Don't Fear Dating in Your 50s

Although the number of singles in their 50s is growing, it can still seem daunting to put yourself out there. Luckily, with the right guidance, you can feel more confident meeting individuals who could be a good match for you. While some rules of dating have changed, some haven't. Most importantly, be honest and patient in your travels down the Romance Highway. Get the full details of these amazing dating tips in eHarmony's article "Dating in Your 50s" by the eHarmony staff.

Flashback to Our Favorite Article! How Do Relationships Affect Your Health?

We are bringing you one of your most loved blogs again because sometimes you need a reminder about the effects of interpersonal connections on your health and happiness. Keep this information in mind as you begin your exploration for summer love!

Healthier & Happier - Relationships and Social Connections Really Do Make a Difference
by Cassie Zampa-Keim

I believe that health and human relationships are inextricably linked. People in loving, supportive relationships (from good friends to companions to spouses) live healthier, longer lives in general, and experience greater overall life satisfaction than people in unsatisfying relationships or those who are socially isolated.

Why am I so convinced about this? It started when I was twenty, and diagnosed with a very aggressive stage 3B cancer. I didn’t know if I would survive it, and I began to think about what I would miss most if I did not. The clear answer for me was loving and being loved.

With that realization, I set to work on my relationships with family and friends, repairing damage that had been done over time and strengthening relationships that were already good. With hindsight, I can see that the work I did and the love that came from that were integral to my healing process.

A couple of years later, I embarked on the professional journey that has taken me to where I am today, a dating strategist and coach, and I still believe deeply in the power of relationships to heal and strengthen our lives. I have seen it so many times with my clients, who often come to me after a loss such as divorce or widowhood. For them, the pain has taken a physical toll. Some have gained weight, others have started drinking or drinking more, they’ve stopped exercising, see friends less, have headaches, are depressed, and in general they’ve just stopped feeling good about themselves and feel stuck.

While I work with my clients from wherever they are when they come to me through when they find the joy of a new relationship (and beyond), it is when they are finally in those life-affirming relationships that I see the most blossoming. And it’s not just my observations; many scientific studies have been borne out of the fact that good relationships are good for you.

A Harvard Women’s Health Watch article pointed to a study of 309,000 people, which found that “lack of strong relationships increased the risk of premature death from all causes by 50% — an effect on mortality risk roughly comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and greater than obesity and physical inactivity.” Satisfying relationships can be as powerful as the benefits from adequate sleep, a good diet, and not smoking; people in those relationships are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer.

Research has shown other specific health benefits, including lower risk of cardiovascular disease for midlife women in highly satisfying marriages, lower blood pressure, boosted immunity, and better outcomes after heart surgery or cancer diagnoses.

What is it about relationships that makes people healthier? It’s a combination of things, according to this article on WebMD. Couples tend to take fewer risks or engage in substance abuse. Satisfying partners are a constant source of support. And married people tend to help each other maintain healthy habits and are more likely to follow their doctors’ recommendations.

Clearly, relationships are healthy. But don’t despair if you are not currently in one! While marriage seems to have the biggest positive effect on health, strong social connections of many types actually make us healthier as well. The same WebMD article above points out that living together without being married does affect health positively.

According to one University of North Carolina study, “[w]omen who hugged the most daily had the highest oxytocin levels, and their systolic blood pressure…was 10 mm/Hg lower than women with low oxytocin levels—an improvement similar to the effect of many leading blood pressure medications.” But this could apply to anyone, not just the happily married. Think of the people in your life that you feel closest to and how it feels when you hug them. You might already be seeing a result of healthy social connections.

Other caring behaviors also help increase oxytocin production. Psychologist Maryann Troiani, PhD, co-author of Spontaneous Optimism, says, “…a touch on the arm, holding hands, a rub on the shoulder. It only takes a few seconds of contact to stimulate these hormones and to help overcome stress and anxiety.” None of those actions have to be with a spouse.

You might be at a point in your life where you don’t want to find a lover if you are single, but would just prefer someone to spend time with and enjoy walks on the beach, dinner, and movies. Not only do I think that’s a perfectly healthy decision, but research shows that the real magic in relationships is bonding. Brian Baker, a psychiatrist at the University of Toronto, calls the sense that couples have of being united, even during bad times, cohesion. His research shows that “it’s more important to both health and happiness than a good sex life.”

And in my work, I’ve found that both the desire to have a connection with a partner and the actual connection itself, even if platonic, help my clients with their depression, fear, and sadness. I’ve seen huge transformations in clients who started out feeling fearful and vulnerable; even before they find someone, the fact that they are taking care of themselves and opening up to the possibility of finding love makes them healthier and happier.

Dr. George Vaillant, who led a longitudinal study following 268 Harvard graduates over 75 years, sums up my feelings about love and health the best. His words explain why and how I do what I do. He says that there are two pillars of happiness: “One is love. The other is finding a way of coping with life that does not push love away.” Stay open to love, while you are looking and once you’ve found it, and your life will be better for it.

Find Romance Success This Summer with These Tips

Everyone wants summer love, but it may not come as easily as you wish. Showing your summer motivation in the online dating world may be difficult, but the Dating Advice Guy provides excellent tips on how to boost your matches, take advantage of seasonal opportunities, and tackle unique vacation challenges that may arise. Check out the link below for their tips.

 

How to Improve Your Summer Dating Game

Chapter2Club Launches Dating Podcast Series with Innovative Match Founder & CEO

Just in time for the weekend, check out the Chapter2Club Dating After Divorce podcast series with renowned dating coach Cassie Zampa-Keim. Cassie shares how to get off the bench and start dating again, her Date Smart strategies, and how to overcome the fear and anxiety that come with getting back out there. Listen to the episodes below if you're considering getting back into the dating game but need some advice and encouragement to get started!

 

1) https://www.chapter2club.com/podcasts/modern-dating-strategies-for-divorced-women/

2) https://www.chapter2club.com/podcasts/online-dating-what-it-is-and-how-to-get-good-at-it/

3) https://www.chapter2club.com/podcasts/creating-a-stellar-dating-profile/

4)  https://www.chapter2club.com/podcasts/online-dating-from-profile-to-first-date/

Chapter2Club is a place where women can get advice and support, share stories and perspectives, and be part of a great community. Chapter2 Club is a collection of friends, lawyers, financial advisors, mothers, parenting coaches and women with advice & stories. If Chapter 1 was your marriage, Chapter 2 is what comes after.

 

If you're looking for more tips, check out Cassie's book Finding Love After 50.

Dating After 50: Seven Ways to Own Valentine's Day

It’s February, which means our attentions turn to affairs of the heart – romantically, passionately and physiologically. In this month’s issue of Life After 50 magazine you’ll find all of those elements. On the romantic side you will be treated to a “Hart to Hart” conversation with Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers, the actor and actress who gave us the Harts, one of television’s most beloved couples. For singles, you’ll learn valuable tips on finding that special someone from matchmaking master and Innovative Match CEO and Founder Cassie Zampa-Keim; her article is featured below for our readers. From the passion prospective, you’ll catch up with actress and animal activist Loretta "Hot Lips" Swit of “M*A*S*H” fame who shares interesting insight on her passions: the show and character that made her famous, her philosophy on aging, and her embrace of animal welfare issues. We also look at the heart from a physiological standpoint as renowned cardiac specialist, Dr. Steven Gundry, provides information on what you should (and shouldn’t) be eating for optimum heart health. Don’t miss this “heartfelt” issue of Life After 50, on newsstands now!

 

DATING AFTER 50: SEVEN WAYS TO OWN VALENTINE’S DAY

By Cassie Zampa-Keim

Valentine’s Day can be so much fun because, let’s face it, it’s exciting to celebrate love. But every year for some singles it’s a challenging holiday that shines a spotlight on their single status. With New Year’s just past and many singles’ newly minted resolutions to find someone this year, I look at Valentine’s Day as the time to get started on those resolutions.

I have been in the matchmaking industry for almost thirty years, providing dating and relationship strategies for women and men over fifty. February is an exciting month for my clients as I work with them to conquer their doubts about finding love and help them launch back into the world of dating. Most of my clients have been divorced or widowed, so it truly is a trip back to something they did years ago, when their lives were very different.

It’s normal to feel insecure about trying something again after a couple of decades. You don’t look like you did back then (by the way, neither does anyone else you’ll be meeting). Having gone through the loss of divorce or widowhood can make you hesitant to invest in love again, and online dating might feel like a big unknown ocean that you’d rather not dip your toe into. Dating can look both daunting and like no fun at all.

The truth is—and I’ve seen it over and over again with hundreds of clients—that getting back into the dating world can not only be enjoyable and life-affirming, it can also expand your circle of friends and introduce you to that one person you want to spend much more time with.

Finding a relationship is also good for your health. There are numerous studies that show that people in serious relationships have fewer health problems and live longer. In my own work, I’ve found that those positive results start even before my clients have found a partner. Just by beginning the process of looking for a relationship and expressing their desire to make a connection with a partner, many of my clients start to get over their depression, fear, and sadness. While they start out feeling vulnerable, taking care of themselves and opening themselves to the possibility of finding love makes them healthier and happier.

Dr. George Vaillant, who led a longitudinal study that followed 268 Harvard graduates over seventy-five years, says that there are two pillars of happiness. “One is love. The other is finding a way of coping with life that does not push love away.”[i] I emphasize with my clients how important it is to stay open to love, both while they are looking for it and once they’ve found it.

But is finding love past the five-decade mark possible without the services of an expensive matchmaker? Yes, absolutely! The following seven tips are excerpted from my book Finding Love After 50, which I wrote to help women and men who cannot afford matchmaking services become their own matchmakers. The book is a roadmap for singles who wish to take charge of their dating lives—using tools and techniques of industry-leading matchmakers to achieve equal or better results—and ultimately find love without emptying their bank accounts.

1.  Embrace a positive perspective

Creating the right mindset is so important to entering the dating world. Fear and doubt will affect your results, as will going into it with an open mind, confidence in who you are, a strong sense of what you are looking for, and patience. A positive mindset will help you attract people you want to be with.

When you think and talk about dating, use words that build you up rather than defeat you before you’ve even started. For instance, instead of saying, “I’m old and men/women want to date people younger than me,” say “I’m a beautiful person, and would make a great partner.” Those words might not immediately change what happens externally, but they shift your perception of the experience and create a more positive atmosphere around you—which is always attractive.

2.  Identify who you are and what you want in a partner

Begin by answering a series of questions that clarify where you are in your life so that you can look for and attract the right person for who you are today. We don’t always recognize the ways in which we’ve changed over the years until we slow down and take an honest look at the answers to some basic questions. Questions like: Would I date myself? Why, or why not? What are my best qualities? What would I like to change about myself? What kind of relationship am I looking for right now? What has worked for me in past relationships and what has not? Why? What can I learn from what past partners have said to me about our relationships?

Write down the answers to those questions and keep them somewhere where you can find them. When you are feeling uncertain about how things are going in your dating process, and why they are going the way they are, this list can be a helpful resource. And your answers will change over time! As you become more confident in the dating world, you will add positive traits to the list. The type of relationship you are looking for might change based on the people you meet. But use the list to remember who you are and what you want.

3.  Enjoy the process, don’t just focus on the outcome

It’s easy to get fixated on the outcome of any process, and dating is no exception. You want the joy of meeting that special someone, not necessarily the effort it takes to get there. But as with anything worth having in life, the process is critical and you might as well enjoy it, because much of it is actually a lot of fun.

What does enjoying the dating process look like? Opening yourself to the self-growth that dating can offer. Getting excited about the people you might meet, and would not meet if you weren’t doing this. Broadening your social circle (who doesn’t need that?). Learning about yourself and growing in unexpected ways. Exposing yourself to new worlds through the people you’ll meet. Letting go of the pressure to find “The One” or the feeling that you have no idea what you are doing. Convincing yourself that this will be fun.

4.  Get online

While technology is completely integrated into our daily lives, online dating can still seem strange and intimidating. As someone who began her career in traditional matchmaking and now works online with the majority of her clients, I can tell you that it is both totally manageable and very exciting. With online dating, the pool of prospects that would be out there in traditional matchmaking or your daily life grows to an ocean, and the people on those sites are absolutely the type you want to meet.

Over the years I have found many ways to optimize my clients’ experiences with online dating. The keys are to post great photos and profiles; learn to read digital body language (i.e., don’t waste your time with people who are just cruising); always read the entire profile rather than just focusing on age,  height, or income; and if in doubt, start out slowly.

You can subscribe to a smaller online site or a site geared towards a specific population, such as JDate.com, ChristianMingle.com or MeetMindful.com, if you are not Match.com-ready right away. You can also choose your visibility on most sites, from visible to private to hidden, giving you some flexibility if you are concerned about feeling too exposed.

Still not sure how you feel about going online? I hear a lot of myths about online dating from my clients, and I want to dispel the most common ones.

The first myth is, “The type of person I want to meet is not on online dating sites.” Truth: I began researching online dating in 2008 as a way to help the clients I was working with then, and I can assure you that consistently over the years there have been thousands of quality men and women over fifty on online dating sites. They go there for the same reasons you will: they are successful, motivated, and intelligent, and they realize that this is a fantastic way to meet people.

Myth #2 that I hear is “I’ll look desperate.” Truth: being motivated and proactive is hardly desperate. I always ask my clients, when they are out with a friend and see someone attractive, do they hide? No. There’s no shame in desiring companionship.

The third myth from clients is that their professional reputation will be ruined if they are on online dating sites. If this feels like a legitimate concern for your particular profession or company, taking advantage of the ways to limit your visibility that I described above might be for you. You can also verify the legitimacy of people who express interest in you through the almost unlimited information available online. Remember, desiring companionship is natural, and online dating has become very accepted as a way to find relationships.

5.  Be methodical about the dating process

This probably sounds a little rigid—isn’t dating about the freedom of meeting people and having fun? Well, yes. And no. Back in our earlier years, our relatively unfettered lives allowed us all sorts of opportunities to meet people: through friends, work, and shared activities. The possibilities seemed endless. But once we settled down, bought a house, had children, and established a career, our circles often got smaller. If you look at the people you know today or are likely to meet in your everyday life, chances are that many fewer of them are single than you’d like if you’re laying odds for finding someone.

Establish a plan with defined steps along the way, and change course when something isn’t working. Being methodical doesn’t mean getting stuck—it just means providing yourself with a roadmap that keeps you from getting lost along the way.                

6.  Maintain a marathon mindset: optimism and resilience

Optimism is so important when you are dating, because things don’t happen in a linear way. You will meet people you are not interested in or who are not interested in you. Sometimes it takes a while to find someone you want to see more than once. You will meet someone interesting and date for a while, but then it won’t work out. All normal! And those times will alternate with times where you meet many interesting people, go out on fun date after fun date, get a lot of positive feedback, and eventually meet someone for the long-term.

The bottom line is that it won’t always be easy or predictable, but you can’t give up at mile 11, and you can’t let adversity keep you from trying again.

7.  Know what to do if burnout sets in

Finding the right person can take time, and sometimes burnout will set in. If this happens, don’t give up! Try adjusting your expectations. For instance, if you are expecting to meet “The One” fairly quickly, why not give yourself a chance to go out on a few dates with people who sound interesting even if they do not seem to be your ideal? You might be amazed to find out you like them more than you thought. And you’ll have more fun along the way.

Burnout is essentially disappointment, and we all experience that from time to time, so don’t be hard on yourself if you get there. Remind yourself of where you are in your life and keep focused on the right type of person for you. However, don’t narrow your focus so severely that you miss out on other possibilities around you, from meeting other people to trying new activities. Remember to enjoy the process! You can believe in a positive outcome without knowing specifically what that will mean for you.

You can also always take a break for a while. Dating is not a speed contest, and taking the time to take care of yourself and having the patience to find the person who is right for you is the most important thing you can do.

I really appreciate that re-entering the dating world is not easy. You are taking an emotional risk, and putting yourself out there in a way that feels very vulnerable and exposed. But give yourself kudos for even considering it, and now that another Valentine’s Day is upon us, use this moment to begin an exciting new adventure (quite possibly your best yet)—the process of finding a Valentine for next year.

 

 

[i] Sarah Barness, “Harvard's 75-Year Study Reveals The Secret To Living A Happy Life. And Here It Is.” A plus, February 10, 2015, http://aplus.com/a/75-year-harvard-grant-study-happiness?no_monetization=true.

Online Dating is a Growing Industry With the Stats to Prove It!

Our next I-Match Recognition goes to datingsitereviews.com, which has been compiling data about online dating and online dating sites since 2005. You don’t have to read back that far to see that online dating is becoming the most popular way to meet people across all age groups, and that more and more successful relationships start through online dating sites. This page also links to further information about each of the major online dating companies. Whether you’ve been hesitating to go online or are already there, there are plenty of interesting statistics to peruse!

Online Dating Statistics & Facts by datingsitereviews.com

5 Things You Can Leave Off Your Profile - November Dating Advice Top Pick

I-Match's November pick for best dating advice on the web goes to the Match.com staff for their insightful article, "5 Things You Can Leave Off Your Profile." The piece outlines the type of information best shared to attract optimal matches, and also reviews the type of details
that are best left aside as discussion topics for future dates.

To learn more ways to make your online profile stand out, check out Ways to TurboCharge Your Profile Launch or Relaunch, one of the most popular posts written by the I-Match team.

We hope you enjoy both reads as you continue down the Romance Highway!

 

5 Things You Can Leave Off Your Profile by the Match.com staff

Finding Love After Fifty: Industry Insider Reveals How Hundreds of Women Have Done It

Book Passage is an innovator in bringing the world's finest authors to the Bay Area. Presidents, network anchors, Nobel Prize-winners and first time novelists all have been part of the thousands of authors who have spoken at Book Passage's San Francisco and Marin event spaces.

On Friday, August 26th, a room full of bay area singles came for the much anticipated launch of Finding Love After 50: Secrets of an Industry Insider by author and renowned speaker Cassie Zampa-Keim. The Founder and CEO of Innovative-Match.com, Zampa-Keim was recently named one of the world's top relationship experts, and is a 30 year veteran of the matchmaking industry. The vibrant evening featured a reception, networking, an author talk and a lively Q&A session, followed by a book signing.

A veteran matchmaker, dating coach, speaker and author with nearly 30 years in the industry, Zampa-Keim and her team have engaged with over 10,000 singles.

Zampa-Keim’s talk began with a strong message of hope for the many single women in attendance, emphasizing that there was a continually expanding “ocean of high-quality, available men in the 50+ demographic online.”  During the evening she introduced concepts including “Would You Date Yourself?” – a method to quickly maximize your self-knowledge about the type of partner who would be best for you and then optimally position and package yourself to attract suitable matches. Throughout the evening, she referenced “the Romance Highway,” a phrase she has coined to describe the non-linear nature of the dating process and a wide array of strategies to help woman successfully navigate their journey and reach their destination (the right match).

Event photos are featured below. A podcast of the event will be released shortly.

With Finding Love After 50, one of the top rated books for dating over 50 on Amazon, Zampa-Keim continues to receive accolades including one of the world’s top relationship experts and most recently, nominations for the nations’ best matchmaker and best dating coach by the Internet Dating Group. For media inquiries contact TinaKhiani@gmail.com.

To learn more about Innovative Match’s products, services, and events, visit Innovative-Match.com.

I-Match Recognition #29 - How to Make Time for Online Dating When You're Crazy Busy

Although finding the right companion or life partner can be one of life's greatest rewards, the quest for love can feel like a second job! In her new book Finding Love After 50, Cassie writes: "I use the metaphor of the Romance Highway to point out that dating is not like a tunnel, with only one way through and no detours. Highways offer multiple routes, different speeds, off ramps, frontage roads, and rest stops."

This week's Innovative Match (I-Match) Recognition award goes to Elizabeth Grace Saunders for her article "How to Make Time for Online Dating When You're Crazy Busy." In it, Saunders shares top tips for managing your "dating time," maintaining high energy and a positive attitude - all critical ingredients for finding a stellar match.

How to Make Time for Online Dating When You're Crazy Busy by Elizabeth Grace Saunders

I-Match Recognition #28 - 5 Rules for Online Dating Over 50

We hope our followers are enjoying their summer activities with family, friends and loved ones. It's critical to maintain your online dating presence throughout the warmer months and display your new adventures and interests. With this in mind, we have given the article “5 Rules for Online Dating Over 50” this week’s Innovative Match (I-Match) Recognition Award! This post from Match.com provides smart guidelines and mistakes to avoid as you navigate cyberdating. We hope you’ll enjoy this informative read as you continue your journey on the Romance Highway.

 

5 Rules for Online Dating Over 50 by Cherie Burbach

RELATIONSHIP STRATEGIST RELEASES INSIDER BOOK FOR DATING OVER 50

The Innovative-Match (I-Match) editorial team is thrilled to announce the release of Finding Love After 50: Modern Dating Strategies for Women from an Industry Insider, by I-Match Founder and CEO, and Ask Cass author, Cassie Zampa-Keim.

One of Amazon’s highest rated works in the dating over 50 category just weeks after release, the book will be available in select stores this summer. Finding Love After 50’s premiere launch event will take place on August 26th at Book Passage of Corte Madera, California, which regularly showcases the world's finest authors including presidents and prelates, network anchors and front-line journalists, and Nobel Prize winners. The evening will feature the author reading excerpts from her book.  

Below, the I-Match editorial team shares a sneak peak of the upcoming press release, which will be hitting the airwaves shortly. For further information, media professionals can contact Tina@Innovative-Match.com.

RELATIONSHIP STRATEGIST CASSIE ZAMPA-KEIM RELEASES AN INSPIRING AND EXCITING BOOK ON FINDING LOVE LATER IN LIFE

In 2014, 50.2% of American adults were single, many of whom were 45+. This demographic has experienced a renaissance in its quest for romance; since 2013, the number of 55 to 64-year-olds using online dating alone has more than doubled. Cassie’s book aims squarely at this growing demographic, offering compassionate, results-oriented advice that guides the reader through the process of finding love, from analyzing who they are today and what they are looking for in a relationship, through using online dating sites, to nurturing and building new and lasting partnerships. Although designed with women in mind, the book offers powerful advice for men as well.

Written by an industry veteran with almost thirty years of experience advising and engaging with over 10,000 singles, Finding Love After 50 puts singles in charge of their own dating journeys.  Cassie enables readers to bypass expensive matchmakers by providing them with a comprehensive toolkit for identifying compatible singles and by showing her audience the ropes for highly successful dating and building meaningful relationships. Since many 50+ singles have not dated for decades, Cassie shares a professional matchmaker’s perspectives on the 21st century landscape, how to become a “dating superstar,” and optimal ways to deal with common issues such as blending finances and families.

Throughout the book, Cassie offers encouragement, and provides highly actionable lessons that have helped hundreds of clients to rapidly find the relationships that are best for them. As she writes in the introduction, "I use the metaphor of the Romance Highway to point out that dating is not like a tunnel, with only one way through and no detours. Highways offer multiple routes, different speeds, off ramps, frontage roads, and rest stops. Your journey will be unique, based on your life today. I want to help you see who you are and what brings you joy, increasing your confidence and magnetism. This book will start you on a journey of discovery, an exciting evolutionary process that brings a new level of self-awareness, clarity, and ultimately, relationship success."

About the Author

Cassie Zampa-Keim is a renowned dating and relationship strategist,
author, speaker, workshop leader, and coach. She is the founder and CEO of Innovative Match (www.innovative-match.com), a national relationship-services firm, and author of the syndicated "Ask Cass" blog. 

One of the industry’s leading experts, she launched Innovative Match to incorporate her dating strategies with a personalized coaching approach, to help clients in the prime of their lives master the new dating world.

She has been recognized as one of the World's Top Dating Experts in 2016 by Older Dating UK. Cassie holds a BA in communications and psychology and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Executive Entrepreneurship Program. She also studied at Cambridge University in England. She lives near San Francisco with her husband of 18 years, and three children.

I-MATCH RECOGNITION #27 – BEAT THE HEAT: SUMMER DATING TIPS

Happy summer to our followers! This is a beautiful season and the perfect time to enjoy dating. Social activities are plentiful and opportunities are waiting to be taken advantage of, if you have the right attitude. Summer romance can be tricky to navigate, but with proper guidance you can enjoy your freedom as well as make meaningful connections.

This week’s AskCass blog shares ten tips on summer dating for singles over 50. Our featured article this month from Match.com has unbeatable advice on activities and styling yourself. We hope you enjoy this read as you continue down the Romance Highway.

Beat-the-heat Summer Dating Tips by Dave Singleton

I-Match Recognition #26 - How to Avoid the Top 5 Mistakes Singles Make When Dating Over 50

The dating scene for singles 50+ is booming! The number of singles in this demographic is at an all time high. Among U.S. adults ages 55 to 64, online dating use has doubled since 2013 according to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey. Matching and social networking sites have exponentially increased access to eligible singles; the quality of the online cocktail party experience is considered to be very mature.

This week’s AskCass blog shares some of the industry’s best experts' advice on dating smart for singles over 50. Our featured article this month from eHarmony showcases the latest trends and guidance. We hope you enjoy this read as you continue down the Romance Highway.

 

Dating in Your 50s by the eHarmony Staff

I-Match Recognition #25 - 10 Tips for a Spring Romance

Happy Spring to our followers! “10 Tips for a Spring Romance” receives this week’s Innovative Match (I-Match) Recognition Award! This article from The Huffington Post provides excellent reminder tips for singles as we enter spring dating season. We hope you’ll enjoy this informative read as you continue your journey on the Romance Highway.

10 Tips for a Spring Romance by Debra Macleod

 

BREAKING NEWS: Study Reveals Spring Spike in Online Dating

Happy spring dating from the Innovative Match (I-Match) editorial team! The I-Match Recognition for this week features, “When Spring is in the Air, So is Dating App Engagement” by Trace Ronning of Liftoff. This report reveals that consistent engagement with dating applications occurs during the months of March through May. These findings are in line with activity peaks observed at I-Match. So how can you spring into online dating romance? Here are a few tips from our expert team:

1. Spring clean your dating profile: consider a full makeover of your profile, or a quick refresh, by updating your photos, interests and most recent adventures

2. Take a look at some other dating platforms (whether they are large communities or niche sites). This will help if you have not seen optimal results on your current account in the past six months

3. Utilize your site’s search engine optimization features, such as Match.com’s Hot Spot, to maximize your exposure to potential partners. These features can double or triple your results

4, Step up your outreach efforts. Spring is the time to feel confident and make the first move. Once you’ve spotted a potential match, take control of your romance journey

Spring has traditionally been linked to renewal and new adventures. There’s a sense of growth and that life is ultimately changing for the better. It’s the perfect time to open up to new experiences, broaden your horizons, and embrace the potential of falling in love!

IM Recognition #24 - Dating Over 50: The New Rules

“Dating Over 50: The New Rules” receives this week’s Innovative Match (IM) Recognition Award! Recommended by the IM Editorial Team, this article from Match.com provides excellent advice for singles in their prime who may feel a bit out of place on the dating scene. We hope you’ll enjoy this informative read as you continue your journey on the Romance Highway.

Dating Over 50: The New Rules by Beatty Cohan

The Single’s Guide to Success on Valentine’s Day

While the stores stock their windows and aisles with candy and trinkets for Valentine’s Day, many singles find it difficult to keep their heads up, enjoy the perks of single life and treat themselves with the self-love they deserve. As people enter the prime of their lives, dating success requires a balance of both realism and optimism. Be thankful for the lessons from the past – but use these techniques to leave them in the past. Take this time to reflect on what you are looking for in a companion, make yourself more available to potential partners and be your own matchmaker.

A positive attitude is key to finding a partner, especially around the holidays. It’s not too late to start your New Year’s dating resolutions; if you haven’t dated online, start now! If you’re on a site, join one or two more. Take advantage of the “numbers” game by widening your search and making your profile stand out. While having a first date on the actual holiday is not advised, statistics show that Valentine’s Day can cause singles to catch the romance bug and become more active on dating sites in the days and month after.

Author Lorraine Jackson’s article from SelfGrowth.com, the internet supersite for self improvement and personal growth (read in over 100 countries), presents top techniques for remaining positive and resilient during the dating process.

5 Ways to Stay Positive During the Dating Process by Lorraine Jackson