Filling out an online dating profile is kind of like performing an audit of your personality, your interests, and your values. You\u2019re essentially forced to acknowledge your talents and your triumphs head-on, which can be hard for some people. Completing your profile is an exercise in complimenting yourself, and that makes some people squeamish. But selling yourself doesn\u2019t have to be uncomfortable\u2014it can be fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What do you do for a living? What\u2019s your ideal Saturday night? What interesting things make you a desirable and unique individual? If you have good responses to these questions, you owe it to yourself to make your answers shine. The online dating community will thank you. These are important questions that help your potential dates understand your likes and dislikes and decide if you\u2019re a compatible match. Chances are, the things you pay close attention to when you evaluate others are the same things they’re using to evaluate you. And yet, some people tend to sell themselves short in their own profiles, or don\u2019t recognize that certain details are attractive to others. They don\u2019t give themselves enough compliments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why? Maybe they\u2019re worried about revealing too much, or seeming too forward. While it\u2019s important to make a good first impression, you can\u2019t worry too much about how other people will perceive your profile information. Maybe you\u2019re worried your PhD will make you seem brainy, or you\u2019re hesitant to share that you have a child. These details\u2014these compliments\u2014are what make you, you, and your true self should be celebrated. As long as you\u2019re honest with yourself when you fill out your profile, you\u2019ll attract the right kind of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is a compliment exactly? It can be anything from being a good listener to being an excellent dancer. They\u2019re accomplishments people commend you on, traits you\u2019re proud of, and achievements you\u2019re working towards. Complimenting yourself might feel unnatural at first, but you aren\u2019t making information up\u2014you\u2019re just showcasing the special parts of your personality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s look at two example sentences and compare:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bio 1: Hi, I\u2019m Janet. I work in accounting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bio 2: Hi, I\u2019m Faith. I work in accounting, but my real passion is making people laugh, and my friends say I\u2019m pretty good at it. The only thing funnier than my jokes is my laugh\u2014it\u2019s pretty loud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who would you rather go on a date with: Janet, or Faith? I\u2019m willing to bet you\u2019d choose Faith, because her profile reads as more interesting and human. There\u2019s nothing wrong with working in accounting, but simply stating the fact is a little boring. Faith knows there\u2019s more to her job than meets the eye, so she added a quick personal anecdote that you can ask her about. She also gave a nod to her loud laugh. Coupled with the photo on her profile, she\u2019s helping you envision what she\u2019s like in real life. You\u2019d choose Faith because with just one sentence, she already seems dimensional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can do this too!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t be afraid to elaborate on yourself in your profile like Faith did. You don\u2019t have to stick to just the facts\u2014you can pepper in anecdotes that help paint a clearer picture of your personality. When you compliment yourself, you realize your strengths and see what others find attractive about you. Then, it becomes easier to identify even more of your positive, desirable personality traits. Soon, you\u2019ll have so much to say, you won\u2019t know when to stop. I\u2019m officially giving you permission to color outside of the lines on your online dating profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might be hesitant because complimenting yourself can feel like gloating. And in a way\u2014a good way\u2014it is. But don\u2019t think of it as bragging. Instead, think of it as packaging your strengths and personality traits. If done correctly, it\u2019s like bragging rights you earned. When you venture into the online dating waters, talking yourself up isn\u2019t boasting\u2014it\u2019s doing the work you came to do. Trust me: You\u2019ll be much more likely to find the right match for you if you do a little selling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, this is my challenge to you: Give yourself a compliment. Hey, give yourself two or three compliments\u2014the more the better. Take a minute to write a list of things you like about yourself, things you admire and accomplishments that you\u2019re proud of. Then, see how what you wrote compares to the information you present in your online dating profile. If you\u2019re clearly and honestly representing your strengths, good for you! If your strengths aren\u2019t coming across that clearly in your profile, try adding one or two into the mix. If you see it, believe it and say it, others will, too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tips and examples on how to put your best self forward without overdoing it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":79,"featured_media":12079,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[890],"tags":[441],"class_list":["post-9626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-online-dating-profile-tips","tag-profile"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n