8/7/08

Keeping it Real When Online Dating

By Pam Baldwin


One may be tempted to try the seemingly simplistic and fast path of online dating. The numerous sites that provide this service offer users the chance at true love with minimal wait time. The appeal is great - you have a chance to leave your boring life behind and transition to an exciting new phase that you can share with someone special.

Although you often hear of the exaggerated profiles that turn old, overweight men into young athletes, it's quite possible to accurately reflect who you are with an online profile. You can incorporate every aspect of your personality that you think is special, and explain it in a way that clearly illustrates who you are to others. For most people, the hardest part of making a profile is a tendency to sell themselves short and not realizing the creative potential that they possess.

The single most important part of getting started is thinking of an effective heading for your profile. You need a single sentence that gets your message across and interests others. Make it charming and honest in order to get the most people looking at your profile.

The best thing to do is brainstorm. Ask your friends what your most attractive personality feature is and make a list. Include two or three of those words. Creating the online profile that reflects the real you starts with the heading. Make it short, just four or five words.

Do you have a unique hobby or opinion on an issue? Use that as part of your heading. That allows people who agree with you to click on your profile and stay long enough to read it. Focus on what you are passionate about in life. Everyone has a vocal opinion on something.

Nobody wants to truthfully describe every detail of their appearance, because nobody is perfect. There are subtle words that you can use online though, that soften your image but aren't lies. Although many users simply leave the description section blank, that's a mistake and not recommended.

There is a type for everyone. If you feel you have too many pounds, list yourself as curvy. Many people enjoy a certain amount of lushness in their partners. Let them find you. Don't focus on anything negative. Everyone has parts of themselves that they show off. You can show off that part verbally in your description.

Make sure that you don't reveal any information that identifies you personally, like your physical address. You may have more than one person that you'd like to talk to before you decide to try a relationship. Thus, it's best to contact people online or by telephone before meeting with anybody.

You'll definitely enjoy the benefits of an online dating service. You can emphasize your best qualities and explore positive points of yourself. Use this opportunity to brag about your mental and physical strong points! Before long, you'll have potential matches lining up for you!

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