Romance is alive and well in Australia according to a recent report. This year’s Date of the Nation report has surveyed online daters and found that over three quarters of the people asked are actively looking to spend the rest of their lives with ‘The One’. Even more interestingly, and counter to the scare stories of those who dislike online dating, most of the people asked expect to have less than four partners before finding that special person.
But what are the factors that go into deciding if you have found the person to spend the rest of your life with? Well looks are always going to be an important part of the initial attraction, but over time, according to a number of surveys, a number of different elements are cited as being more important. Consistently, personality, morals and a sense of humour are listed as the most important personal qualities looked for, especially by older daters.
The things that help the most for keeping a relationship going are also something that a remarkably large number of people agree on. Two thirds of Australians list trust as the most important element, followed by friendship and respect and good communication – with over half of the people asked agreeing on their importance.
Of course, everyone has different ideas about what they consider success in dating. One in five people who date online manage to find someone to marry, but others are looking to make new connections, start a family, move in together, or simply expand their general network of acquaintances. Each of these options, to the people involved, is counted as a ‘win’, even if marriage is not on the cards.
These are all arenas where online dating comes into its own, with the most common reason for people choosing to date online being to meet people that they might otherwise never get to meet. This greater choice and ability to be more selective only helps people in their search. What is vital is that you are able to define what you are looking for in a partner and what kind of relationship you are looking for at this point in your life.
Good luck and keep searching.