12 Tips for Putting Yourself Out There (And Finding Love!) In the New Year

If you’re looking for love in the new year, you’re going to have to search for it in places that you usually wouldn’t. To meet someone new, you’ll have to try something new.

 12 tips for putting yourself out there in the hopes of finding a fulfilling relationship and a whole lotta love.

1. Sign up for a new dating service. In this digitally-focused world, we think it's absolutely okay to meet someone online! We suggest trying out a trendy dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge to find singles in your area or more personalized services like Coffee Meets Bagel or Grouper for singles in larger cities. 2. Vow to get more social. Take advantage of happy hours, friends and work events! To help motivate you to get more social, vow not to drink at home alone. This will stop you from consuming that Pinot on the couch and encourage you to call up friends to meet at a local spot. Even if you only have one drink at the bar, it's better than sitting at home. 3. Stop dating the wrong kinds of people. Every single knows their "I know I shouldn't be dating this person but I want to anyways" type and should avoid them at all costs. Spending your time with these types of guys/girls will only limit the amount of time you can spend meeting someone who's actually good for you. 4. Do something every week for yourself. Each week, do one thing that makes you feel totally awesome about yourself. Whether it's a long run, a blowout or splurging on a new item of clothing, it's important to do things that give you the added boost of confidence you need to get out there. 5. Start a book club. If you're into reading, start a book club for you and your friends. Create an open Facebook group and invite those you're close with. Then, ask those in the group to invite at least one new person to the group. This will help you meet friends and it might open some new doors in your dating life! 6. Join a co-ed sports team. Check out your local recreation center to see if your area has a co-ed sports team like kickball or dodgeball that you're interested in. Sports teams are great because you'll get to spend tons of time with new folks, and usually matches or games turn into happy hours where you're likely to connect with even more people. 7. Invest your time in charitable work you love. Find a cause you love and volunteer your time. Not only will you feel good, but the chances of meeting someone who shares your interests will be super high. Check out the app GiveGab or the site Volunteermatch.org to find volunteer work near you! 8. Venture out to a new part of town. Your new S.O. could live around the corner and you wouldn't even know it. Venture out to new neighborhoods and areas of your town to open yourself up to meeting singles outside of your five-block radius. 9. Let your friends set you up on a blind date. The easiest way to meet new people is to get introduced by people you already know. So the next time a friend offers to set you up on a blind date with a guy or gal who you'd be "perfect for," just say yes. 10. Cut ties with past love interests. If you're still romantically involved with exes, now's the time to end things. You can't expect yourself to move on if you're still kinda-sorta together. 11. Do more things alone. When you're alone, you're often more approachable than when you're in a group. You'll find that if you start dining alone, exercising alone or grabbing a drink by yourself, others who are by themselves will strike up a conversation with you. 12. Pick up a new hobby. Interested in learning to cook or to speak a different language? Pick up a new hobby and enroll in a class. You'll be getting out of your comfort zone, and you're totally priming yourself to meet someone new. (someone who also loves pasta or the French language!) Like this advice? We think you'll like this too... 20 Things Every Person Should Know About Their Partner 18 Things Twenty-Somethings Think About Weddings How to Have More Sex When You're Stuck in a Relationship Rut