Dating Wellbeing

Online dating is one of the most popular and effective ways to meet people, but it can be a tiring process if you dedicate a lot of time to it.

We spoke to Joanna, who is the creator of Smile Being You about how you can look after your own personal wellbeing while looking for love online.

Take time for yourself

Joanna said, “There are of course so many enjoyable points to dating, but online dating can also be stressful and require effort, so remember to look after your wellbeing throughout the process. The better you feel in yourself, the more you’ll be able to enjoy the dating experience.”

She suggests taking time away from online dating to enjoy your favourite activities, to socialise with your friends and to relax on your own.

Coping with rejection

Unfortunately most people will experience rejection at some stage when they try online dating, so it’s important not to feel too down on yourself and like you are the only person who is going through it.

Joanna said, “Try to exercise self-compassion when online dating. It’s unlikely you will match with everyone you like or for all initial conversations to progress to a date. It’s human nature to find any kind of rejection hard, so try to be kind to yourself.”

“If you find yourself feeling disappointed because a date didn’t happen or work out with some you liked, try to treat yourself kindly. It might help to think about what you would say to a friend who was in your situation and then say this to yourself!”

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself

Being with the right person can help you to feel comfortable in yourself as you feel loved and supported, but you should not expect someone to come along and completely change your life.

“It’s easy to think that ‘when I have a partner I can do/see/visit x, y and z…'” says Joanna. “This kind of thinking could mean that you put your aspirations and interests on hold. It could also result in extra pressure on any potential relationship to bring opportunities to do more in life. Whilst it’s natural to want to share our experiences with others, chances are there’s nothing stopping you from pursuing your interests and dreams right now on your own. Try to enjoy being you and living life. Think how much more you’ll have to talk about on dates when the right person comes along!”