Okay, you’ve cut your hair, you’ve joined the gym, you’ve started eating more ice cream (my personal New Year’s resolution).
With everything in your new year starting out refreshed and clean, it’s time to take a look at your dating profile.
Giving your profile a refresh is actually tougher than it sounds, because really, you are who you are, right?
At an adult dating age, your favorite color and hobbies are pretty well locked in, and for the most part, you look like what you look like. So how can you be expected to keep a profile of yourself current, when it really probably is?
You probably saw this coming, but I have some ideas for you on how to do just that.
Here are four simple ways to refresh your online dating profile right now.
Of all your resolutions, this one may truly be the most low maintenance.
Start with the pictures!
You don’t need to update your picture every time you change your haircut or anything. However, adding a new one is a great way to breathe some life back into your page.
Choose a main picture with a good angle and one that makes you feel confident!
Make your online dating profile shorter
It was French mathematician Blaise Pascal who famously wrote in a letter, “If I had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter.”
Equally, or perhaps more, famous is Kevin Malone from television’s The Office, who said, “Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick.”
The gist: less is more.
Whichever of these quotes speaks to you, listen to it. Say only enough in your profile to make people interested in getting to know you more.
You may even try to add some short intrigue. For instance, instead of giving ten reasons why your favorite movie is out of character for you, try the far simpler and more engaging:
“You’ll never guess what my favorite movie is.”
Add and remove—thoughtfully
When it comes to fun facts about yourself, switch it up. Take note of what seemed interesting to other matches or on other dates.
If your favorite color is just not sparking conversation, it’s okay to take it out.
On the other hand, if you’ve brought up how much you love a certain book on every date you’ve been on, or you are one of twelve siblings but failed to mention that in your profile, add those details!
Use your mastery of conversation to craft your profile into a platform for interesting conversation.
Brush up on some new conversation pieces
Maybe conversations starters just don’t come easily to you.
Or maybe, like me, your hobbies aren’t interesting enough to spark a conversation on paper. I love to do digital calligraphy in my free time, but that’s hardly as riveting as skydiving in terms of jump-starting a good conversation.
Instead, I opt for finding generic ways to enter into conversation with anyone. I have found that a “would you rather” question will engage almost anyone.
In fact, that’s also my advice for meeting any new person in any situation, romantic or not. It’s how I bonded with my stepdaughter-to-be, too.
Bring on the TLC
Give your profile some love and see how your matches or conversations change, because odds are, they will. Just like all things in life, the more you put into online dating, the more you’ll get out of it.
