17 Ways to Rediscover Yourself and Thrive After Leaving Online Dating Behind

Online dating can feel like a never-ending cycle of swiping, matching, screening, and rejecting until it all starts to blur together. If you’re feeling drained from the mess of online dating, maybe it’s time to hit pause, log off, and rediscover life beyond the apps. The world has so much more to offer than blind dates and virtual small talk! By putting your phone down, you’ll open yourself up to new experiences, meaningful connections, and who knows? You might just stumble upon real love where you least expect it.
Talk It Out With A Therapist

Before you can actually get a sense of purpose and joy, you’ll probably have to go through a moment of grief. Or perhaps it’s not grief that you feel but emotional exhaustion or trauma. Now that you’ve decided to take a break from online dating, it’s time to heal yourself. Therapy can help.
Taking a break means that you should also take time for yourself. Check to see if there are support groups in your area or even online.
Hit Up Your Local Meetups

Online dating is a dying scene by most accounts, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other options to help you spread your roots. Local meetups are the easiest way to have fun, find people who dig the same things as you, and enjoy yourself. A lot of people are starting to meet significant others there, but even if you don’t, you might find people you enjoy hanging out with there.
Volunteer

Did you know that doing good deeds is linked to higher levels of happiness, even if you aren’t on the receiving end of things? It’s not surprising to hear that people who volunteer tend to feel more enriched and fulfilled in life.
There are so many great causes that you can adopt as your own. You can work with abandoned pets, raise money for cancer research, or even help build houses with a local club.
Focus On Friendships

Not for nothing, but The Golden Girls had the right idea in a lot of ways. Those ladies all banded together for laughs, support, and companionship…often served with a side of sharp wit.
If you neglected your friends to focus on Tinder or Hinge, now would be a good time to reach out to them. Apologize, remember not to do that again, and then see when you can hang out with them. Dates come and go. Real friends are forever.
Level Up At Work

Though this may not be the most popular thing to say at this point, there is some serious benefit to having a career you’re passionate about. When you’re coupled up or trying to couple up, work tends to take a backseat to everything.
Now would be a good time actually to unleash your inner beast at work. You might be surprised at how passionate you can get about what you do for a living, not to mention the bigger paycheck that hard work often entails.
Get Caught Up On Your Reading List

Your teacher wasn’t just bluffing when she said that reading could take you to different places. Reading has been linked to higher incomes as well as a better overall sense of wellbeing.
Whether it’s via a book club or just a personal reading list doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re reading amazing pieces of literature that most people overlook. Start reading. You’ll love what you discover.
Care For Your Family

There’s something incredibly rewarding about doing work that benefits your family. If you decide to step up as the “cool auntie” that every kid needs, the doting daughter that your parents adore, or even as the supportive sister you always were, you’ll enrich your life.
Family matters so much these days, and too often, we forget it until it’s too late. You might be surprised to find out how much you can treasure your family members when you spend more time with them.
Adopt A Pet

If you are still feeling lonely, there’s another way to get some companionship in your life: a pet! Right now, there are so many animals that need a home. Even if you haven’t considered it before, you may want to think about it. Pets give you joy unlike any other thing in the world.
Take Up A New Hobby

The fun thing about living life as a single person is that you can learn more about yourself while you stay solo. Now would be a good time to figure out what you like, rather than what a partner likes. Is there a hobby that you are curious about? Painting? Hiking? Underwater basket-weaving? Whatever it may be, it’s time to experiment and have fun.
Travel

When you’re single, traveling is not only more affordable but also more controllable. You can choose the adventures you want to try, stay in locations as long as you want, and skip out on places you don’t want to see. Now would be a great time to see the world. This is especially true if you want to go to places that might be controversial or niche. After all, you won’t need to compromise if you travel solo.
Work On Creating The Life You Want

Life is all about pursuit. A lot of the time, the easiest way to find joy and purpose is to become the person you always wanted to be. Whether that includes getting a new surfboard or trying new hobbies is up to you.
More often than not, working on creating a beautiful life is the fastest way to attract an authentic partner. So no matter what you choose to do, make sure that it benefits you and brings you closer to who you want to be.
Push The Reset Botton

This may be a good opportunity to finally fully focus on yourself and push that ‘reset button.’ What do we mean by this? It’s time to start a new chapter of your life. Is there something you’ve been wanting to do for a while but never did? For instance, have you been craving a new apartment? Or are you in dire need of a massive room makeover? Is it time to change jobs? Or move to a new country? This is the perfect moment to do it!
Go Back To Study

Most people stop studying right after graduating from college. But this is an activity that should be carried on throughout your life. There are plenty of interesting fields that deserve your attention. On top of this, nowadays, you can easily learn several new skills and topics via the Internet without spending a penny.
Date Yourself

Just because you decided to put dating apps on the side for some time doesn’t mean you should stop dating. In what way? Date yourself! The current hustle culture has convinced us that we can only take free time from work for legitimate reasons, such as going on a date with someone or meeting with friends. But you can date yourself too. Wear a nice dress, visit your favorite restaurants, and bring a good magazine.
Learn An Instrument

We’ve all dreamt at least once to be incredibly virtuous piano players or to be able to enchant crowds with our guitar skills. This may be the perfect time to learn! Choose an instrument you love, from drums to bass or trumpet, and join a local course in your area or opt for one-on-one lessons. This will quickly turn into a healthy addiction, greatly benefiting your mental health.
Get Some Sleep

Rather than staying out late every Friday and Saturday night, turn on your favorite show and hop into bed early. Getting enough sleep is very important for your physical and mental health. When you are able to get consistent sleep, you will be happier, more relaxed, and recharged for the next day. Stop wasting precious moments out in sketchy bars with people you meet online and, instead, just go to bed! You will be very glad that you did.
Treat Yourself

You work hard, you are amazing, you deserve a treat. Take yourself out to a fancy bakery or check out that new local patisserie. Allow yourself to indulge in the most delicious things in life! You will be amazed by how much pleasure you can experience when you bite into a decadent chocolate cake or try that buttery, flakey pastry in the cafe window. Treat yourself to something good and appreciate the little joys in life.