Have you thought about senior dating advice that could actually be detrimental to your love life?

Senior dating is a topic that has been coming up more and more in recent years. And be it that you are actually in the game yourself or that you have a friend or loved one who will join the dating game as a senior, you have probably seen and heard a lot of the advice floating around when it comes to dating after the age of 50.

Certain pieces of advice that are particular to senior dating are pretty useful, especially if you are coming from a long-term relationship already, but what a lot of people do not realize is just how bad some of the other senior dating advice can be!

The problem is that everyone can say anything and then frame it as an end-all, be-all piece of advice. And while maybe what they are saying can be applied to their case in the case of someone they know, it is not always universal.

There are a lot of popular pieces of advice that are going around that need to be checked before you go around and follow them like the gospel!

To help you make the most of the senior dating advice online, we have gotten some of the most popular pieces of advice, and we will debunk them here together! That way, you can know what not to listen to and what is actually better to follow!

Have you been given any bad senior dating advice over the years? Let us know in the comments all about your experience with dating as a senior or even with bad dating advice!

1. You should never try online dating!

Online dating may have crossed your mind, as it seems to be the first choice among people who desire to find a romantic partner. However, the media has also misconstrued the idea that online dating is something that is mainly done by younger people and is not for senior dating.

You may have even heard others discourage you or someone else from trying to find companionship and a partner on an online dating app or website, probably citing the fact that it is “not for older people,” as if being over 50 is too old.

The reality is that while the likes of Tinder and Bumble are mostly used by younger people, it does not mean that you should discredit the idea of online dating completely. There are many websites, apps, and even matchmaking services that are catered specifically for senior dating, and they are a great resource for you if you want to test the waters.

In the end, online dating is a great way to meet a variety of people, get back into the dating game if you so wish, and do it from the comfort and safety of your own home. You will also get to chat with the person for longer, and when you do meet, you can potentially skip over some awkward moments!

So, do not listen to this silly “advice” and give online dating a try if you so wish!

2. Remember your age!

Have you heard this advice before? Believe me, when I first got back into dating, it was bound to come up in the conversation. A lot of people try to act as if love is so much different when you are older than when you are younger.

And while I admit that there are things that are different, the butterflies in your stomach when meeting someone you fancy or the bashfulness and awkward excitement of going on a date again is not something that goes away, no matter what age you are!

Senior dating can be just as exciting and thrilling as it was back when we were teenagers, and you should never try to stop yourself from expressing your emotions due to bad advice like “act your age.”

If anything, you should act out how you are feeling to a certain extent and express your emotions; if you are really excited, let it show. It will make your date feel comfortable to express it themselves, or they could be comforted by the idea that you see them in the same light.

Not to mention, if they are put off by you expressing your emotions, then you are definitely dodging a bullet there right from the start!

Be true to yourself, and do not let any silly ageist rules make senior dating hard and unappealing to you!

3. Do not appear to be desperate and easy to conquer!

This one may also be encountered as the old version of “let yourself be chased.” We will agree that the conquest and the thrill of the chase were things that were widely spread back in the day, and even nowadays, the younger generations love the push and pull that comes from it. But when it comes to senior dating, this mentality is not going to have great results.

This does not mean that you should give in easily to the first person you meet or that you should act “easy,” as we once said. Rather, certain aspects of the whole chase do not have a place in senior dating due to the possibility of baggage or other life experiences.

We are discussing senior dating, which means you have had experiences before and you already have a good impression of what you want and do not want in a potential partner. You should not make space for the “fun” part of questioning whether or not you are an item with someone for long periods of time, miscommunications, or any mixed signals that you or the other person may be giving.

They are fun and games sometimes, especially when you are young, and you may want to live out a playful senior dating life as well, but at some point, you will want to settle. And if you have too much space for such games, even during senior dating, we are afraid you may not be able to move past the dating stage.

The key is balance; whatever works for you, do not be cool, aloof, or a “good chase.” You may inadvertently make the other person not want to pursue you anymore!

4. You should make an effort to date someone with a similar past!

This piece of advice and the one following are things that you may hear from a lot of people who are trying to be helpful, but they do not realize that they may be doing more harm than good.

Focusing on dating someone with a similar life experience may be good when it comes to discussion topics, but bonding over a shared tragedy, for example, does not mean that you are going to be good partners for one another.

If you have lost your spouse and someone is trying to set you up with someone who went through a similar experience, then you should approach the situation with caution.

We are not saying to not give the person a chance, but keep in mind to not just latch on to the idea that this person understands how you felt and what you went through, but rather to see if they are genuinely a good match for you!

And this idea of latching on to a tragedy or shared experience segways us onto the bad advice we see thrown around all the time! Keep on reading to discover it!

5. Baggage is not something to bond over!

You may believe that the previous piece of advice and this one cancel each other out, but in reality, there is a world of difference between them! When it comes to senior dating, baggage is unavoidable: a deceased spouse, bad marital experiences, unsavory partners, and family issues are just some of the baggage you may be carrying due to your vast life experiences.

And while some say you should never bond over it with your date, we say do it, but in a healthy way!

Yes, there is a way to approach such difficult topics with a potential future partner in a way that is beneficial to you both: you can bond over the experience, discuss, and help each other out through empathy while also seeking to aid them if needed.

Discussing the baggage, especially when shared, is not a bad thing; it can help you grow closer. But relying only on that, and potentially denying any use of therapy, is where you should never go. Use it as a stepping stone if needed, but do not let your new relationship only blossom around the old baggage you have!

There are a lot of different ways in which you can bond with someone, but if you are dealing with grief and you want to make sure you approach it healthily, we have your back. This book is a great way to understand grief and how you and someone else can cope with the loss of a loved one!

6. You’re most probably too old to date again!

Now this is the one, probably worst, piece of advice we keep seeing thrown around, and it is definitely one that grinds our gears. You are never too old for anything! Especially when it comes to dating as a senior.

In the end, we all crave one thing: to have a connection with others and to love and be loved by someone we cherish! You are never too old to get back into the dating game, and you should never stop giving it another try if you so wish to!

It can be the second, third, fourth, and even n-th shot you give at Forever Love, but it should never be discouraging! There is someone for everyone out there, so never let something like “too old” stop you from finding a new life companion!

You should always have hope that you will find your new love. However, there are certain things you should keep an eye out for, as some people are not as good as they appear at first. Make sure you know the signs that show that you may be dating a pathological liar, so you can easily avoid these narcissistic people and not get too involved with them!