Say goodbye to hookups and hello to meaningful relationships.

Every year, Match conducts an in-depth study of singles on their views on dating, love, sex, and more.

In the 9th annual Singles in America study, Match revealed four main types of modern relationships singles are seeking. On the top of the list is a partner to do things with (69%), followed by a long-term companion (60%), romantic love (57%) and a sex partner ranking at the bottom of the list at 43%. In fact, only 9% of the singles surveyed want to date casually.

Pay Attention to the Profile

While it wasn’t that long ago that singles were swiping right on just about every profile to play the numbers game, the study shows that singles are now swiping left on casual dating, meaning they’re taking time actually to review a profile before deciding to match. Isn’t that refreshing not to be judged solely based on your thumbnail photo?  I think so.

When it comes to romantic love, 57% of singles in the survey desire it very much, but just aren’t putting in the effort. Yes, you do need an Irresistible dating profile and need to move the conversation from online to meeting IRL.

Match enlisted the help of Rebel Wilson to talk about their latest survey.

Dating Deal-Breakers

Since singles typically make lists to attract their perfect match, it makes sense that they have a list of deal-breakers in tow to sift out those who aren’t a fit. In this study, the top deal-breakers include:

• Poor hygiene
• Disheveled or unclean appearance
• Laziness
• Someone without a sense of humor
• An emotional, needy person

So grab a dose of confidence, get a blow dry or take time to shave, and find something witty to talk about that doesn’t include sharing a list of your bad dates, and you’ll be on track to finding a great relationship.

Wishing you much love and joy in cyberspace, or wherever you may swipe or roam.

Wishing you much love and joy in cyberspace, or wherever you may swipe or roam.

xo

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and founder of Cyber-Dating Expert. She was an early adopter of Internet dating, and has been coaching singles on finding love online for over 25 years.

For dating advice, FOLLOW @JulieSpira and SIGN UP for the FREE Weekly Flirt newsletter.

Photo credit: Fotolia

Guess what?

Research shows the majority of singles aren’t relying on friends and family to fix them up anymore.

Online Dating is the Most Popular Way to Meet

A new study shows a rapid increase of couples meeting online, to the tune of double the amount than meeting through friends.

Researchers, Michael Rosenfeld and Sonia Hausen from Stanford University and Reuben J. Thomas, of the University of New Mexico, have published their findings in a research note called, Disintermediating your friends. 

What they found is that for the very first time in the United States, is that online dating is the most popular way for heterosexual couples to meet.

The intersection of the two occurred in 2009. In the latest study released on July 15, 2019, it showed that close to 40% of singles met online in 2017, as compared to 20% who met through friends. Additionally, 11% of the couples surveyed met through co-workers, with 7% through family members.

On BBC Radio 5 Live, I spoke with presenter Sarah Brett, about this research study and the upward trend of digital dating

The simple question of, ‘How did you meet?’ was asked of 3,510 couples, with close to 40% saying they met online.

The reason for this considerable spike is everyone is attached to their mobile phones, and dating apps are so easy to use these days. Using dating apps cuts out the extra time of having a middle person like mom, dad, or your BFF wait for a reply from a friend-of-a-friend to introduce you to.

It puts fate into your own hands as you swipe left and right in search of finding your perfect match.

To those naysayers who still believe dating is the same as in 1995, where only 5% of couples met online, it’s time to grab your mobile phone and create the most irresistible profile you can. I have a feeling I can help you in your quest.

Your next relationship is just a swipe away.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and the founder of Cyber-Dating Expert. As an early adopter of the Internet, she’s been coaching singles on finding love online for 25 years.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira for Dating Advice

SIGN UP for the Free Weekly Flirt newsletter

In an interview with Rachel of CGTN America, Cyber-Dating Expert’s founder Julie Spira speaks with Rachelle Akuffo about the mobile dating industry in the United States.

With apps including Match, Tinder, OkCupid, and Plenty of Fish in the Match Group, to Bumble, and comparing mobile app usage with social networks, we took a look at the digital landscape for singles looking for love.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She’s the Founder and CEO of Cyber-Dating Expert, a dating coaching company, and has been helping singles find love on the Internet for over two decades with her Irresistible Coaching programs.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Twitter and Instagram

SIGN UP for the FREE Weekly Flirt newsletter for dating advice delivered to your inbox.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day can be confusing depending on if you’re newly dating, or have a February 14th tradition with your steady squeeze.

While ignoring Valentine’s Day will put you in the dog house if you’re in a relationship, the financial and emotional pressure of ignoring the most romantic day of the year doesn’t need to cause so much stress that you’d rather ‘Netflix and Chill’ at home all by yourself.

In fact, a survey from the National Retail Federations shows that about $143.56 was spent on Valentine’s Day last year per person, and $2 billion was spent on flowers alone! Men also tend to spend twice as much as women do on Valentine’s Day, with $4.7 billion being spent on jewelry!

So what do you get that new crush who asked you to be his or her Valentine?

New Relationship Gifts

I’m a believer of keeping it simple when it comes to going on a date with someone you’ve just met. What do you do if it’s just your second or third date, or if you’ve been dating for about one month?

Start the day by sending a Happy Valentine’s Day text or cute meme from Giphy in a text message to show you’re thinking of them.

via GIPHY

When it comes to gift giving, you can never go wrong with bringing chocolate, flowers, coupon books, and gift cards.

To stand out and not over-do it, remember to pick up a card, and pen a hand written message, grab a bunch of red tulips to show you’re not smothering your date, and stay away from jewelry and lingerie.

If you’ve waited until the last minute, most grocery stores have terrific floral departments, where you can easily pick up a single rose and a box of candy

Dating for 3 – 6 Months

Couples who have already defined the relationship, but aren’t at the stage of committing for the long haul need to have a conversation with their partner on what Valentine’s Day means to them, and schedule the day/evening accordingly.

I spoke with a single guy who started to complain to his dates about how much he hates Valentine’s Day, and thinks gift giving and romantic gestures should be celebrated on birthdays and Christmas only. I was a bit stunned, and asked him if he liked football. He said he loved watching football. I then asked him if he watched the Super Bowl, and he said he wouldn’t miss it for anything and went to a great annual Super Bowl party.

RELATED: Why Valentine’s Day for Women is Like the Super Bowl for Men

I then brought up my analogy of how Valentine’s Day for women is like the Super Bowl for men. It’s THAT important. He understood, but again said it was a Hallmark holiday and not for him. I asked him if he fell in love with someone, would he celebrate Valentine’s with his partner?” He said no. It wasn’t for him.

I get it. Valentine’s Day can be expensive, but if in the first few months with someone you’re interested in isn’t being honored, you just might not make it to the summer.

At this point in the relationship, sending flowers to women in advance to be delivered before Valentine’s Day is a great idea.

If you have dinner plans, bring a gift or a token of your relationship, such as a framed photo of the two of you from a recent getaway, or a sterling silver key chain, which shows your date that they have the key to your heart.

If you want to give a gift with an experience, give him a gift card for a massage, a shave, or tickets to see his favorite sporting team when they’re in town.

For the woman in your life, add in a gift card for a facial, mani-pedi, or a ten-pack of movie tickets, so you can continue to plan movie dates together

Long Distance Relationships

Being away from your SO on Valentine’s Day can make even the most romantic couples feel lonely. Use technology as your best friend, and set up a Facetime or Skype date, where both of you are dressed up as if you were together IRL, have a glass of bubbly, and order dinner from your date’s favorite restaurant to nibble on during your video date.

It’s a great idea to send a card and care package in advance if you’re not living in the same city, state, or country. One year, my long-distance boyfriend sent me gift cards to Sephora to get a makeover , The Dry Bar for a blowout, before he arrived in town with his dozen hand selected long-stemmed roses. It was thoughtful and showed that he planned in advance, and I enjoyed getting ready for our romantic date.

Dating for 6 – 12 Months

By now, you probably have a toothbrush or even a key at each other’s place. If you haven’t exchanged keys, putting yours in a card on Valentine’s Day shows a level of commitment to the relationship.

At this point, depending on your budget, you could order a sterling engraved money clip or cuff links for him, and a sterling heart for her. It shows the sentiment, and ramps it up on the most romantic day of the year.

Since Valentine’s Day is on a Thursday this year, and right before the long President’s holiday weekend, you can plan a trip away, or celebrate Valentine’s all weekend long, when the restaurants aren’t as booked up.

The folks at Pinhole Press came up with this fun Infographic, if you’re stumped on how to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She’s the founder of Cyber-Dating Expert, and as an early adopter of the Internet, has been coaching singles on finding love online for over two decades.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Twitter and Instagram

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and it’s both an exciting time for couples and romantics, but can also be a stressful time for singles and those who are newly dating, and haven’t defined their relationship status.

On Spectrum News 1, I joined Afternoon Beat host Kelvin Washington to talk about some ways to speed up your search, and find a Valentine’s date online.

1. Update Your Profile – Mention You Like Valentine’s Day

If you’re a hopeful romantic and love Valentine’s Day, it’s not time to put your head under the covers.

If you log on and update your profile, be bold and say, “I’m an incurable romantic, and love Valentine’s Day. It sends a message that you’d be open to meeting someone on or before Valentine’s Day.

I also recommended wearing something red for the season. After all, red is the color of love, and research backs up that profiles where women wear red do get more views.

2. Check Who Has Viewed Your Profile

If you’d like to send a message that will have a greater chance of getting a reply, on the Match app, you can see who has viewed your profile. If they’ve checked you out, but didn’t have time to write to you, it’s a good chance that your digital nudge just might turn into a date.

3. Be Online During Rush Hour

Depending on where you live, chances are being stuck in traffic during morning or afternoon drive is pretty unpleasant.

For online dating and mobile dating apps, being logged on during “Rush Hour,” is a traffic jam you’ll want to be in leading up to Valentine’s Day.

So when is Rush Hour, and how can you stand out even more?

Rush hour is the busiest on Sunday evenings, and according to OkCupid, their Rush Hour starts as early as 2pm on Sundays. I’ve found Monday nights, or just about any night when you’re home from work to find the most active users.

If you want to stand out more during Rush Hour, for less than the price of a cup of coffee, you can sign up for OkCupid’s Boost, which will give you 30 minutes of time to appear more frequently for $1.99, Match’s Boost, where you’ll be seen by three times more for $2.99 for a one-hour period, Tinder’s Boost, where you can “skip the line” and show up as a top profile for 30 minutes for $3.99, and Bumble’s new Spotlight feature, which costs two coins, or about $3.00.

4. Log On More Frequently

After you’ve tweaked your profile, viewed your matches and those who have already viewed your profile, sent out a few messages, it’s time to keep your app open for a while.

The reason I suggest not logging out, is because profiles with the most activity tend to be favored by the mysterious and magical dating algorithms, and you simply will show up more often to potential dates.

5. Take Your Relationship From Online to Offline

Chatting and texting can be fun, but it’s time to meet IRL (in real life), so suggest meeting for coffee, swapping digits and having a conversation.

It’s time to avoid becoming just a digital pen pal to someone you’ll never meet.

Life is too short to have an empty date card, when there are so many easy ways to find a quality date online.

Wishing you much love and joy in cyberspace, or wherever you may swipe or roam on Valentine’s Day.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of the Internet and has been coaching singles on finding love online for over two decades.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Instagram

The number of singles dating over 50 is growing at a rapid rate, with new members joining online dating apps in record numbers. An OurTime Singles Over 50 Survey showed that 72% of singles over 50 say they’re open to finding love in the future., but almost half of all singles 50+ went on a date in the past five years.

On the Today Show, I shared how singles can create an Irresistible Profile, by posting my worst dating profile and comparing it with my best dating profile with Maria Shriver.

Watch the video below for highlights

The three tips we shared include:

Tip 1: A Photo is Worth 1000 words.

BAD PROFILE: As you can see in my ineffective profile below, I’ve included photos with a group of people, which is confusing to a potential date, and a selfie wearing dark glasses, which shows there could be something I”m hiding, instead of looking into the eyes of the man of my dreams.

Ditch the Bikini Photos if You’re Looking for a Serious Relationship

There is so much wrong with wearing a bathing suit in your dating profile. A selfie wearing a bikini top is a mistake, as it’s just viewed as a bra or lingerie with different material.

Plus, are there bedroom eyes behind those shades? It sends a message that a hookup is a possibility, which is not the intention.

Post Photos of Activities You Love

GOOD PROFILE: If you post photos of the activities you like doing, and caption them, it gives a formal hint to your date of possible places to take you. In this case, music is a big part of my life, and I caption it by asking someone to request a song.

For the dates who fear meeting a golf widow, posting a golf photo shows I’d like to go to the driving range with a date, or perhaps take a lesson when my date is playing a round of golf

Tip #2: Focus on the Positive

As shared on the Today Show, I compared a bad profile filled with so much negativity and an exhausting wish list. It would send someone running for the hills. How many men are really 6’+ tall? Perhaps 10-15%.

Instead, I shared one that’s realistic and easy for someone to feel like they can step up to the plate, by opening a door and having an intellectual conversation.

Tip #3 Keep Your Wish List Short and Sweet

Maria decided to keep her list simple, and desired someone who’s kind, fun, smart, funny, and smart, and we uploaded a photo of her showing her award-winning smile.

Click here to watch the full segment

It’s peak season for online dating, so if you need your hand held, contact us to find out how Irresistible coaching will help you find your dream date.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of the Internet, and has been called “The Pioneer of Online Dating” by Cosmo. Julie coaches singles from Millennials to Baby Boomers on finding love in the digital age.

Follow @JulieSpira on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

SIGN UP for the Free Weekly Flirt for dating advice delivered to your inbox.

In today’s digital age, how do you define cheating? Where does it cross the line between friendly flirting, and something that could be more damaging to your relationship?

RELATED: HELP! MY BOYFRIEND CREATED A TINDER PROFILE

Is liking or commenting an attractive person’s posts on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media accounts a warning sign that your relationship is in trouble?

What if someone creates a dating app profile on Tinder, Bumble, OkCupid, Match, or Hinge? Does that mean they’re searching for greener pastures?

RELATED: WHY IS MY BOYFRIEND ON TINDER?

On Global News, I shared the signs of cheating, from following a hot model you don’t know on Instagram, to texting and private messaging your ex after hours, and to saving your relationship!

Watch this video below, and click here for the full article

RELATED: 5 TEXTING TIPS TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She’s the founder of Cyber-Dating Expert, and as an early adopter Internet dating, has been coaching singles on finding love online with her Irresistible Profiles for over two decades.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

SIGN UP for the FREE Weekly Flirt newsletter for dating advice delivered to your inbox.

Hang on to your digital hats and make your mobile phone your new BFF, as the momentum from Dating Sunday, the busiest day of the year, will now continue through the peak season, now through Valentine’s Day.


What happens on During Peak Season?

Peak season is one of the busiest times of the entire year for new signups and activity on dating apps, Know that you won’t be swiping alone and that your next match could be a click or swipe away.

Between breakups from last year, New Year’s resolutions including finding love, and the ticking countdown clock to Valentine’s Day, there’s a huge flurry of activity going on, and it’s time to join the digital party.

Here are four tips to help you fill up your date cards online right now, so you can meet someone to connect with offline in 2019.

RELATED: USA Today: ‘Dating Sunday’: The busiest day of the year for online dating is Jan. 6

1. Post New and More Photos.

When you post at least six photos, you’ll have a greater chance of someone reaching out or responding to you.

Most dating apps allow you to post six to 10 photos, and I encourage you to use all of the digital real estate available to shine and look your best.

The options usually allow you to snap a photo on your mobile phone’s camera, use existing photos from your camera roll, or often you can link to your Facebook or Instagram photos, to grab some of your favorite pictures.

Apps including Bumble and OurTime let you upload six photos, Match and OkCupid apps allow up to ten photos, and Tinder and Coffee Meets Bagel lets you post up to nine photos.

Which Photos Should You Post?

Did you get a new puppy? Post a few shots and let your potential date know the name of your four-legged friend in the caption. Women love photos of men with their puppies, but men shy away from women with cat photos.

If you’ve just returned from a great vacation, post some scenic shots and make sure to add the captions.

Try to keep the photos about you, and leave the party shots behind. Posting too many group photos can become confusing to those gazing at you, and I recommend that you toss out the photo wearing sunglasses and the selfie shots.

When you’re dating online, your profile needs to be about “you,” so your potential date she can start imagining becoming an “us” with you in mind.

The good news is you’ll start receiving notifications and comments about your photos, so you can see which ones are the most popular when it’s time to swap or rotate pictures. It’s also the perfect opportunity to write back to those who have complimented you.

2. Give your bio a digital facelift.

Many singles write a profile, toss up a few photos, and wait for all of the messages and push notifications to roll in.

RELATED: 5 Ways to Find Love Online and IRL in 2019

Being passive isn’t going to work, and neither does playing the waiting game. I’m here to tell you there’s no magic formula to attract “Mr. or Ms. Perfect instantly,” but this advice is as close as you’ll get. You MUST rewrite last year’s profile, which is now stale, and continue to update it from time-to-time, just like you do on social media.

To keep it simple, try rearranging your sentences to help boost your visibility, or tease your potential date with details of your upcoming vacation. I tell my clients they should always revise their profile with their latest travel photos. Even if your dream is to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro, snap a pic at a local hiking trail in your neighborhood and remember to caption it.

3. Use your mobile app and turn on push notifications.

Make sure you have the push notifications set to the “on” position on your dating app, so you can know instantly when someone is interested in you, or replies to your message.

Everyone is using their mobile apps to check texts, get calls, and scroll through their Instagram feed, so finding love on your phone is the most effective way to fill your date cards.

4. Start Scheduling Dates.

There’s been a lot of chatting back-and-forth, and not enough meeting in person. If someone interesting writes to you, don’t wait to write back. I say strike when the digital iron is hot and get a conversation going and put a date on the calendar.

If you don’t, someone else will, so start searching, swiping, get the convos going. It’s time to fill your date cards and schedule dates on your calendar with someone who’s been waiting to meet someone just like you.

If you need help to jump start your dating life, contact us to find out how our Irresistible Profiles can help you find your dream date.

Wishing you much love and joy in cyberspace, or wherever you may swipe or roam. xo

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of Internet and mobile dating, and has been coaching singles on finding love online for over two decades.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

SIGN UP for the FREE Weekly Flirt newsletter for dating advice delivered to your inbox.

Photo Credits: Fotolia

Dating Sunday is around the corner, and on the evening of Sunday, January 6th, most dating apps will see the busiest activity of the entire year.

Dating Sunday, also dubbed the “Super Bowl of Dating,” is an official holiday in the love business. It’s the time for new beginnings and your next relationship could just be a click or swipe away this Sunday night.

Why is Dating Sunday becoming a trending news story?

With the beginning of every New Year, the subject of love is high on the dating totem pole for most singles. This usually happens because finding love is on New Year’s resolutions lists, holiday breakups peaked up until December 24th, and singles would like to find someone special with Valentine’s Day around the corner.

RELATED: Julie Spira Talks to ABC News About Dating Sunday

Dating Sunday – Julie Spira – ABC News from Julie Spira on Vimeo.

Since there’s a huge uptick in dating app usage across the board starting the first week of January, the dating industry now has an official annual holiday, Dating Sunday.

How Big is Dating Sunday?

Dating apps such as Match, Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel, OkCupid, Tinder, and Bumble see their activity soar from 50-75%, so it’s a great time to join the digital party.

Match expects over 1.5 million messages to be sent at 9:05pm/EST, and Coffee Meets Bagel predicts the chattiest times between midnight and 1am local time.

How Can You Shine on Dating Sunday?

RELATED: 5 Ways to Find Love in 2019: How to Find Love Online and IRL

Know that some people are joining dating apps for the very first time, and others are rejoining after a taking a break, or a break up.

Remember having a naked profile will result in less views, messages, and dates, so it’s digital real estate that needs your attention.

Just like reading a blog, you don’t want to have a profile that was written last year, or even several years ago. If you’ve taken up a new hobby, include it on your profile. If you have tickets to a concert or sporting event, list it, and you might find a date to join you.

What will make Dating Sunday and beyond work for you is to post new photos from the places that made you the happiest and where you felt your best.

Caption them if possible with the dates and locations they were taken, or describe them in your profile to help create an ice-breaker for someone who’s intrigued by your profile

Add emoji’s to help you stand out in a flirty and fun way, and we sure about your intent on what you’re looking for.

Be Authentic About Your Dating Goals

With over half of the single population using dating apps, not everyone is looking for the same type of relationship. Some people are looking for a serious relationship, while others are looking for friendship or someone to go to a movie with.

Representing your best authentic self, will help lessen the overwhelming feeling you might get when you log on and have so many options.

The only way Dating Sunday will help you fill your date card, is to communicate and respond on Sunday night, because the squeaky wheel gets the digital love deal.

You’ll want to be chatting with people you can click with, and make sure to swap digits so you can schedule dates for the following week.

Be Responsive

A relationship is about becoming a couple, and while you might be flattered to receive a lot of messages or views, if you don’t respond right away, someone else will. We’ve seen so many singles excited about a potential date, but when they played the waiting game to not seem too eager, they’ve lost out, as that person decided to focus on one person who was more available.

Being proactive and responsive shows you’re confident about yourself, which is a turn-on to both men and women. Playing games was last decade. It’s time to meet IRL, and let Dating jump start the process and pave the way for love in 2019.

We’re here to help you make your dating profile Irresistible for Dating Sunday, and throughout cuffing season and during peak dating season.

Wishing you much love and joy on Dating Sunday, and wherever you may swipe or roam.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and the founder of Cyber-Dating Expert. She was an early adopter of the Internet and for almost 25 years, she’s been helping singles find love online and on mobile apps.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

SIGN UP for the FREE Weekly Flirt newsletter, for dating advice delivered to your inbox.

It’s official. The theme for 2019 is finding love.

Whether it’s loving your job, loving your workout, loving your friends and family, or finding that deeply connected soulmate at the spiritual level, there’s truth to what they say about finding your voice and listening to your heart

You see, we can easily fill your date cards with two dates a day during peak season. But if you’re not open to receiving love, they will feel like disappointing job interviews. Even if they have the potential to be a great partner for you, it’s destined to fail.

To find love in 2019, here are five ways to speed up the process.

Start Writing in a Journal, or in the Digital Notes Section of Your Smart Phone. 

I’ve been writing in a journal since I was a teenager with a burning crush on someone I hoped would notice me. Now, when I’m deep in thought, I grab my iPhone and start to write down thoughts and feelings, and go back to them. Often they are about love and relationships.

Make your Social Media Profiles Date-Ready

If you’re not ready to take the plunge and sign up for a dating app, which I highly suggest you do since it’s peak dating season now through Valentine’s Day, take a bold position on your Facebook page, and change your relationship status to “Single.”

If you’re really ready to find love, someone on your friends page might have had a secret crush on you, and thought you were still attached. You might be surprised if someone asks you out, or even offers to introduce you to a friend.

At the beginning of the year, many relationships end, as it’s natural to want to start the calendar year with a clean slate. It’s also a time where a New Year’s resolution includes finding love, so I challenge you to put it out there, especially if you want to manifest the best love you’ve been dreaming about.

Post new photos of your holiday vacation, love quotes to show you’re in the mood for love, and keep a positive attitude on social media.

Create a New Profile on Two to Three Dating Apps

Sunday, January 6th is known as “Dating Sunday,” the busiest day of the year for singles using dating apps, and Match predicts 1.5 million messages will be sent during peak season. If you’re dateless on Sunday night, make sure you’re logged on at 9:05pm/EST, where it will be the busiest day of the year for singles looking for love online.

Match also has proclaimed Friday, January 11th as “First Date Friday,” where all of that chatting during the first week of January will result in scheduling more first dates than ever.

Our friends at Coffee Meets Bagel reports they saw a 75% hike in new signups on Dating Sunday, as compared to the 30 days prior to the first Sunday in January, and estimates 11:30pm/ET as their busiest time.

OkCupid is now calling Dating Sunday, “Saddle Up Sunday.” They expect a 50-70% surge in new daters using their app.

Date While On Vacation

Did I ever tell you the story of how I once met a fabulous guy in my 20s on the beach in Acapulco? I wrote about it in my book, The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online, and although his hometown was a five-hour plane ride away, we stayed together for three years.

Had I not been in vacation mode, I probably wouldn’t have given this great guy a second look. When you’re relaxed and happy on vacation, you’re less judgmental, and that long wish of the perfect partner seems to ease up. Try using that technique the next time you go out on a date and ask yourself, “Is this someone I’d want to spend time with if I were on vacation?” You’ll open yourself up to more opportunities to meet wonderful people, I promise!

Fall in Love With Yourself, Seriously

We all know that self-love and finding what we truly desire starts with having that conversation with yourself. If you become the person you’d like to date, it’s amazing how the universe will bring an abundance of opportunities your way.

I often tell my clients to look in the mirror and repeat three times, “You are the prize.” It helps build confidence and minimizes the neediness of trying to be what someone else wants you to be instead of being yourself. When you realize that you’re lovable, if will be noticed by the people you surround yourself with. People want to be with someone who is happy, smiles, and sees the glass or goblet as overfilling with joy, instead of being with someone who is depressed.

If you’d like to look your best on dating Sunday and during peak season, we’re here to help with our signature Irresistible Profiles.

Wishing you much love and joy in cyberspace, or wherever your may swipe or roam. xo

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Mobile Dating Expert. She was an early adopter of online dating, and has been coaching singles on finding love online and on mobile apps for almost 25 years. Follow @JulieSpira on Instagram and Twitter.