Five ways to know you’re ready to start dating again

Although the pandemic has been a challenging time in so many ways, for singles, it’s been a great opportunity to unpack any old emotional baggage, reflect on the past and begin to move on from memories (or people) that no longer serve purpose in their life. It’s well known that getting over the end of a relationship takes time. If we rush back into dating, we don’t allow ourselves the opportunity to reflect on the past, learn from the experiences we’ve had and figure out what we want from our next one. To be able to move on completely we need closure, which we don’t achieve if we start dating again too soon. We asked the Head of Customer Service at Jazz FM Dating for the five signs that help you know when you are ready to make a fresh start with someone new.

YOU’RE FEELING HAPPIER

If you’re still feeling sad about your previous relationship, then this is a strong sign that it’s too soon to start dating again. For a new relationship to flourish, it needs a solid set of foundations to grow from – so don’t try to build it on the crumbling ruins of your last! However, if you’re feeling pretty strong on your own but have a tingle of excitement when you think about dating again, you’ll know you’re ready.

YOU FEEL CONFIDENT

Break ups or the loss of a loved one can really knock our confidence and it takes time to rebuild our self-esteem. As the saying goes, you can’t love somebody else until you’re able to love yourself, so it’s important that you feel good with yourself before you try and feel good with someone else. Once you’ve processed your break up and start feeling happy with yourself as a single person, you’ll have a much more enjoyable time when you start dating again.

YOU’VE LET GO OF THE PAST

If you’re going on dates or having a fling with someone to get back at your ex, you’re not ready for a new relationship. Likewise, if you’re mourning the past and spend more time thinking about the person you used to be with rather than the one you’re with now, it’s probably a good time to press pause and give yourself time to heal. You’ll know when your attachment to the past has dissipated because your previous partner or ex won’t be constantly on your mind.

YOU ARE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN OTHER PEOPLE

If you meet people who you are genuinely interested in and attracted to, it’s time to start dating again. Whilst this may seem obvious, it’s important to be able to distinguish between genuinely wanting to get to know someone and just wanting a confidence boost because you’re feeling low. If the thought of going on a date with someone makes you feel excited and a bit giddy, you’re in a good place.

YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO LIFE WITH PLEASURE

If you are able to look back on past relationships with perspective and think: ‘Well, that was horrible but now I can see it was for the best’, you’re definitely ready to start dating again. Likewise, if the memories of a loved one are no longer painful, then you can be sure that you’ve given yourself enough time to get over the past. When you find yourself looking forward to the future with pleasure and anticipation, you’ll know the time is right to meet someone new.

If you feel ready and are looking for the one, head to https://www.jazzfmdating.com/