Online Dating for the Over 40s. Today’s guest blog is written by Ivana Vitali who writes relationship advice posts for eharmony.com in the U.K. I know you’ll enjoy it.

Finding love in your forties can be a very difficult experience. Particularly for those who haven’t dated in a while. Other priorities and responsibilities fill up your life, and any possibility of meeting a potential match gets shoved into the background. Past relationships or failed marriages knock the confidence right out of you. Gradually you begin to forget how to approach people or how the very basics of dating etiquette work. If these situations sound familiar, now might be the time to tackle the problem head-on. Take action (join a gym, start a new hobby, or ask your friends to set you up with someone they know. Or, alternatively, you could sign up on a few dating sites. A larger one or any of the interesting niche sites that focus on religion, ethnicity or academic background.

Online Dating Sites For Over 40s

Online dating sites for over 40s are the fasted growing niche. You can be directly matched for compatibility and meet your potential soul mate from the comfort of your own home. This method can also save an enormous amount of time. Which is particularly important for you harassed businesswomen and rushed, doting single mothers. If you do give this way of dating a try, here are three dating tips to bear in mind:

Online Dating for Over 40s Tip 1. Be honest

 Honesty is very important in online dating. It’s all very well putting up a profile picture that was actually taken ten years ago and pretending you regularly volunteer for Oxfam, but if you are serious about meeting someone, they will inevitably find out that you’ve been telling fibs – particularly if they relate to your age or appearance! This could then turn a promising new relationship very sour and you’ll have some uncomfortable explaining to do. It’s also important to lay down what you want from the relationship and reveal any big facts at the beginning. For example, if you have children or an incomplete divorce. It’s important to be direct and honest.

Online Dating for Over 40s Tip 2. Embrace every possibility

It’s easy to be picky on an online dating site. There are hundreds of profiles to browse through, after all. But this attitude can also be quite damaging – what if you don’t contact your soul mate because their profile picture is a bit blurry? The one problem with the web is that content can be interpreted in so many different ways. And that ambiguity can lead to misunderstandings. Therefore, abandon your fussiness, be open-minded and try a few things out. Try to at least talk to someone before you rule them out – especially if you have been matched for compatibility.

Online Dating for Over 40s Tip 3. Use your wealth of wisdom

Maturity is a definite advantage in the dating world. When you are online dating, use what you’ve learned  from past mistakes and mis-judgements to decide whether or not to pursue a match. By now, you should know what you like, so if you see a familiar pattern emerging when you’re dating someone, act on it. For example, if your date begins to exhibit similar characteristics to one of your particularly difficult exes, it might not be such a good idea to continue seeing them.

Online dating for the over 40s is challenging.  But there are plenty of opportunities out there for finding relationships;  just make sure you do it right!

Thank you, Ivana, for your wise words.  And for all you boomers out there don’t forget to sign up for my ongoing support by being a regular reader of the Baby Boomer Dating Blog.