I'm demi, so I feel like I'm very picky, but not actively so. I don't connect with as many people as connect with me even on a friendship level, so the pool of people that I'm actively interested in is very small. Online dating sucks for me now. It was much better back when people invested more of themselves into their profiles, like on OKC before swiping apps. Now I mostly stick to in-person.
What I want isn't particularly picky: someone with similar humor, someone who treats others well, someone who likes me for me. They don't even need to be a commie. I have physical preferences, but the connection is the biggest factor.
When I was younger, I wasn't picky and chose very bad matches due to some trauma. If someone liked me, that was good enough. Sex usually end up leaving me feeling more empty than I started unless I already had strong feelings for that person. Sex with someone I had strong feelings for when we were at odds made me feel further from them too. If I hadn't experienced connection with someone before, I may have come to the conclusion that I was ace.
I spent over a decade cycling through unhealthy relationships before I had one that ended in a healthy way. It was like a lightbulb in my head lit up when I realized relationships didn't have to be actively painful and dramatic, things might just not work out and you can both walk away amicably. The only pain there was loneliness after it ended with a talk that made us realize we wanted different things.
Another decade helped me grow personally, learn to be comfortable alone, learn how to build healthy, platonic relationships with women, and learn to set healthy boundaries while dating. I'm much more comfortable with myself now and have built deeper relationships too.
I'm of the opinion now that finding how to like and forgive yourself for your struggles is a key part of growing up. It seems like many people try to heal their wounds through romantic relationships, which isn't fair to yourself or your significant other. It doesn't mean you can't get support, just that you are the only one who can work through your struggles and you must hold yourself accountable. Build yourself up so you can do the same for your partner.
I don't think it could work for me with someone who hasn't found at least some peace being alone. I see it in some of my friends to this day and I hope they'll find that peace at some point too.
I'm demi, so I feel like I'm very picky, but not actively so. I don't connect with as many people as connect with me even on a friendship level, so the pool of people that I'm actively interested in is very small. Online dating sucks for me now. It was much better back when people invested more of themselves into their profiles, like on OKC before swiping apps. Now I mostly stick to in-person.
What I want isn't particularly picky: someone with similar humor, someone who treats others well, someone who likes me for me. They don't even need to be a commie. I have physical preferences, but the connection is the biggest factor.
When I was younger, I wasn't picky and chose very bad matches due to some trauma. If someone liked me, that was good enough. Sex usually end up leaving me feeling more empty than I started unless I already had strong feelings for that person. Sex with someone I had strong feelings for when we were at odds made me feel further from them too. If I hadn't experienced connection with someone before, I may have come to the conclusion that I was ace.
I spent over a decade cycling through unhealthy relationships before I had one that ended in a healthy way. It was like a lightbulb in my head lit up when I realized relationships didn't have to be actively painful and dramatic, things might just not work out and you can both walk away amicably. The only pain there was loneliness after it ended with a talk that made us realize we wanted different things.
Another decade helped me grow personally, learn to be comfortable alone, learn how to build healthy, platonic relationships with women, and learn to set healthy boundaries while dating. I'm much more comfortable with myself now and have built deeper relationships too.
I'm of the opinion now that finding how to like and forgive yourself for your struggles is a key part of growing up. It seems like many people try to heal their wounds through romantic relationships, which isn't fair to yourself or your significant other. It doesn't mean you can't get support, just that you are the only one who can work through your struggles and you must hold yourself accountable. Build yourself up so you can do the same for your partner.
I don't think it could work for me with someone who hasn't found at least some peace being alone. I see it in some of my friends to this day and I hope they'll find that peace at some point too.