Dating & Relationships

If you live in the northern hemisphere, winter officially ends this month and it’s time to look ahead to the annual season of beginnings. March ushers in new life, blooming vegetation and more light. This spring time feeling can apply to your search for a mate too. Here are some top tips to brush away the cobwebs and make a fresh start.

We’ve all got at least one friend who, when they’re single, is keen to meet up, go out and spend time together. But as soon as they start dating someone, they suddenly drop all their pals like a basket of hot potatoes. Regular get-togethers are neglected, phone calls go unreturned, you hardly ever see their face at church – it’s like they’ve been abducted by aliens. Until, that is, their relationship breaks up or starts going south. Then, suddenly, they’re back wanting to hang out – until the next time they meet someone. Do you have a friend like that? Or – let’s be honest – are you that friend?

Dating involves lots of decision-making. From choosing whom to message online, to wondering whether to go on date two or three, to choosing whether to commit to a long-term relationship or get married, there are so many choices to make. So how do we know when to say ‘Yes’ and when to walk away?

Valentine’s Day is coming – a day when we traditionally declare our feelings to someone we love. Perhaps you’re considering telling a friend that you’re interested in them romantically, but you’re not certain how they’ll react. Or maybe you’re pretty sure they share your feelings, but neither of you has found the courage to make the first move. When a friendship turns romantic, it’s natural to have mixed feelings – will it be awkward and embarrassing? Will it spoil what you already have? If you think a friendship may be growing into love (or you’d like it to), here are six issues worth considering…

As I write this, I’m preparing to host a dating workshop for young adults with cancer. This isn’t my usual audience and I’m rather daunted by the prospect. But I’m also clear on what I’m going to say: that anyone who is looking for love can benefit from solid foundations, a strong inner anchor, healthy self-esteem, emotional resilience, a good dose of trust and bags of faith.

I’ve had one or two break ups in my time and I can testify that it can be one of the hardest times a person can face. It is especially difficult if it wasn’t a mutual decision, and you didn’t want the relationship to end. But, even when you’re the instigator of the break-up, it can still be a very hard decision to make and you can end up questioning whether you’ve made the right decision. But, I truly believe that the end of a relationship, for the right reasons, does not have to be a bad thing. Break-ups can and should be seen in a positive light, and I’ll share five reasons why.

If you’ve made a resolution to be more adventurous, creative or ethical in your date planning but are stuck for inspiration – read on. Here are nine on-trend ideas for date nights and days in 2019.

Are you new to online dating? Or returning after a break? Then buckle up – things are about to get busy! Dating websites get their biggest number of new subscribers at the start of the year – Christian Connection reports that the number of new members doubles between December and January, there are 60% more logins, and more than double the number of messages sent. That means you’ve picked a great time to give online dating a try. To get the most from it, here are six new year’s resolutions to boost your chances of finding love in 2019…