Committed to Finding Love?

It's a New Year, and from the traffic at the gym and the spike in Weight Watchers meetings attendance it seems that just about everyone has made some sort of healthy resolution.   Calories in versus calories out, stick with the program and more likely than not you will lose the weight. But what program do you follow if you want to date more or find love? Without a formula or reliable plan that guarantees results, what's the key to sticking to your very personal New Year's resolution?

1. Don't Play The Waiting Game: Putting life on hold until we "meet the one" is the very thing that keeps us stagnant. Remember that action is a precursor to change, and trust that your life will gain momentum when you do the things that excite and fulfill you. Rest assured that the more you do, the more people you meet. And you just never know who you might bump into along the way.

2. Find Ways to Please and Pleasure Yourself: There's no denying that dating can be like surfing on an emotional tidal wave. Taking the edge off means you must satisfy yourself on every level. Buying yourself flowers every Friday or occasionally tuning into the porn channel to take care of business by doing what you need to do for yourself increases the chances you will be a happier, calmer and more attractive person in the long run.

3. Avoid the Negative Self-Talk: Try not to let a string of bad dates or rejection become all about what's wrong with you. Easier said than done? Keep in mind that dating is a numbers game and that personal slights often have more to do with someone else's negative issues than they do about you.

4. Let Go of the Life Preserver: Don't selfishly hang on to someone, waiting because your pipeline has run dry. Biding time until someone better comes along can be a drag and can even complicate affairs, like someone going postal on you when it's time to end things that you have let go on for too long.

5. Acknowledge the Warning Signs: Last minute cancellations, little white lies, booty calls and the over-your-shoulder glances. When is comes to weeding out the good from the bad there are always smoke signals before the fire. So trust your gut and go with what feels right to you!

5. Mind Your Manners: Regardless or how liberal minded (or loose) you are, etiquette always matters. A post date thank-you, offering to split the bill or opening the car door for everyone you date will pay off in the long run. Respecting conversation boundaries by not controlling the conversation and avoiding full-disclosure right off the bat are also good tenets to live by.

6. Remember Successful Fools Don't Rush In: Requesting a sleepover on the second date comes off as anything but romantic. And while the "love at first sight" idea is something we all hope exists, those rapid romances tend to fizzle out just as fast as the fire starts burning. To keep them wanting more, contain your expectations and take it one slow step at a time.

You cannot impose a time limit to finding love. Setting goals is a great way to make resolutions stick, but not if it means putting an unrealistic time limit on your love life.