11 signs you're ready to find love

I’m not overly soppy or romantic and I don’t believe much in karma, however, I do believe it’s easier to find love when you’re ready for it. I know I did. So here’s my checklist of 11 things that say to me that you’re on fire, you’re rocking it, you’re ready to reclaim your love life, you’re ready to fall in love.

1. you love yourself unconditionally

It’s true what they say, you need to love yourself first before loving someone else. Healthy relationships occur between two people who are comfortable with themselves, as well as with each other. This, in my experience, was the most important sign. It can take some effort to get on top of this and, in my case, it’s an ongoing work in progress but it’s so worth it. Nail this and you’re half way there.

2. you realise you can be happy on your own

My biggest ‘aha’ moment, the last realisation I had before meeting my now bf of 5 years, was ‘I can do this. I’m going to be happy no matter what – whether I meet someone or not – I have my photography, a flat I love, the best friends a girl could ask for, a great family – I have it all going on. Life is good and I’m happy.

3. you’ve tossed away your list

Do you have a list of qualities that you want in your ideal partner? Does it include things you don’t want too? The minute you toss that list away and remember that you’re going to fall in love with a whole person not just a series of desirable qualities, it feels good and takes you that much closer to meeting them. My partner doesn’t have a whole lot that was on my original list, in many ways he really isn’t who I was expecting to be with but now that I am, it makes total sense and seems so right. (Let’s hope he’s not reading this or he’ll probably shudder).

4. you’ve called off the search (for ‘the one’)

It’s about time! The old adage is true apparently – the person who is most ready for love is the one who has stopped pursuing it.

5. you smile a lot

You know what this means right? It means you’re happy and if you’re happy, yes you’re ready to find love.

6. you’re comfortable in your own skin

If you’re confident and feel good about yourself with nothing to prove, it’s a sign you’re ready to embrace someone else just as you embrace yourself.

7. you are willing to take risks

Falling in love requires a certain amount of risk taking. Putting your trust in someone in such an intimate way requires a huge leap of faith and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But you are willing to give it a go because you know you will get through it because you love and support yourself.

8. you know there’s nothing ‘wrong’ with you

I dated on and off for over 8 years online and seemed to spend an awful lot of time introducing my friends and family to yet another boyfriend. At the beginning, I’d wonder if there was something wrong with me but finally I accepted I had high standards for one thing and but even so there was nothing wrong with me if these relationships didn’t work out. Dating got a lot more fun once I took that on board.

9. you don’t seek constant distractions

Being happy in your own company is a big sign you’re ready to find love. It means any relationship would be based on want or desire rather than neediness.

10. you’re bold

Being bold is underrated. I’m a huge fan, it’s one of my business core values. My clients are bold people who are stepping out of their comfort zone to do what it takes to find love, including going on a dreaded photo shoot when they’re unphotogenic or hate being in front of the camera. You need to be bold to find love. It requires that leap of faith I mentioned earlier – being open to taking an emotional risk.

11. you’re open-minded

Are you ready to try something new? Throw away that list of qualities? Go off script? Then you, my friend, are ready for the fun, challenges, and joy a relationship can bring.