Even though there are people out there who are going to run the other way when you show the slightest ounce of emotion, it doesn’t mean you need to play it cool. After all, those people clearly aren’t right for you anyway. If you want to send the first text, send it without overthinking. Go with your gut. Listen to your heart. Believe it or not, relationships are supposed to be enjoyable. If you’re worrying so much over what to say and how to act that you’re making yourself sick, this might not be the person for you. Hold out for someone who encourages you to be yourself so you can stop playing pretend.
There is no age limit on love. Even though you might have a plan for yourself that includes getting married or settling down with someone, you can be flexible. You don’t have to stick to a specific timeline. It’s better to hold out for the right person and end up settling down later in life than jump into the first relationship you find so you can say that you’ve crossed your goal off the list. Remember, you can discover love in your thirties and beyond. Your friends might have stumbled upon their partners early, but they’re not you. You’re on different journeys.
Don’t let older relatives or friends who have already found their person make you feel bad about your relationship status. You don’t need to keep anyone in your life who is making you feel bad about your situation. Being single isn’t worse than being in a relationship. It isn’t something that you should feel embarrassed about, which is why you should surround yourself with people who are happy as long as you’re happy, no matter what that means for you.
They’ll hate modern dating too. And they’ll be refreshed when they find someone like you, who isn’t interested in playing games, who wants a relationship that’s straightforward and honest. Just because you haven’t met this person yet doesn’t mean they aren’t out there. They’re hoping to find you as much as you’re hoping to find them.
You’re allowed to be in a bad mood when you feel like you’ve tried every dating app in existence and have really put yourself out there but still aren’t finding love. Your messy feelings are perfectly normal. You are allowed to be jealous and frustrated and annoyed – but you shouldn’t start blaming yourself for taking longer than you’d like to find love. If you’re opening yourself up to others and working on yourself in the process, then you’re doing the right thing. Some people have a harder time finding love than others. It doesn’t make you any less desirable than someone in a relationship. It doesn’t make you any less worthy of love. So feel free to rant about modern dating, but please, don’t tear yourself apart in the process.
