Dating In Your 30s - A Complete Guide For You

Dating in your 30s!

Oh boy, what a big topic this is! I know that my blog is about friendships. But I also believe that dating is such an important aspect of your life in your 30s. It’s a topic I couldn’t possibly ignore and I wanted to discuss it.

Like it or not, I feel like dating has become more complicated than in the past, for various reasons. But if you have the proper knowledge and mindset, I think you can totally succeed with dating in your 30s and find the perfect partner for you! And that’s what I wanted to discuss today.

In this post, I will go over the big topic of dating in your 30s and everything you need to know about it. I’ll go over the similarities and differences regarding your love life in your 30s, as well as how to succeed and find the right partner for you. Overall, dating in your 30s can be a real mess! But with this article, I’ll do my best to explain how you can navigate it a lot more easily.

Alright, let’s get started.

Contents hide

2 Differences

3 Similarities

4 Challenges

5 How to succeed in dating in your 30s

6 Conclusion

Similarities and differences when dating in your 30s compared to your earlier years

As someone in their 30s, I’ve heard the saying, “30 is the new 20.” In other words, you can treat your 30s as if you’re still in your 20s.

I agree and disagree at the same time. I agree because the societal norms of today are completely different from the past, especially when it comes to relationships. For example, in the 1980s it was more common to have kids in your 20s (source). But now, we’re getting married and having kids much later in our lives. So in that sense, 30 can be like the new 20.

But I also disagree with that notion because there are some things that are not the same in your 30s. You are still 5-10 years older, and that can have an impact on the dating life (more on that in the next section). Also, as you’re probably well aware, being in your 30s is not the same as in your 20s! You probably have more responsibilities now than you did before (click here to read how to make more time for friends).

Anyways, let’s go through the similarities and differences when it comes to dating in your 30s:

Differences

Your looks. Hey, we can’t deny that this is a huge difference between your 20s and 30s! You will be older and more than likely, you will LOOK older. That can have a meaningful impact on your dating life if you depend on your looks. So I hate to break it to you, but your looks will definitely be a factor in your 30s. You won’t be as young as you were in your 20s.
Your biological clock. This is another factor that you need to take into account. If you want to raise a family and have kids, you need to take into account your age, especially in your 30s. Everyone is different, but it may become more difficult to have kids when you get older in your 30s.
Intelligence/experience. Let’s go into something more positive this time! When you are in your 30s, you are probably more intelligent, and most likely have a lot more life and dating experience. On one hand, it could make you more jaded and pessimistic if you’ve had bad dating experiences. But on the other hand, having more wisdom and experience can allow you to have better quality relationships.

Now, let’s look at the similarities:

Similarities

The rules are still the same. Whether you’re dating in your 20s, 30s and beyond, the dating rules still apply. Stuff like being attracted to one another and respecting each other’s boundaries is still just as important. The dating game is still the dating game, no matter which adult stage of your life you’re in.
Values are still important. I’m sure when you were in your 20s, you laid out some rules and values that were important to you. And that doesn’t change when you are in your 30s; you want to find someone who is going to value what you value. Being older doesn’t mean you need to change your inner self!

Alright, now that we’ve covered some similarities and differences, let’s take a look at some of the challenges you may need to overcome when dating in your 30s:

Challenges

Less time. This is definitely something that can be a real hindrance to dating. It may not seem like that, but having less time to go out and meet a new partner is actually a big obstacle to meeting that special someone. How can you possibly meet someone if you don’t have time or the commitment to do so? In your earlier years, you likely had all the time to go out and meet new people. But now with more responsibilities, it’s hard to find that time. So it’s something to keep in mind.
More standards. This one is a tough one to balance. On one hand, of course you want to have standards. Otherwise, you may have people walking all over you (figuratively). But on the other hand, that also means it’s hard to meet other people’s standards when they can be so high. I know a lot of my friends struggle to find a dating partner when everyone has really specific requirements on who they want to meet. I feel like in the past, this wasn’t the case. But now, it can be more difficult.
Changing world. The world is always changing and that can have a profound effect on society and the dating world. For example, I feel like recent technology such as smartphones and social media have greatly impacted how dating is. I remember when we used to talk to people on the phone, but it seems less common these days. Basically, when the world is changing, so will dating. And that can be difficult to keep up with.

How to succeed in dating in your 30s

Alright, let’s talk about how you can potentially succeed when it comes to dating in your 30s:

Figure out what you want, but be realistic.

Without knowing what you want in a partner, it’s going to be hard to find the one you want. So you should decide and write down what you want to look for in your future partner. At the same time, you want to be realistic as well. For example, if you want someone who is 100 percent attractive and makes millions of dollars a year, it’s probably going to be long and difficult to find that person, because those traits are rare.

Get out more!

Simple as that. The more you go out and give yourself opportunities to meet new people, the more chances you have to meet a new partner. I know it’s difficult in your 30s to find time to do this, but you got to try!

It’s okay if things aren’t working out.

Last but not least, don’t feel bad if you’re not initially succeeding in meeting your lovely partner. It’s not easy and in today’s world, I feel like it’s even more difficult. But don’t feel bad; you’re not the only one. Finding love is not a straight through path. More than likely, it’s going to take some time and effort! Hang in there!