Has an old EA ruined me for any future relationships?

[CrinklyCraggy]

A long long time ago I had a EA with a colleague. Looking back it seems like something that happened to someone else, it doesn't seem like something that I would be stupid enough to do, but it happened. We never had any sexual contact, it was when we realised that might be what we wanted that we said woah! and put a stop to everything.

Anyway that man was:
Funny
Kind (to me and others)
Intelligent
Reliable
Someone you have an interesting debate about politics or religion with without things ever turning nasty

I'm single now and everyone I meet seems to have one or two of those characteristics, but never all of them.

Obviously my "relationship" with that man wasn't real, but has that experience led to unrealistic expectations or should I be able to find someone who is all those things to me? (DH wasn't and I doubt I was to him TBH, although we were both good people).

You don't need to refer to a previous love interest to know if you're happy. Work out what you want, and go find it. Whatever happened in the past isn't happening now, and isn't relevant now.

I think the key is not to overthink it. If you date and there's no red flags and it goes somewhere, great. Enjoy it for what it is for however long it lasts. Because he probably won't be the last man in your life. Nor will the majority to follow.