decide if it’s worth the risk and get dating. Below I’ve listed 5 reasons to find love again later in life.
- It’s never too late to find love again: I remember a couple in their nineties getting married in my grandmother’s apartment complex. No matter what age, people want companionship and someone to celebrate life’s joys with and someone to support them through the losses. There are no rules about when love can strike so don’t limit yourself. You deserve to be happy and you can be a great blessing to someone else!
- You Have More Free Time than Ever Before: Once your kids have grown up and you are either retired or less focused on your career, responsibilities lessen and you’re often more mobile. You may want to travel with a companion, go to the theater together, eat out together or spend time talking and walking in nature. This is a good time to date because your focus can be on having fun and meeting new people now.
- You Can Focus on Yourself: There are times when your kids are young and your career is full focus that it’s very challenging to focus on your own needs and future. After you have accomplished these major things, it’s normal to relax a bit and to focus on what you’d like to create in the rest of your life. You can begin to think about who you really are, what you love and how the right partner would compliment you and your dreams.
- You Know Who You Are & What You Want: You may have been divorced or experienced some mismatched partnerships early on in life but one great thing about being older and wiser is that you probably know who you are now, what you want and the things that you most enjoy. This makes it easier to choose a better match. You also know by now where you’re stuck in your ways and where you’re willing to compromise.
- Now Is the Time to Do Your Bucket List: In the second half of your life you realize that there’s only so much time left and you begin to zero in on all the things you’d most like to do, so you will have no regrets. And most people want a love to share those things with. If you’re computer savvy, you can create a vision board of your Bucket list on Pinterest. Otherwise, I suggest making a list in a notebook. Visualize how wonderful it would be to travel, go to Broadway shows or take dancing lessons with your new love. It’s worth a little effort and discomfort, isn’t it?
I hope this list was helpful in reminding you that there is no good reason to give up on finding love.
Happy Dating!
Paulette