“Just be yourself.” “Be confident.” But what if you’re not feeling confident? Maybe you’re nervous about dating again, uncertain about what you want, or still finding your footing. It’s hard enough to decide how you want to handle dating situations when you’re not crystal clear about how to reach your goal. It gets even harder …
There’s a particular kind of loneliness that comes with being told you’re “a catch” while watching everyone else pair off around you. You’ve built a successful career and cultivated meaningful friendships. You have traits that should matter to men — intelligence, depth, presence. Yet when it comes to romantic partnerships, you find yourself perpetually on …
In her recent essay “Sex After 60 in Sag Harbor,” Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell reflects on her dating experiences after 60. She writes, “I needed to stick to the old three-date rule. This is a rule women like me made back in the ’80s.” She makes out with him on their first …
“Personally, I’m into the idea of a 40-something boyfriend, but getting one — and keeping him — would take a lot of energy I’m not sure I have. I have only one friend who has succeeded in this quest, and her boyfriend, a hot surfing instructor named Rodney, still won’t introduce her to his friends …
Candace Bushnell — yes, the creator of Sex and the City — recently wrote about her experience dating later in life. Bushnell’s story doesn’t show us that dating after 60 is hopeless. It shows us what happens when you approach dating without clarity — no matter how iconic you are. You’d think the woman who shaped …
Elena glances in the mirror and tugs at her blouse for the third time. Her lipstick is perfect, but she’s focused on the hollow under her cheekbones she swears wasn’t there a year ago. In twenty minutes, she’ll meet David—a divorced executive she connected with online—for dinner. She’s accomplished, well-read, and genuinely interesting. Yet she …
Rachel smoothed her dress for the third time and practiced her smile in the bathroom mirror. She’d read the articles: “Confidence is the sexiest trait.” “Men love self-assured women.” “Fake it till you make it.” So when he asked what she did for work, she gave a polished answer about “exploring new opportunities” instead of …
Maria, a successful woman divorced two years, sits across from yet another pleasant man, nodding as he talks about his hiking trip. It’s her fourth first date this month. He’s nice, but she already knows—there won’t be a second. There’s no spark. No depth. Just another conversation that feels surface-level. As she walks to her …
Emma had an MBA, ran her own business, and gave great advice to her friends about their relationships. But now she was sobbing in her car—humiliated, heartbroken, and confused. Again. Later, she told her sister, “I feel like an idiot. How did I not see it—again?” Her ex-boyfriend had been charming at first. He’d sweep …
Sarah had been on 15 first dates in six months. After a difficult divorce, she wanted to find love again but was scared that she might make another mistake. So she’d spend every date asking detailed questions about the man’s relationship history, career goals, and how he communicates. She thought if she could just gather …