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What I Gained When I Quit Online Dating
Spoiler alert: My whole damn life.
A month ago, I deleted my dating apps entirely. To say that I had gotten into a deep, dark place might be an understatement. God, I was miserable.
I had a string of dates that ended so poorly or completely went south before they even started. I almost started to understand agoraphobia. Seriously.
Dating is supposed to be a joyful thing. For me, dating is full of something and it ain’t joy.
It’s supposed to open you up to new people and new experiences. The reality of it is that I like my current experiences. They’re good enough.
I love sitting at home on a Saturday and reading a book for hours and drinking a glass of wine or a cup of tea. I like seeing bands with my friends. I like hiking by myself to clear my head. I like endlessly watching concerts on TV.
I’ve deleted dating apps more times than is reasonable. But, I always came back. “What if” is an evil temptress. She can pull you in with fear of missing out. She can convince you that you are not living your best life.
This time, I won. I don’t miss it. I have gotten so much more out of removing it from my life.