Make it easier to find Mr. Right

Oct 06, 2011 7:00 AM by Jessica Padykula

Posted in Love & Sex / Single Girls' Guide / Single Girls' Dating Tips

Love Hunting Strategies

Some people are lucky and seem to step right into love's path at just the right time, making a lasting connection with the man they were meant to be with. For others, finding Mr. Right is an ongoing challenge littered with tales of relationships gone wrong and guys that got away. If you fall into the latter category, we're here to help. Read on for some simple strategies that will help make your search for love much easier.

Woman on first date

Stop looking

Though it may sound counterproductive, more often than not, the harder you look for something, the more elusive it's going to be. With that in mind, it makes sense to back off on your aggressive search for Mr. Right and take a few steps back. This will allow you to recharge and give yourself a dating break, not to mention make it much more likely that you'll stumble upon a great guy. Sometimes being strategic about finding love just doesn't work, and it's when you least expect it (when you're distracted, busy, not wearing makeup) that someone great will literally walk into your life. So if you're getting fed up with dating duds and can't seem to catch a break, take some time off from looking for love and let it find you!

Know what you want

The less sure you are of what kind of person you're looking for, the harder it's going to be to find a guy that's right for you. If you've been striking out at every turn, it could be because you don't know what you want – a recipe for dating disaster. Experimenting with different types of guys is a great idea, but the point of that exercise is to help narrow the playing field and make it easier for you to know when something feels right. So if you're still dating an entirely mixed bag of men, it may be time to get a little pickier with who you go out with.

Make a list of all the traits you want in a guy and those that you don't. Include physical traits as well as broader things like sense of humor, kindness and intelligence, and end with more specific items such as guys who like art, are well-read or who love playing sports. Keep refining your list as you meet different people until you really know what you're after.

Date more

Unlike the person who needs to take a break from the dating pool in order to find love, other people need to actually date more to up their chances of finding Mr. Right. If you've been waiting around for the perfect guy to magically show up on your doorstep – without actually doing any of the work – you could benefit from getting out there more often. We don't mean saying an enthusiastic yes to any and every guy that shows a passing interest, but if you've been only dating very selectively with no luck, it's time to pick up the pace and get a better idea of who else is out there.

Don't settle

Once you've been looking for love for what feels like forever, it can be easy to fall into the trap of settling for someone who isn't right for you. But rather than letting yourself get sucked into a dead-end relationship, give yourself time to find a guy you really connect with. The trick is to know when something doesn't feel right – and then not being scared to end it for fear of being single again. Being single is better than being with someone who doesn't make you happy.