Did you find that getting into a relationship got easier instead of harder with age?

[PlzBehest]

Before going to sleep, I was just reminiscing about my teenage years so I looked up some people I knew from school, as you do. I looked at their boyfriends (now husbands) and found I’m no longer enamoured by the idea of a boyfriend as much as when I was a teenager.

I used to think boyfriends and men were so unattainable but looking at their boyfriends/husbands made me realise men are just average and aren’t particularly special or interesting compared to me (which is what I thought when I was a teenager and continued to think well into my early to mid twenties).

I don’t know what finally clicked for me inside my brain but the idea of dating suddenly felt easier.
Did anyone find dating got easier approaching 30s instead of harder? Do you know if men feel the same way?

Firstly, I think we are a lot more comfortable in ourselves than when we were teenagers. Life experiences have taught us to toughen up and so maybe the fear of rejection is easier to deal with.

I'm early 40s and haven't dated since my marriage ended about 9 years ago.
If I did, I know my boundaries and my standards would be much higher because I'm not 'desperate' for someone to like me nor do I need approval.
I'm also more experienced with men who are controlling and abusive so would know the things to look out for.
I've managed 9 years on my own and unless someone came and fitted into my life, the way I live it rather than me having to change for them. I'd rather be alone.

Dating got easier as my self-confidence grew, but finding anyone I really wanted became harder.

Plenty of superficial fun dates but much more difficult to find anyone I wanted to date more than once or twice.

No I find it near impossible! So much less relaxed

I’m in my early forties.

When I was younger had many boyfriends but suffered from limerence which tired me out. I had a friend that I lived with and we talked about love interests 24/7!!

In between then and now had two 10yr relationships.

No longer suffer from limerence 😁 Levelheaded now.

I’m relaxed about dating, but the quality of man out there isn’t good . I think there’s a lot that are not ready to date and can’t get over their exes. That - or an ex-partner still having a hold over them.

I'm early 30s and I have no issue dating and I am a single mum. Its about confidence and I don't tolerate this modern day man BS other women do.

I have always been relatively comfortable being single and had a hard time progressing past the first or second meeting, but internet dating has changed the landscape for the worse, in my experience. There's much less accountability than there ever was, and almost a pathological fear of vulnerability in contemporary dating. In some ways it is easier to identify emotionally unhealthy people and take a proactive approach to 'screening' but on the whole I think things are much worse and I'm not convinced that age is a factor in all of this.