If you're single and searching, you probably think you've looked into all of your options for finding a date. You've met all of your friends' friends, and their friends, too. You let your Great Aunt Bea set you up with her neighbor's son or daughter. And you've set up an internet dating profile to act like bait for the perfect man or woman.
But you probably haven't looked into every avenue available to you. In fact, there are probably more untapped resources out there than you think. Having no luck finding love, and feel like you're out of options? Read on for five date-getting resources you're either not utilizing, or not utilizing enough.
1. Internet Dating Websites.
Okay, so you're here at Datepad reading this article because... duh, you're trying out internet dating. But the reason this is first on my list isn't because you haven't tried it. It's because you shouldn't give up on this option. The four resources to follow may bring you results. But there's no way to have access to truly large pool of potential dates without internet dating. So even if you're trying other things, don't give up on your profile. Keep working on it, keep searching for good matches online, and be persistent. It really does pay off.
2. Looking Locally.
The number of single men and women you have access to depends on where you live just as much as where you go. Look around you. Are most of the people you see married with children? Or are they not ready to settle down? Then it's time to start looking in new places. Now, this doesn't mean you should up and move house just to get a better shot at love (though this wouldn't be unreasonable). But it does mean you should get an idea of where potential singles hang out, and go there. The library, a coffee shop, a Tai Chi group that meets in the park, you name it. If you just hang out at your kids' school all day, you're rarely going to run into other singles.
3. Other Singles.
It probably makes a lot of sense to you that, if your single friends knew where to look for men or women, they would have one of their own. And so it's easy to overlook these friends as date-getting resources. But you shouldn't.
Think about it this way: during the course of their singlehood, your friends have dated dozens of different men and women. As your friends are still single, those matches obviously didn't work out for them. But that doesn't mean they can't work for you! If you have a friend who's been on a few dates with somebody who hasn't worked out, ask them to pass their discards (the good ones, of course!) your way. And you can return the favor and do the same thing for them.
In short, if you're not friends with anybody who's not married, it's time to look for a few single friends.
4. New Groups or Activities.
When you visit internet dating sites or think about your perfect match, you probably have a specific kind of man or woman in mind. He or she may be athletic, intellectual, adventurous... you name it. But instead of sitting around and waiting for that kind of person to fall in your lap, go looking for him or her instead. Go where your match will be! If you're looking for someone who shares your love of sports, go to a sports bar or a baseball game. If you want somebody who loves to eat, take a cooking class or go to a food tasting. As long as you know what kind of person you're looking for, you can tailor your activities to the kinds of things that would attract them, too. And as a bonus, you get to broaden your horizons while you look for love.
5. Networking.
You've probably heard that the vast majority of people find new jobs via networking. Well, if something works so well for your career, it can work well for your love life too. Co-workers can be a great resource for getting dates with the kind of people you might not interact with otherwise. Just be careful not to mix business too much with pleasure...
