All rights reserved. I experienced an unexpected twist when I started dating over Some of my long-married peers confided they were a bit envious. Because by our ages, our Gen X cohort has weathered children, financial reversals, second or third marriages, sexual drought, multiple career pathsβin short, lots of challenges.
So, while sharing cohabitational bliss with your true love is great, a fresh start with someone who doesn't share your history can be invigorating. It has been for me: In the 20 years since I've last dated, there's a lot of fascinating new relationship culture popping off, stuff like bubble dating and the birth order dating theory , as well as open marriage rules.
My wife'd up friends and family have asked me: Is it harder to date over 50? To which I can only answer: No, just different. Also, truth: When was dating ever easy? Today my single friends and I regard dating after 50 as a do-over, a love mulligan that has the potential to enrich our life experience. Wondering how to get that happening? I talked to a sociologist, life coach, single ladies and gentlemen and, yes, a matchmaker about best practices for dating over 50, including online dating tips and more.
Takeaway: Create a private list of five must-have qualities and five deal-breaking characteristics and use it to screen for partners. Prepare your own ten-minute date version of this, a light and upbeat conversation that touches on your key interests and attributes your work, kids, puppy, MacArthur Grant, the usual while leaving room for your date to react and lead the conversation in another direction, if they like.
Frankly, I like to do this before I go to parties and profesh networking opportunities as well, since it helps me skip past initial awkward silences. I think of the practice as coming up with the best Hinge prompts , but IRL. Remember, everyone feels nervous meeting a new person, so the more engaging and pleasant you are, the better chance there is for everyone to lighten up.
