How to Get Back Into Dating After Divorce
Dating after divorce is an important step as you begin to rebuild your life. But it can be a daunting prospect.
The stress of a marriage breakup can leave you emotionally drained as you re-evaluate everything you thought you knew about love.
It shouldn’t prevent you from finding happiness with someone new, though.
And to do that, you need to get back into the dating game once the dust has settled on the end of your long-term relationship.
Here are some ways you can make it easier to approach dating and find love after divorce.
Take your time
Before you dip your toe back into the dating pool, make sure you’ve come to terms with why your marriage failed.
Divorced singles need to give themselves time and space to process their feelings before getting back on the dating scene.
It takes time to regain your emotional equilibrium before you can open yourself up to the possibility of a new relationship.
Be patient with yourself and take all the time you need. And don't allow well-meaning friends to push you into dating until you’re sure you’re ready.
If you’re thinking about dating after divorce purely as a remedy for feelings like loneliness, it may be beneficial to take more time to heal before dating again.
Don’t rush into a relationship
When you start dating after divorce you may be tempted to rush things because your marriage acclimatised you to being part of a couple.
You may also feel you’re running out of time to find romance again. And your divorce may have played havoc with your self-esteem, which can lead to rash decisions.
It’s important to bear in mind that after the psychological upheaval of divorce it may take some time before you can be objective about settling down with someone.
Learn from your divorce
Just because you went through a divorce doesn’t mean you’re a failure when it comes to relationships.
If you can use your divorce as a learning experience, you’ll be better equipped to:
- Move forward with confidence.
- Trust your instincts.
- Understand how to date after divorce.
- Determine whether you’re making the right decision when searching for a new partner.
Be honest about yourself
Online dating platforms make it a lot easier when looking for love after divorce. However, it’s crucial to be honest about your life in your profile. The truth is bound to come out eventually.
A misleading profile will waste your own time as well as that of others. It also makes it impossible to find someone who shares your values and will like you for who you are.
On the other hand, you'll do yourself a big favour by being truthful, and get matches who’re truly compatible with you.
And, of course, you need to carry through with the honest approach when you meet up in real life.
Keep the conversation positive
The topic of your divorce is likely to come up quickly as you begin dating again. This is natural as part of the conversation of getting to know each other – the breakup is the biggest news in your recent life and you could go on about the specifics for days.
However, you should avoid going into too much detail about your divorce straight away. Instead, keep the conversation light and upbeat. You’ll have the opportunity to divulge the background of your divorce once you’ve made a firm connection with someone.
Moving on after divorce
Understanding where you’ve been and where you want to go is critical in moving on after a marriage breakup. But after the stress of going through a divorce it can be difficult to think about dating again.
Each divorced single has his or her own timeline for when they might want to get back onto the dating scene. Be patient with yourself and with the dating process, and trust your intuition, and you’ll soon get the hang of dating after divorce.
And following our basic guidelines on how to date younger women or men after divorce should make it a lot more comfortable and enjoyable.
Bear in mind too that dating entails a certain amount of vulnerability and the willingness to experience a range of emotions as you make positive new connections.
