I’ve heard it said that I could write a book on this subject, but the truth is, I’ve got enough experience with it to put on a stand-up routine. My observations from the dating world are that people today have become incredibly disposable with the internet and social media. With so many options readily available, it seems like it’s much easier for people to simply move on to someone else when they face a rough patch instead of working things out.

I’ve also seen men who have come out of 25+ year marriages unwilling to open themselves up to being hurt again. While the average woman experiences her fair share of heart ache in the dating world, she usually dusts herself of and keeps pressing forward. Whether it’s the romantic in us or just a sense of hope that there’s at least one out there who’s like us and still wants a real relationship, we continue yearning.

Unfortunately, life has gotten incredibly chaotic with balancing both work schedules and children’s extracurricular activities, which has made it difficult for people to invest a large amount of time into pursuing one person. It takes considerable effort and determination to make sure that those precious moments are well spent.

Since most of us go against our nature by practicing monogamy, it is important for both men and women to learn how to compromise and open their minds to things that might not have been on their real estate laundry list. Holding out for perfection will always leave you feeling unsatisfied and alone. It also pays to be honest about what you’re looking for and to be genuine in every aspect of the process.

At the end of the day, it’s important to have a bit of fun with the process. While some of your dates might not be romantically or sexually compatible with you, you never know who they might know who might make the perfect match. Even if you don’t make a romantic connection with someone, it is possible to make a friend. Ultimately, dating should be about opening yourself up to new experiences and having faith that you’ll find what you’re looking for.