Should you try online dating? Online dating seems pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? Well, it is anything but. Considering whether or not to try online dating is not as simple as trying a new restaurant.
Online dating comes with a lot of rejection. It comes with insecurity. It comes with baggage and trust issues. And it is not right for everyone. Being single for a while makes you think that online dating is the next logical step. If you are of a certain age and are not in a relationship but would like to be, online dating makes sense, right?
Well, not necessarily. It seems as easy as creating a social media account. You share some info about yourself and post your favorite photos and maybe a joke or two. It sounds simple enough.
# Do you have trust issues?
If your answer is no, I am jealous. But, online dating is a petridish of liars. I do not want to sour your hopefulness, but it is a fact. People lie about what they want, who they are, their relationship status, and more.
If you trust yourself and are not going to be affected by facing someone who is lying to you, online dating could be right for you. [Read: How to instantly spot liars in an online dating site]
# Do you know what you want? Online dating can be a great place for you to test the waters. You can go on a lot of dates and figure out what you want. But, if you are dead set on what you want and are unwilling to waver on that, online dating will likely become a headache.
No one is going to fit your mold, so you have to know what you want, but be open for it to work.
# A
re you an overthinker? Should you try online dating as an overthinker? Yes and no. Yes, if you want to try to do better. If you want to try to get used to things and let them be without worrying, this could be a good place to start.
But, if you are an overthinker who has no plans to change, online dating will drive you bonkers. It can corrupt your life and take over if you let it.
# Can you shut down expectations? This is something I always had trouble with. Whether you chat with someone for a few hours or weeks before meeting, your mind builds up a picture of them. If you dwell too much on that you will be disappointed.
If you can’t shut down your mind from jumping to conclusions, each date will be intense.
# Do you have thick skin? I am not talking about someone turning you down, but turning others down. It will happen. You won’t like everyone that messages you. Whether you tell them or ghost people can be cruel. They can name call or worse.
If you can’t handle the variety of weirdos out there, online dating, no matter how, will be too much for you.
# Can you handle rejection? Rejection is a part of dating, especially online dating. You can chat with someone for two minutes and be rejected. If you struggle with self-esteem and being rejected regularly will weigh on your mental health, skip online dating.