Bad dating habits are never advisable at any age. However, those in their 20s and 30s might not have the life experience to really let go of time-wasting insecurities or nit-picking idiosyncrasies. At 40, you\u2019ve seen and done a lot more, and bad habits that might have been excusable in your early days of dating are a lot less tolerable now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are some dating patterns that, if you haven\u2019t already, you should seriously consider ditching after 40.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dwelling on Past Relationships<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you recently been through a divorce? Are you recovering from the loss of a long-term partner? Are you frustrated by strings of short but unsuccessful relationships? Leave your baggage at the door. That doesn\u2019t mean this information won\u2019t come up as you become more intimate with a potential mate. But dragging the ghost of relationships past into first date territory is a definite no-no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wasting Time on Dead-End Dates<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
At 40, it\u2019s time to sit down and figure out what you want from a partner\u2014if you want anything at all. If you\u2019re not looking for commitment, then continuing a superficial but perhaps sexually satisfying relationship isn\u2019t problematic. But if you\u2019re looking to settle down, then wasting time on someone who isn\u2019t giving you clear signals that he likes you is a rookie mistake. Likewise, if you\u2019re only feeling lukewarm about someone you\u2019re seeing, but are looking for a lasting connection, don\u2019t string her along. Be mature, cut the cord in a diplomatic and courteous way, and move on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focusing on Minor Flaws<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve dated around quite a bit, it\u2019s easy to say you\u2019ve seen (and possibly done) it all. You might start out your relationship on the defensive, looking for the flaws. And guess what? If you look for the flaws, you\u2019re going to find the flaws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps he\u2019s losing his hair. Maybe she made an awkward joke. Maybe his nerves got the better of him and he talked about himself a lot to fill the silence. Try to read between the lines and look for the good. That doesn\u2019t mean forcing something that\u2019s not there (see: wasting time). But it does mean letting go of the idea of a perfect match. There\u2019s no such thing as the perfect person\u2014even you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being Inflexible<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sure, when you\u2019re 40 years old, you probably have a good idea of who you are and the way you want to live your life. And if you\u2019ve been single for a while, you\u2019re probably used to handling everything<\/i> on your own: finances, career, home, and potentially even kids. It\u2019s hard to introduce another person into the equation, though, if you are unwilling to change or compromise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep an attitude of compromise in mind as you grow in a relationship. It doesn\u2019t mean giving up on the things that make you you. But it does mean making space for someone if they\u2019re deserving of your heart.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You could be holding onto these bad habits without even knowing it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":12268,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[886,975],"tags":[879,759,589],"class_list":["post-7644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dating-advice-women","category-dating-in-your-40s","tag-40s","tag-hetero","tag-women"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n