Spring has (almost) sprung, and nothing gets us ready for the season more than some good old fashioned spring cleaning. As you think about decluttering your physical spaces, why not refresh your online spaces as well? Where to start, you ask? Easy, your online dating profile!
If you’re an avid online dater, you’ve probably spent a lot of time creating a profile you think best represents who you are, but guess what? We grow and change all the time, and our profiles need to change with us! If you’re feeling overwhelmed with how to do this, here are our top 10 ways to clean up your profile and enter the spring season ready for love!
Photo by Anders Jildén on Unsplash
Reevaluate your dating goals
Before you even open up your POF app, it’s important to sit down and do some thinking first. Do you still want the same things you did when you created your profile? What are you looking for in a partner? What are your expectations for your dating life? Asking yourself these important questions will help get your mind on the right track before updating your profile.
Ditch the need to appear unique – just be yourself!
When we’re constantly surrounded by people and articles telling us we need to ‘stand out’ in order to be noticed, it’s hard not to feel pressured to create a profile that comes across as unique and that will set us apart from the rest. However, your profile is meant to represent you, whoever that may be, and adding something inauthentic into your profile just to try and get noticed is only going to prevent you from meeting the person that’s right for you. Don’t try to be someone you’re not, just be your amazing self!
Clean sweep your messages
Let’s be real, you’re probably keeping some messages in your inbox that don’t need to be there. If you’re keeping someone’s message ‘just in case’ or because ‘maybe you could be interested’ you’re doing both yourself and the other person a disservice. Do yourself a favour and clear your messages, it’s time for a clean slate!
Forget about being picture perfect
It’s easy to spend a lot of time trying to find the perfect photos to complete your profile. You want to show your best self, we get it, but sometimes a good candid photo tells others more about who you are than you might think. If your photos are good quality, honest representations of who you are, you’re going to get noticed by the right kind of people, don’t overthink it (but make sure you don’t have these types of photos on your profile either).
Don’t put yourself in a box
Be wary of checklists, especially on your profile. Yes, it’s important to know what you’re looking for in a partner, but it’s even more important to remain open-minded in the world of dating. Don’t limit your options by putting yourself in a box of “will only date people who…” or “don’t message me unless you have…”
Realize that humour isn’t everything
There’s a ton of pressure in dating culture these days to have a great sense of humour. As much as being funny is a coveted trait, humour is completely relative and up to interpretation. Don’t force yourself to come up with something ‘funny’ to put in your profile just because you think you have to, or make a joke you wouldn’t make in real life. Instead, let your thoughts flow naturally and you might find someone who appreciates your sense of humour just as much as you do.
Have hobbies and interests? Show them!
If you’ve listed your hobbies and interests in your profile, it’s a great idea to try and include photos relating to these interests as well. If you love hiking, include a photo of you on your favourite hike and it can be a great conversation starter. Have a pet? Snap a pic of you and your furry friend. Having these types of photos on your profile give others a sneak peek into what your life is like, and they might just see themselves fitting right into it with you!
Upgrade your adjectives
Are you describing yourself using words like ‘nice,’ ‘sweet,’ or ‘fun’? It’s time to upgrade your adjectives! Having very specific personality traits on your profile can help someone get a better idea of who you are and it shows you know yourself. If you’re not sure where to start, try having a friend describe you, or use this list of personality traits to nail down your perfect description.
Don’t focus on flaws or negativity
According to a Plenty of Fish survey, negativity is by far the number one conversation buzzkill amongst U.S. singles, so check it at the door when it comes to your profile. A self-deprecating attitude might seem funny to you, but focusing on your flaws shows a lack of confidence to those looking at your profile, and will likely prevent potential matches from reaching out. Additionally, focusing on what you don’t want in a partner instead of what you do can make you seem close-minded and that’s certainly not how you want to come across. A positive outlook shows you are hopeful and being able to highlight the things you like about yourself shows you are comfortable with who you are!
Stay honest
If there’s one thing your dating profile absolutely has to include, it’s honesty. As you rewrite and update your profile, keep asking yourself, “is this an honest depiction of who I am?” If it’s not, try these steps again until you can answer with an unwavering yes! Trust us, it will be worth it.
Happy cleaning! We can’t wait to see your shiny new profile!
