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So you’re a senior citizen, and you’re interested in learning some tips and advice on first dates. You’ve come to the right place! It can be tricky to navigate the world of first dates if one isn’t used to them or hasn’t dated in a while. There are unspoken rules, protocols and best practices to keep in mind if we want to make a good first impression and increase our chances of finding the right person.
For example, now more than ever texting is a key communication tool and learning how to flirt effectively over text can really boost our luck in our first dates. Read on to discover some essential points to consider when looking for that special someone for you!
Being patient is always good advice for senior dating with these kinds of situations. You don’t want to settle for the first person you meet – come on, you’re not that desperate! Keep looking, keep being patient and the right person will come along in due course. It’ll be worth the wait! Remember, it’s not easy to cross paths with your soul mate among the jungle of first dates out there but keep at it and your patience will be rewarded.
Something to bear in mind as a senior citizen is that you might have some insecurities about your own personal baggage – don’t we all! First of all, don’t stress – who doesn’t worry sometimes about their past, or mistakes or difficult situations they’ve been through? It’s common to all human beings, no matter their age, gender or situation. What about dating with kids? Could be possible! So go out there and embrace your past – it’s made you who you are today, and that’s something to be proud of and to show off with confidence!
When going on first dates, it’s a good idea to be comprehensive about your situation – don’t leave important bits out for fear of alienating your date. It’s best to be upfront from the start! Of course, feel free to stop short of sharing anything private about yourself that you’re not comfortable sharing right at the start. But if there are important aspects of your life that you’re happy to talk about and that you feel should be shared from the beginning, go for it! This shows confidence and self-assuredness, generally speaking very attractive qualities when playing the dating game.
Don’t forget to respond in proportion to your date’s texts, both in length and in content. Keep the conversation flowing! We all lead very busy lives these days, so it’s best to keep things short and sweet at first, until you build trust and openness between you, enough to start sharing a little more and diving a little deeper. Responding out of context, all of a sudden, might throw your date off, so try to match the other person’s wavelength during the initial texting phase.
This is a key aspect! We all need to be heard, and listening is one of those key social skills that not many people do well but are so appreciated when done right. Isn’t it great when we meet someone able to hold their tongue and let us express ourselves fully, without them thinking about their response before we’ve finished speaking? A good listener gives off feelings of respect, trust and empathy – the pillars of any strong, healthy relationship. Give it a go – it feels great both for the speaker and the listener alike!
Senior citizens often find it easier that other sections of the population to be honest about their lifestyle, interests or past experience – this is a great thing and should be fully embraced! If you offer full honesty on your first date, without fear or shame, you’re so much more likely to receive full honesty back. Senior citizens are generally not willing to waste their precious time (mind you, who is?!) with potential dates who are unsuitable or don’t respect them, and one effective way to weed out dates that won’t work is just to be straight with who we are and what we want. After all, that’s what we’d expect from our date, right?
It’s a good idea to set aside some talking points before senior dating, so you have at least a rough idea of what you’re going to talk about when the date finally comes round. Obviously, you’re not expected to draft up a full-length script! But having some general plan of what you’d like to share about yourself, and what you’d like to know about your date, will give you much needed peace of mind in a social situation some people may find a little nerve-wracking! Just don’t go overboard with the planning and do leave space for improvisation and spontaneous conversation. You never know where it will lead you!
The world of first dates has changed, and contemporary society is much more diverse and tolerant than in previous generations. Be open minded when approaching your date and try to put your judgments to one side. Hear the person out! A great by-product of participating in the wild west of the dating game is the chance to engage in fascinating conversations and meet completely new people who may even become friends, if not life partners. But in order for that to happen, you need to keep an open mind about who you’re meeting and avoid pre-judging based on stereotypical views and outdated attitudes. Let yourself be surprised! By the way, check here 9 rules for dating parents and let yourself be surprised!
Avoid talking about your ex(es) on your first date – it’s not really what your date will want to talk about! Or at the very least, wait for your date to broach the subject before you do! If they start the conversation about the topic, then fair game, I guess. If not, do consider biting your tongue (so to speak!) until further ahead in the dating context. It’s just an awkward topic when getting to know someone new for the first time, and your relationship with your ex(es) probably has a lot of baggage and history attached to it which may or may not be easy to explain or straight-forward. Stick to more palatable conversation topics for now, trust us!
And lastly, just go with the flow, “man”! That’s right, don’t fret too much about the details of what to say or not to say – just be in the moment and let things happen organically. You’ll be sure to connect more with each other that way. You want to appear relaxed, confident and approachable, not stiff, nervous and distant! So prepare for your first date by all means, but then let go of the rules and just have fun – that’s why you’re dating in the first place, right?!
For more tips and tricks on first dates and finding love, don’t hesitate to contact the Macbeth Dating Agency and Matchmaking Service, the best dating site – we’ll guide you every step of the way, plus our advisers are experts in dating and will be happy to answer all your questions. We’re always just a click away!