Most singles have a sincere desire to be in a committed monogamous relationship. However connecting with the right person in 2017 can be challenging, especially in the real world. With the number of dating apps available, having someone spend their evenings swiping right to left, and constantly viewing profiles on dating websites can cause Online Dating Fatigue (yes, its a real thing). But with so many people online, how do you connect with a potential mate offline?
Here are 8 old school ways that still work:
Cruise the city: I’ve heard so many stories of people connecting while driving down the street or stopped at a red light. Next time you are driving or at a red light, don’t be so intent on looking straight ahead. Look to the right or the left, and smile (if applicable) at the person in the car beside you. You never know who you might meet.
Get Social: Go out and attend events. Connect with people in real time and begin to expand your circle of friends. In doing so, you will also expand your exposure to a new group of prospects.
Blind Dates: Allow your friends to introduce you to someone new. If it doesn’t work out, you might have made a new friend who can introduce you to one of their friends.
Attend events: Attend them alone and not with your friends. By attending solo, you become more approachable, you are able to move around freely, you won’t be distracted and you don’t have the boredom or impatience of your friends to worry about.
Chance Encounter: The next time you run an errand, visit the gym, go shopping, etc. don’t be so fixated on your destination that you miss the people you are passing by. Back in the day, the mall was our hang out in high school. Our sole purpose was to meet boys from other schools and we achieved our goal every time. I believe we were successful because our intention was to meet new people. What is your intention? Don’t be so absorbed in completing your to do list that you aren’t open to a chance encounter.
Step outside of your comfort zone: Go places you’ve never gone and do things you’ve never done such as, whitewater rafting, ice skating, zip lining, a sporting event, tour your city, travel etc. You will not only experience new adventures, but you are likely to meet new people as you pursue your endeavors.
New Hang Out: If you keep going to the same place, you are going to see the same people. Find new venues in the city and to hang out.
Be Confident, Friendly & Smile: You never know the message you are communicating so pay attention to your demeanor. You always want to present yourself as being approachable. By smiling you are more welcoming and inviting to engage in a conversation.
Online dating is great for some people, but I just believe that we have lost the ability to connect with others in real time. We no longer know how to be social without having a telephone glued to our hands or how to connect with others outside of a group texting app. We have to become social and get offline to not only connect with the real world but also with other human beings in order to have successful relationships.
BMWK, the relationship you desire might be on the other side of your phone, if you will just look up.