If you’ve never tried online dating before and you have just started considering it, you’re probably very hesitant and nervous about the whole thing. You might think you’ll only meet some creepy guys, or you might think no one would want to hook up with you – whatever the reason, some singles would rather go to the dentist than start an online dating profile.
Since you’re already considering taking this step, here are some important things you need to take care of:
Be honest with yourself
If you’ve been single since recently, you may have your heart broken and it might still ache. In this case, you might want to wait a few months before you start looking. Even if you’ve been single for a while, you might still not feel ready to jump back into the dating wilderness. And that’s just fine.
Wanting to just have a peek is totally OK, and you have to know you aren’t doing anything wrong by just looking at your potential options. Create a profile and just browse through various profiles until you’re ready to send your first message. It could take days, or it could take months, but sometimes, it could only take hours. Trust your instincts and go with the flow.
Set relationship goals
If you are searching for a serious relationship, make sure you state this out clearly on your profile. This way, people who are after something else won’t waste your time. On the other hand, you might be looking for a fling, or a burst of passionate romance – either way, let people know this as soon as they look at your profile. It saves a bunch of time for everyone.
Your appearance matters
We all know that appearance isn’t really so important, when it comes to love and relationships. It doesn’t matter if the person appears bad to someone else, once we get to love them for who they are. But here’s a catch: we have to wish to know who they are, in order to love their true essence. And let’s be honest, you wouldn’t really want to know a person better if you could clearly see they don’t care about the way they look in public, would you?
It’s the same for everyone. While it’s completely understandable that you’re a lovely person with so much to give, you simply have to attract someone and make them want to meet you. This doesn’t only concern that way you look, but your appearance overall.
Don’t post drunken photos or act like something you are not.
Give it a 100% effort
There are thousands of people on dating sites who just peek and look, but never bother to actually send a message. Are you one of them? Saying “Hello” isn’t a scary thing. What’s the worst that could happen? You’re safe behind your computer screen. If the site gives you an option of seeing who has viewed your profile, and you see someone interesting has been checking you out – message them. They might like you and you might like them.
Log in to your account every day. This way your potential matches will be able to see you’re an active member and this will encourage them to message you. The more you date, the better you actually become at it. Give it six months and try your best during those six months. Chat with people, have fun, engage yourself completely. Better yet, give it a year of committing to online dating. This way you will learn all about what exactly you’re looking for, what’s out there, and finally, you will met a variety of people which alone can be a fabulous adventure.
Photo by Don Hankins 
