In love and in life, you’ll get better results if you have a plan. No, you can’t just make the perfect person appear in your life – but you can be truly ready once they do. The key to being open & ready to meet your special someone is to understand exactly what you want in a relationship and why. Here’s 5 questions to help you find your special someone:

1. Are you ready to spend your life with one person?:  part of being ready to meet someone special, is being ready to commit to one person. Relationship minded singles want the same in a partner – if you’re not there yet, consider a change of attitude.
2. What does happiness look like?:  not everyone wants the same thing from a relationship – some want marriage and a family right away, others may already have kids, others may be open to having kids or not, etc., etc.  Understanding what your ideal relationship looks like is a good place to start – but be open to some flexibility if/when you meet someone great who doesn’t necessarily fit all your ideal criteria.
3. What are your life goals?:  thinking through what you really want from life can help you zero in on the right person once you’ve connected. Once you get beyond the first few dates with someone new, having some shared goals in life is an important aspect of finding your special someone.
4. What are your ‘must haves’?:  are there some things that you just can’t compromise on when it comes to a relationship partner? Is having kids a must? Or not having kids? Or meeting someone with a similar background? Keep this list as short as possible, as you’d be surprised how many successful relationships are created between people who don’t necessarily have ‘all the boxes ticked’!
5. What are your ‘deal breakers’?:  similar to point #4, are there some qualities that you’re  simply not willing to bend on – someone who smokes, someone who already has kids (or doesn’t have kids),  someone who doesn’t share your relationships goals (ie. they want something casual and you don’t, etc.).