It’s easy to get caught up in the mindset of, I’m going to meet a great person, date for a year, live together for another year, then get engaged for a year, then get married, and then buy a house, travel, have kids, and whatever else is part of your “dating plan”. In case you haven’t noticed, life usually does NOT go according to plan. Instead, it throws you for a loop, makes sure you suffer from plenty of heartache, and extreme frustration, especially in the dating world.

When online dating is fun, enjoy it and meet new people. When it feels like a chore, take a break, and spend time with family, friends, and most importantly, yourself. Don’t stress out about being 30 and still single, or divorced at forty with no idea how to meet someone new. As simple as this all sounds, it’s true! deadlines in the dating world will not be met, and will pressure yourself into choices you won’t be happy with. Perhaps you’ll settle for a guy who isn’t great in bed

Perhaps you’ll settle for a guy who isn’t great in bed, or a woman who doesn’t want to have kids just because you feel like you need to be on track with your dating plan. I’m not saying its not frustrating, or difficult, or incredibly disappointing. Trust me, I’m one of you! Single in my thirties, and life is nowhere where I thought to would be 5 years ago. And honestly for that I am grateful. I haven’t settled, for anyone who doesn’t fulfill me, and neither should you.

I haven’t settled, for anyone who doesn’t fulfill me, and neither should you. Take a yoga class, join a biking meetup group, or a book club. Increase your social network to ensure that you have a support network as you navigate the dating world, or the single life. Do you have a dating plan? Or have you thrown one out the window? What tools do you have to help make letting go of that plan easier? Please share your tips as well! When online dating is fun, enjoy it and meet new people.