The Christmas lights are up and shining bright in these dark days and that means it is time to look forward to the hottest and newest dating trends of the next year!
Will we keep on our rizz colored glasses, will we date more with AI powered services or are there new trendy words bubbling up?
Bumble surveyed over 25,000 daters who use the app around the world. Their experiences helped them grasp what to expect in your dating life next year—and let’s just say, prepare to put yourself first. The year 2024 has been designated as the year of being oneself by daters. They are rejecting the continual pursuit of perfection, abandoning obsolete deadlines, and emphasizing emotional sensitivity and shared values.
Continue reading to find out how this clarity will affect dating habits in 2024.
Age is just a number
As people become more receptive to connections both older and younger, Bumble daters are broadening their age range filters. Age is not a determining factor in dating for two-thirds (63%) of those polled, with more than half (59%) of female respondents stating they are now more open to dating someone younger. We’re also adjusting our attitudes regarding other people’s partnerships, with more than one-third (35%) of women polled stating they’ve become less judgmental of age gap relationships in the previous year.
Engagement in social causes
The social and political causes we care about are intrinsic to our values and outlook on the world. When getting to know a potential romantic connection and figuring out how compatible you are, not aligning on these fundamentals can be a dealbreaker. Bumble’s research shows that women are less open to dating someone with differing political views. For one in three (33%) women respondents it’s a turn off if someone they’re dating isn’t aware of current social issues. For some, it’s not enough to simply be aware: one in four (25%) people surveyed on Bumble say it’s key that their partner actively engages with politics and social causes—and that it even makes them more attractive.
I personally believe political changes can be influenced by the man in a woman.
Rebelling against self-improvement
There’s been a trend toward “self-optimization,” or striving to become the perfect version of yourself, whether that means taking a cold plunge at 5am or plugging into self-help podcasts. This has left the majority of singles (55%) surveyed feeling pressured to constantly seek personal improvement, with 1 in 4 (24%) respondents feeling unworthy of a partner. Looking ahead to 2024, singles are rebelling against the notion that they’re not enough just the way they are. More than 2 in 3 women surveyed (68%) by Bumble are taking active steps to be happier with who they are here and now. In fact, 40% of women surveyed will now only date people who won’t try to change them.
At DatingcoachKrista I strongly believe however becoming the best version of yourself is key to a happy love life.
Emotional intimacy is key
As the new year begins, singles are looking for stability, protection, and understanding in their love relationships. It all boils down to emotional intimacy in terms of how this shows in someone’s qualities. A third (32%) of Bumble daters polled felt that emotional intimacy is now more important than sex—and that it is even more appealing than a physical connection. When it comes to dating, three out of every four women (78%) feel it’s critical that their partner understands both emotional and physical intimacy.
Open-hearted masculinity
Movies, music, fashion, and pop culture in 2023 prompted big conversations about masculinity and gender roles. When it comes to relationships, it seems that men have been taking note. One in four (25%) men surveyed state that they’ve actively changed their behavior in their romantic connections, becoming more vulnerable with people they’re dating than ever before. For a quarter of men surveyed (25%), this new-found openness has had a positive impact on their mental health, and for 1 in 3 (32%) being open and vulnerable is the most important aspect of a relationship.
Rejecting dating milestones
Even as we become more progressive about when we’re expected to “settle down,” there’s still a constant pressure to reach traditional relationship goals, such as marriage. All of that is likely to change in 2024. One-third (31%) of the women polled are no longer concerned with meeting these milestones in their relationships. Only one-quarter (23%) of women polled on Bumble are searching for marriage, while nearly three-quarters (72%) are looking for a long-term relationship. For nearly one-third (31%) of female respondents, this includes only dating people who share their values, and for one-eighth (16%), it means deliberately avoiding friends and relatives who put pressure on them to meet certain goals.
My personal take is that when the heart feel it as well, a dating milestone should be celebrated when achieved and should be actively pursued.
A shared love of sports
Sports will take center stage in dating in 2024, with rising support for women’s sports and the biggest global competition next summer. A shared love of sports has now become a non-negotiable for one in every three (31%) singles surveyed—regardless of whether you’re a player or simply a spectator. Our love with sports is also influencing the way we date, with a quarter of those polled (24%) saying that going to a game together is crucial, especially among Gen-Z and millennial singles.
Quality over quantity
This year’s emphasis on self-care has resulted in more than half (58%) of Bumble singles being more open about their mental health with friends, family members, and partners. People are rethinking how they date in order to protect their mental health, with nearly one-third (31%) deliberately “slow dating” and being mindful of how frequently they go on dates. Women’s dating choices reflect this mentality, with more than one-third (36%) of those polled looking for someone who practice and appreciate self-care.
before you click away, how about learning the secret insider tips from an online dating photographer?
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