New research from dating app Match, today reveals that a third (31%) of singles plan to use meditation and mindfulness to help them get in a positive dating headspace for 2024.
One in three (29%) admit that they had high hopes for last year, with 16% expecting to find love. And despite this not materialising, this hasn’t dampened singles’ spirits, as a third (33%) are determined to make 2024 ‘their year for love’.
It seems singles are filled with a new sense of optimism, as one in five (20%) claim they have learnt a lot about themselves in the last year and are now ready to take this forward into their dating journey. In fact, British singles are keen to prioritise their emotional wellbeing before restarting the dating process, as a third (33%) believe this will increase their chances of finding a healthy, committed relationship.
Along with meditation and mindfulness, almost one in five singles (19%) plan to turn to manifestation, believing that aspirational thoughts will help them in their quest for love. Meanwhile, almost two thirds (63%) plan to exercise more to help psyche themselves up, with a further 14% saying they will try talking therapies.
It seems that singles are prepared to spend up to £7,000 investing in themselves this year. This includes forking out on a personal trainer (£51.40 per month), talking therapies (£45.90 a month) and a life coach (£41.60 per month). With a small number leaning on the power of crystals such as rose quartz, which is believed to encourage love, and 4% choosing to burn sage to clear any negative energy and lift their mood, spirituality seems to be emerging as a trend.
The top ten ways singletons plan to get into a positive headspace for dating in 2024:
- Exercise (63%)
- Meditation and mindfulness (31%)
- Manifestation (19%)
- Listen to a motivational podcast (16%)
- Talking therapy (14%)
- Gratitude journals (9%)
- Creating a vision board (9%)
- Crystals (8%)
- A personal trainer (7%)
- A life coach (5%)
This ambition for positive change has also meant singles are looking to become more open-minded when it comes to dating in the new year. Over a quarter (26%) plan to say ‘yes’ more to going on dates, whilst 12% said they would be more inclined to make the first move. Additionally, 27% said they would have more confidence to be unashamedly themselves, recognising they stand a better chance of finding true love this way.
Hayley Quinn, dating expert for Match says: “To try and ensure your dating experience is as positive as possible in 2024, the most important change you can make this year is to approach your dating life with a positive mental attitude.
“While you can’t entirely control the outcome of each date or when you will find the right relationship for you, you can take proactive steps to put yourself in the best possible space – both mentally and physically – in order to find a healthy, committed relationship and deal with any hurdles that may come your way in the process.
“Just like in other areas of our lives, our motivation to date can ebb and flow. So, the key to successful dating isn’t always about throwing yourself on date after date, but instead, thinking of the small, daily action steps you can take to work towards your dating goals. Whether that’s spending 20 undistracted minutes in the morning to reply to your dating app messages, or starting a new hobby where you can meet like-minded people.
“Whatever you feel will help improve your own sense of wellbeing, if you can commit time, focus, and positivity to this area of your life, you will undoubtedly start to see progress in your romantic life too.”
Looking ahead to 2024, Match predicts the following dating trends to emerge:
- Manifest-dating: With social media, manifestation has become much more mainstream, with more and more singles unashamedly using manifestation to not only achieve their dream job or home – but also their dream partner. Undoubtedly, visualising our goals is a fantastic way to help us stay focused on achieving them. However, when it comes to love, it’s also important to retain an open mind rather than being so set on an illusion of an ideal partner, that you bypass potential opportunities to form a real, committed relationship.
- Tee-totalling: Not only is January the busiest time for dating, but it’s also a time of year where people attempt sobriety after the excesses of Christmas. And with more and more people starting to prioritise their wellbeing and continue their sobriety throughout the year, there’s a high likelihood we’ll see singles ditching the Dutch courage in 2024. In fact, tee-totalling can actually have an incredibly positive effect on our dating lives, meaning we’re less likely to see our date through rose tinted glasses, and more likely to build a healthy, genuine connection.
- Diplomating: With a general election coming up, the chatter and passion of politics will likely spill over into dates, with singles gravitating more towards those whose political views align with their own, providing them with something new to bond over. With this in mind, we may start to see singles sharing their political beliefs on their dating profile or choosing a potential date based on certain societal views
- Competi-dating: With major sporting events including the 2024 Olympics and Euros taking place this year, it would be nearly impossible for this not to influence the dating lives of British singles. Whether it’s a date to watch England in the Euro, playing tennis as a first date after getting too into Wimbledon, or joining a local running club following the Olympics with the hope of meeting your ‘sole-mate’. For singles who share a common interest in sport, these iconic events undoubtedly be something potential partners can bond over – with the excitement and investment in the sport bringing them even closer together.
- Buddying: Many singles are slowly becoming attuned to the fact that chasing the elusive spark in dating may not always lead them towards happy, fulfilled, and committed relationships. Therefore, instead of an instant click being top of single’s priority list this year, Match predicts there will be a surge in ‘friends to lovers’ scenarios – with singles recognising the value of friendship as a foundation for a real and loving relationship.
- Stargazing: With zodiac belief stronger than ever, it won’t be surprising to see more and more singles are using the compatibility of star signs to steer them towards their perfect match. Match predicts we’ll see an influx of singles displaying their star sign on their dating profile, with singles looking out for certain zodiac signs that they believe possess their most desirable personality traits in a partner – according to the laws of astrology.
- Un-barring: With dating apps opening up more options for singles and widening the dating pool, there’s a high chance we’ll see singles allowing themselves to date several people at the same time. By choosing to hold off from putting all their eggs into one basket right away, singles will be able to get to know different people and understand exactly what it is they want from a partner – helping them to find a committed, happy relationship.