You can skip the bar scene. Online dating can be a great way to connect with a potential partner, now that the stigma is gone and attitudes about online dating are much more positive. A growing percentage of 55 to 64-year-olds report using an online dating service, according to recent research that shows 12 percent of adults in this age group have tried online dating. This is welcome news for those who were thrilled to leave the bar scene behind in decades past and have no interest in revisiting.
Get what you want. What you found irresistible in your 20s may not be so attractive in your 50s, and in a healthy relationship, two people will ideally grow together. When that doesn’t happen, the silver lining is that a woman who is no longer passive or timid can find a suitable partner who will appreciate her input. Maybe you longed for a recreational companion but your spouse preferred long days on the golf course or fishing to hiking or playing tennis with you. If you’re into museum exhibits, book clubs, or cooking classes, those passions can help you meet and connect with like-minded men. You have the life experience to understand how important it is to you that a potential partner shares those interests with you or not.
Expect better sex. Men and women in their 50s are still interested in a healthy sex life, and many women find they become more comfortable in their bodies and asking for what they want from their partner later in life. While many women in this stage are going through menopause, sex is still on the table for most. By taking health precautions and proper planning, including condom use to protect from sexually transmitted infections and lubricant for vaginal dryness, a woman in her 50s may find she enjoys sexual fulfillment with her partner more than she expected.
Time is on your side. Experts attribute the rising divorce rate among the over-50 crowd to the increase in financial independence more women have now than in previous generations. As painful as divorce can be, and most who’ve gone through it wouldn’t wish the experience on anyone, being financially secure means women can take their time before committing again. There’s no clock ticking or any other pressure weighing on a woman in her 50s to get remarried, giving her the option to date indefinitely until she finds the right one.
Focus on the positive. You’ll hear women over 50 say that the good ones are taken, that most men are only interested in one thing, and dating is a full-time exhausting job that isn’t worth the effort. You know what? Women were saying those same lines in their 20s and 30s, too. Don’t get caught up in the negativity- date as often as you find fulfilling, be open and honest about what you want, and spend time with others whose company you genuinely enjoy.
