If you were adrift at sea and someone threw you a lifesaver, chances are you’d grab it. You’d be silly not to, right? Well, the Internet is a love saver. Did you hear me? It’s a modern day matchmaking miracle, touted by rabbis, priests and therapists — almost everyone but you who are still averse to it.

It’s a shame you’re missing out on all of the action. Successful connections happen every instant in cyberspace. At this very minute people from all over the world are hooking up with people they met online and I promise, without even knowing you, that many of them are hotter, uglier, smarter, dumber, older, younger, more religious, more successful, less successful, more famous and less famous than you. So unless you’re in the secret service or some sort of witness protection program there is simply no good excuse to avoid online dating.

 My mission, as you have probably guessed by now, is to help you break down the barriers which may be holding you back.

1.      You’re Too Cool for the Prospect Pool: Still think the virtual sea is brimming with desperate and dateless fish? Press >> and you will be forwarded to the 21st century. What you will find online is an ocean full of people of all kinds, only here there will be new faces to choose from— ones you would never happen upon under regular circumstances. Love does not discriminate, nor should you, when there are millions of new prospects from which to choose.

2.      The Connections Are Too Contrived: It has to happen naturally you say? I get the point but ask yourself this: How many people do you know who have actually had the good fortune of being seated next to a special stranger for that six hour airplane ride to Vegas? Now stop buying into the “how it’s supposed to happen” fairy tale and take control of your own destiny. It can happen and your chances of connecting with someone will be much greater once you click on.

3.      The Pressure of Perception: Let me guess—dating is personal, private and your biggest fear is that doing it digitally will expose you to scrutiny. All you need right now is to give co-workers and neighbors something more to talk about, I completely get it. If that’s the only thing holding you back, you don’t have to go public with your profile. You can choose to remain an anonymous subscriber though it will be much harder to make an impression online if you’re not willing to show your face. If the thought of being public gives you Agita, you’ll be comforted to find out that not all eyeballs are on you. In the United States alone, there are more than 40 million singles using Internet dating services and no one is judging them nor will they be judging you. The stigma is all in your head, so get over it.

4.      It’s a Perilous Place: The dating world can be dangerous – there’s no telling if the next person you meet will be a liar, scammer and/or cheater. And yes, those same people are lurking on the Internet.  Only this is cyberspace where the chances of getting hurt are less real than if you were to meet a stranger at a conference or networking event. Most reputable dating websites have strict fraud-prevention measures to protect you. Plus, there are safety practices and industry-specific solutions that you use to protect yourself.

5.      The Age Old Excuses: The Internet is an equal opportunity matchmaker, which means there are no barriers to entry. You can turn your age, appearance and personality quirks into obstacles but why not embrace them? Everyone from Star Trek™ fans to seniors are getting lucky in love online, and with so many niche and specialty websites from which to choose, you too can find the right spot in which to settle down.