In our fast-paced modern world, it’s all too easy for our romantic relationships to be shelved in favour of our careers, our hobbies, and our ambitions, yet there comes a time in most people’s lives where we don’t want to be alone anymore. We want all of the things that we’ve worked for and earned, and we want something else too: that cherry on the top that we call contentment.

On the most basic level, what we wish for is someone who will make us happy. We desire a person that will be the missing piece of our puzzle, making everything better and more beautiful just by being there. Someone who will support us, give us succor, and be as proud of our successes as they are of their own.

Finding that someone is the hard part, of course, which is why we’ve written this article. Helping you to identify exactly what it is that you want and need from a potential partner might just allow you to find that special someone who will give you everything you ever dreamed of…

Think about what made you happy in the past

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Although lots of us find it hard to pin down what our perfect partner looks like on paper, we often have a better idea of what we want than we realise. One of the best and easiest ways to gain some much-needed clarity is by having a good, long think about what it is that’s made us happiest in the past. Which prior relationships made you the most contented, and what was it about that special someone that made you feel that way? Once you know that, you know what you ought to be looking for in another, whether it’s a hobby in common or just a shared love of cuddling.

Ask yourself why previous relationships didn’t work

In the same way that we can learn from our successes, we can learn from our failures too. Relationships tend to end for a reason, so it’s usually a good idea to avoid dating those who have certain things in common with past partners. Did long distance just not work for you? Then use the search criteria on sites like Badoo to refine your results and find someone closer to home. Struggled to balance professional success with spending enough time with your partner? Then look for someone who has similar priorities when it comes to balancing their career with their commitment to you. Be brutally honest about the mistakes made by both parties and it will be much easier to avoid repeating them in the future.

Make a list

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We also recommend that you make a list of the qualities you want from a partner. It’s okay to be entirely open with yourself here so, if not liking dogs is a no-no for you, include ‘dog lover’ amongst your criteria. No matter how insignificant or silly your desires might seem, if they’re important to you, they’re going to have an impact on the success of any future relationships, so pop them beside a bullet point. Age, personality traits, and even preferred physical characteristics are all worth noting and should help to make you much more self-aware and successful the next time you try your hand at dating.

What are you waiting for? Work out what you want today and get ready to go for it!