Age Is Just A Number - Go Out And Live Life To The Full*

*This is a collaborative post*

These days, much as it horrifies me to admit it, I'm nearer forty than I am thirty. How on earth did that happen?

I remember naive twenty two year old me saying I'd be married with six kids at thirty five. I remember thirty year old me saying okay no worries, there's still time to fit in the life plan. And now I'm nearing thirty six? There's still no ring on finger, still no kids. But hey, I'm honestly totally okay with this. Really I am.

Sometimes life has other plans

Rarely does life pan out how we expect it to, but this doesn't mean that it can't still be great. Sure I might reach forty and beyond and still not be married but what does it matter if I'm happy, content and enjoying life? Many of us get so hung up on age when it is after all just a number, and yet it needn't have a negative connotation especially when it comes to living life and finding love.

A lady that has only reiterated this belief for me is my friend's mum. We'll name her Maureen for the sake of this post. Maureen who is over fifty, is undoubtedly one of the strongest and most inspirational women I know. If anyone reading this thinks that they're too old or too past it to do something with life then it's Maureen they need to look to. Not only has she picked herself up after much heartache to find love again - through online dating I might add - she's also carved out a brand new career for herself in healthcare and is living life to the full. Life for Maureen has literally started all over again so if she can do it then so can you!

Finding love in later life

As this over forties dating site says, there is no age limit for love and while myself and Maureen firmly agree with this, many of my over forties friends are still indeed single yet they're all quite the catch. So why is this? Where are they going wrong?

Perhaps it's actually because they're looking in the wrong places or rather on the wrong dating sites. While there are of course free generic dating websites out there that are for singletons of every age, these aren't always the best option. For starters it can take a lot of time to sift through the time wasters to find a handful of actual prospective takers. POF anyone? At one time it seemed as if everyone was on there, single or not! However, when you're forty and over, most people will be looking for serious takers or at least individuals on the same wavelength as you which is why you should instead check out sites like Older-Dating.com.

Lose the stigma that comes with the word 'older'

Try not to get too hung up on words like 'older' or 'mature' and instead focus on the fact that these sites are specifically designed to match you with like minded individuals who are in the same age bracket as yourself.

It doesn't matter what anyone thinks

It doesn't matter whether you're single because you've just never found the right person or if you've recently come out of a long term relationship, once you join the world of online dating you'll find many like minded people looking for friendship, companionship and/or love.

The same applies to anyone who has suffered a bereavement. Yes it's impossible to contemplate dating whilst you're still grieving, but that doesn't mean you also have to feel lonely. Many people on these sites will be in a similar position to you and will just be looking for companionship, friendship, or just someone to talk to or enjoy meals out with. They - more than anyone - will understand what you're going through.

Why choose Older Dating sites?

Other than the fact you'll be chatting to people in similar situations and age brackets as you, a real plus point and something I love about 'Older Dating' is that they've catered to the needs of singletons across the globe. Yes really! You'll find dating sites regardless of whether you live in the UK, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or the US. Furthermore, once you've chosen your country, you can then narrow down your search by choosing a specific city or town local to you. The UK list alone features over seventy places.

Support is at hand

Readily available support is at hand in the form of dating advice, informative articles and also the 'AskJulie' feature which I think is a fabulous idea. All of these features are of course designed to help aid you on your dating journey whether you want to brush up on your online dating etiquette skills, learn some funny chat up lines or simply ask Julie for advice.

With the promise that these websites are safe, secure, easy to use and free to join, you've really nothing to lose by giving it a go!