1. Grab a great book and go on a picnic

Take yourself to a nearby park or to the beach and open your fav book. Enjoy the scene around you and let yourself be transported to the world of fantasy in your book. It’s a delightful date that is all about you and therapeutic. A sort of digital-detox and getting all that vitamin D. You’ll feel invigorated and happy to be out in the world in your own terms. Best, is that you can stay as long as you want without anyone dictating where and how long your stay should be. ‘Vive la liberté!’

2. Go watch a movie

When you single and if you’re a female, while you’re dating there are a number of movies you have to put in the ‘another time’ watch list. As your status changes to single, the opportunity to watch all those movies you couldn’t before either by yourself or with your friends is finally here. Binge watch them or go to the cinema and indulge in all the ice cream or popcorn to your heart’s desire. Oh, that’s living.

3.  Go on a solo getaway

This is probably one of the best things you can do. Speaking from experience going on a trip on your own is the best.  You’ll feel liberated and brave.

Your aura will emit carefree vibes which in turn make you a magnet for people. Suddenly, you make new friends and your getaway is on the way to be a fantastic one. It is a very unique feeling to go anywhere you like, for as long as you like and to explore and talk to anyone of your choice. Talking about being in the moment.

4. Go to a music festival

Dance like no one is looking and enjoy every beat and sing out loud. There is a certain freedom in going to a music festival on your own. You can be yourself without judgement, that is if nobody you know sees you there. You can connect with your deeper self and rediscover what music you really enjoy and bust some moves you were too shy to try when next to your ex.

5. Take up some cooking classes

If you enjoy food and wished you had the time to learn to be a better cook, now is the time. One of the best aspects of being single is that you have more time for self-improvement. Why not learn more about food and how to become a better cook. Cooking is relaxing and extremely rewarding. You get to eat better, save money and become a healthier individual – no more takeaway or junk food.

6. Go for a hike

When you’re in a relationship you have to make some compromises and sometimes you give in and give up on things that brought you great pleasure. Hiking is one of the most strenuous and rewarding activities. Hiking takes you out of the house, into nature and into a better head space. Research has found that surrounding yourself by nature will contribute to better mental health not to mention get you fit.

There are some seriously sweet perks in being single and enjoying a date on your own. It’s a time of self-reflection, self-improvement and rediscovering yourself. Finding out who you are and what you really enjoy will reiterate in your next romantic relationship. So, while single make the most of it and enjoy it.

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Imagine this: You’re about half an hour into a first date, the conversation has been pretty standard – work, hobbies, family etc. – and then suddenly there’s a lull. That lull stretches on for a definitely-not-comfortable length of time. You start panicking, looking around for something to talk about, then you spot a vacuum cleaner propped up against a wall just inside the bar area. “Oh I really need a new vacuum cleaner,” you say. He looks confused, you feel yourself begin to blush, then the two of you spend the next 10 minutes having a terribly forced conversation about the merits of different vacuum cleaner types and brands.

Yeah, this happened to me a few years ago. Not even kidding. I am the queen of awkward.

When you’re getting to know someone new, these things happen. But trust me when I say that it pays to be prepared.  Because it is mortifying to find yourself waffling on to your date about Dysons versus Hoovers. Fear not! Here are some tips to keep that conversation flowing smoothly:

Don’t Panic
Sounds pretty simple, but when there’s a bit of a break in conversation, try to relax and don’t overreact. I’m sure you’ll find that the ‘awkward silence’ was neither as long nor as awkward as it might feel. Take those couple of seconds to mentally gather yourself and come up with something interesting. Unless your date beats you to it, of course. I had a first date who clearly panicked and filled a pause in convo by asking me how I would kill someone if I had to. I think he was trying to be quirky and admittedly we were just discussing Game of Thrones, but still…

The 6P’s!
Have you heard of the 6P’s? The 6P’s are a super simple concept – Prior planning prevents piss-poor performance. So basically, if you know you’re not a master conversationalist, be sure to ‘plan’ some conversation topics in advance. It isn’t as weird as it might sound and the conversation can still flow naturally without you sounding like you’re reading off of palm cards. Also note: Do not read off palm cards! Just make some mental notes of things you might ask about: any interesting holidays or events coming up, an awesome trip you or they have taken, a good movie or music gig you’ve seen/been to lately, what you like doing in your spare time etc. Once you’re onto a topic, it should flow pretty organically from there.

Not-So-Mutual Interests
If it’s a first date and you met online, you would have – in theory – spent quite some time chatting beforehand. This will give you some topics to work with. Did your date mention an interest in an unusual or fascinating hobby or job that you don’t know a lot about? People are great are talking about themselves, so if you show a genuine interest in something that they’ve mentioned to you, that’ll pave the way to a good chat and you might even learn a thing or two. If it isn’t a first date, you should already have some material to work with.

Have A Laugh
Failing all that, if the silence is stretching on and it is obviously noticeable to both of you, laugh it off! Chances are that your date is just as nervous as you are and is also freaking out about potentially awkward silences. So if it happens, acknowledge it, have a little laugh about it, then move on. You’ll both be more at ease for it.

Profiles with pictures get 10 TIMES more messages than those without! That’s a pretty  big difference, and it’s so easy to score more! Make sure your pictures are clear, close up, big enough and in focus, with good lighting. To see how your profile will look, head to My Account on the left hand toolbar once you are logged in and click on View Profile. If required, you can adjust your photo in the PAINT program, which comes standard with the Windows operating system.

A few minutes of your time can have a massive impact on the amount of interest people will have in you. Think about it: when you come across a generic template profile, isn’t it frustrating not knowing anything about the person? So if you’re a template culprit, take the time to personalize your profile, and be extremely selective with the language and content you choose to include! Yes, it is an adult website, but if you are too sexually explicit and aggressive in your profile this can turn some people off.

Be clear about your personality and intentions, and remember you are writing to entice people to you, so think carefully about your profile and review it regularly to make sure you’re getting the most out of your membership!

So heed these wise words and watch in amazement as your quick time investment really starts paying off! Log on now!