New Year's Eve: Give Old Traditions a New Dating Spin

New Year's Eve has taken over from Valentine's Day as the world's most high-pressured and overpriced date night.  During the early throes of a relationship, it is easy to expect to ring in 2015 with a midnight kiss from your new crush.

But perhaps you should start the new year off by marching to a different tune. Not doing the same thing for New Year's Eve date night can open you up to new experiences, new people and new foods. Use your keen sense of adventure for dating . . . and yes, even on this special date night.

Think about foregoing the dress up dinner and champagne toast for a night of bowling, karaoke competition or even a personal countdown at the waterfront.

Be yourself and be comfortable of course, but you don’t have to play it so safe all the time (except with any activity with major vertical drops).  Shed the monotony of watching the ball drop and consider shaking up your new year's plans

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Ask the Matchmaker: How Do I Find My Dream Guy?

Q: How would I go about meeting someone 50- 60 white professional male?
-- Posted to the It's Just Lunch Toronto Facebook page

A: This is one of the more frequent questions I receive from friends, family and even people who I cross paths with at cocktail parties: how do I meet my ideal mate?

The top three challenges singles face when searching for their match is making the time for dating, knowing where to find like-minded people and keeping an open mind during the process.

1) Making Time for Dating
It's been crazy for you. You've had several business projects find their way to your desk, many with tight deadlines. You spend the majority of your day in meetings, traveling to those locations and stuck in traffic for thirty minutes each way for your commute. Your gym card has a fine layer of dust on it. The holidays are coming and you haven't even thought about making plans.

In short, you are in a committed relationship with your job. A growing number of singles are spending long hours at work behind a computer rather than meeting potential matches and developing long-term relationships.

Dating is work -- but you have to put in the hours to reap the benefits.

Make the time. Like taxis and job opportunities, when one appears, a whole slew of others seem to follow. The hardest part is getting started. Step away from that safety zone, return that call and start dating. Your future self will thank you.

2) Develop Interests to Find Interesting People
Interesting singles are all around you. But chances are you are consumed with busy lives and a few insecurities about approaching strangers you find attractive. The key is to notice your surroundings and the people in them. Strike up conversations with the barista, the guy waiting behind you at the store checkout. Having a genuine interest in getting to know new people will be move valuable than you think. You never know who that person might introduce you to in the future.

To meet new people, try taking a new class or say yes to that party invite from the guy down the hall. Branching out, pursuing our interests is the way to find new people with similar interests. In short, break out of your day to day rut to open the doors to new opportunities.

3) Open Yourself Up to the Potentials
One of the most common mistakes I see people making when dating is that they repeatedly date the same type of person and expect different results. Open yourselves up to connecting with people who have similar core values but different professions, backgrounds and interests. That doesn't mean to let go of your deal breakers. Everyone has preferences -- just consider if maybe they are a bit too limiting.

4) Benefits of It's Just Lunch and IJL Elite
Let the experts at It's Just Lunch Toronto do the work for you. A matchmaking service for busy professionals, the matchmakers at It’s Just Lunch take the time to learn what you’re looking for and help you find it. You never know when that low pressure lunch date is going to turn into someone you’d love to take home for the holidays.

We also have a specialized branch, IJL Elite, where executive matchmakers help busy professionals find their match. We are always looking for qualified matches for our clients. Take a moment to fill out the online form and one of our professional matchmakers will follow up with you for a personal and confidential interview. We will take care of all the arrangements and coordinate the first date.

In the end, the road to romance is determined by your focus, willingness to participate and how open you are to potential matches. You are in the driver seat. Be proactive about your dating.

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Four Tips for Finding Love During the Holiday Season

I know the holiday season can be a bit humbug for singles. Family events highlight your solo status and it doesn't help that Aunt Myrtle always asks for an update of your love life when it is clear that it hasn't changed.

The good news is that there is an upside to being single during the holiday season. There are so many events and community activities to get you into the season and shaking off the single blues.

Here are just a few ideas to help you find love during the holiday season:

Give a Little, Get a Little (More)
No matter where you live, there are bound to be charitable organizations nearby who would welcome a new volunteer with open arms. In addition to daily, weekly or monthly events and activities where they need manpower, many charities also host networking and fundraising events that bring all of their volunteers together. Who knows? You may run into someone with a big heart looking to win yours.

Do What You Enjoy Doing, Love Will Follow
Winter time can open the door to new opportunity. Take a curling lesson. Go snowshoeing. Blow the dust off your camera and head for the waterfront. The key is to do what you enjoy doing and not get wrapped up in what you don't have. Believe it or not, when you aren't focused on your status, it has a way of changing on its own.

Give Your Smart Phone a Break
Can you guess how many eligible singles you pass every day in the grocery store, drugstore, or coffee shop who you don’t even notice because you’re checking your email? Be aware of your surroundings. Ask for help, ask for recommendations, chit chat in the checkout line. You never know who you might meet where you least expect it.Worse comes to worse, you walk away with a new friend.

Don't Shy Away From Holiday Events
While they can be daunting, holiday events are actually great ways to connect with friends and make new connections. I guarantee that you will not be the only single in the room and that alone may be worth getting into the spirit of things.

Let the matchmakers at It's Just Lunch Toronto help you find your match! Get started today by calling us at 1-416-703-3900 or visiting our website at www.itsjustlunchtoronto.com

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Single? 4 Ways to Approach the Holiday Season

I know someone who claims to hibernate during the winter because all of the couples she sees snuggling up and keeping each other warm make her want to burrow under her duvet and wait for spring.

Perhaps she, and those like her, should focus on the basics of the holiday: connecting with the people we care about. The spirit of the season is taking a moment out of our busy lives to appreciate those we hold dear. It's not a couples holiday season -- its about community, family and togetherness.

With that thought, here are four simple ways you can recapture the spirit of the holiday season . . . and enjoy it.

1) Reconnect with a good friend
With busy schedules, many of us have fallen out of touch with people we consider to be close friends. While catching up via Facebook or texts can be fun, it is a poor replacement for some one-on-one time.  This holiday season, carve out some time for friends you hold dear. Share a laugh, a moment instead of a picture or a link. Memories last a lifetime.

2) Bit Adieu to Former Loves
The holidays can tempt you into reminiscing about a former love or a recent relationship that just didn't work out. It is easy to reconsider your choice and even contemplate rekindling the romance. Know that this is mostly out of habit or the need to have someone there during the holidays. Before you hit send on the text to an ex, think about all the reasons why the romance fizzled. Sometimes we have to take the focus off finding Mr. or Ms. Right and concentrate, instead, on losing Mr. or Ms. Wrong.

3) Make Love a Priority
Many say they want a relationship but don't have time to date - which begs the question: How will they have time for a relationship if they don't even have time to date? If finding love is a priority to you, you have to be willing to say "yes" to events, parties and get togethers during the holiday season. Only by getting into the mix will you find your holiday honey.

4) Love YOUR life
The best thing you can do for your love life is to love your life! For one thing, you are more likely to attract people since there's nothing sexier than someone who is passionate and engaged in life.  More importantly, though, your life will be more fun and meaningful if you focus on outlets that bring you pleasure. Go sskiing Take a curling lesson. Wander through a craft fair. Indulge in activities that make you happy.

Don’t have time to spend strolling through the park or learning to do the cha-cha? Let the experts at It's Just Lunch Toronto do the work for you. A matchmaking service for busy professionals, our first date experts take the time to learn what you’re looking for and help you find it. You never know when that low pressure lunch date is going to turn into someone you’d love to take home for the holidays.

Let the matchmakers at It's Just Lunch help you find your match! Get started today by calling us at 1-604-633-9980 or click here to tell us a little about yourself.

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