Sticking to Your 2012 Dating Resolution

We’re into week two of the New Year and if you made a New Year’s Resolution, this is about the time when you might be questioning how long you can keep it up.  I know many of my own diet resolutions were compromised when Saturday night rolled around and I thought, “Well, what harm could one little dessert do?”  Turns out… a lot.  It’s not the actual calories of the dessert that are most detrimental but rather the mental toll of putting a crack in your self-empowerment armor.

So, what if your resolution was to meet someone new? It’s a cold, snowy January evening and though you had hoped to meet some friends out at a bar, you just can’t seem to pull yourself together to do it.  Or you intended to send out some messages on JDate just as soon as you got home from work, but your boss asked you to stay late and now you just don’t have the energy anymore. How can you stay on track even when the odds feel stacked against you?

1.  GET LISTED – A friend and matchmaker sent me a message this week that included a list of the ten things that she planned to do differently this year to help her meet Mr. Right.  It was bold and courageous for her to put her aspirations out there and make a commitment to herself and to others in her life that this year was about meeting someone special.  Your list doesn’t have to be so detailed.  Maybe you just list one thing that you feel you can do better this year.  Make it a list of things that you can realistically tackle to give yourself a better chance at success. Even one improvement is just that – improvement.  Perhaps you start with one thing and add on a new challenge each month so that the changes are made gradually and can last long term.

2. GET SPONSORED –In a recent article on weight loss, Valerie Bertinelli talked about how she finally was able to keep pounds off after battling yo-yo diets for years.  What did she say was different about her Jenny Craig experience?  Having a coach to support her*. In 12-step programs, it’s the same thing.  So get yourself a dating sponsor.  Send your Special List to them.  Have weekly check-ins where you talk about what your challenges and frustrations have been and what you’re going to do better next week.  If you don’t have a friend you can go to for this, there are many dating coaches like me who can help you set goals and reach them.

3.  GET SEXY – The easiest thing to do to get unstuck is to make a physical change to yourself that makes you feel sexy.  Do your tax returns early and take your rebate check to the mall for a new wardrobe.  Take the plunge and go for a new hairstyle or color.  Start a new workout.  Bottom line is when you look good, you feel good and if you’re feeling stuck in a dating rut, making a physical change will definitely impact your mental state.

4. GET OUT – It’s hardest to get motivated to date in the winter, but keep in mind that there are hundreds of other singles who have also made a New Year’s resolution and might be out there looking for you. Between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day online dating sites see a surge in membership since the holidays tend to inspire singles to pair up and you want to capitalize on that expanded dating pool.

Surveys show that approximately 92% of those who make a New Year’s resolution will not stick to it**, don’t become a statistic.

* http://www.womansday.com/life/valerie-bertinelli-happiness
** www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/top-25-easy-accomplish-new-years-resolutions