I was homeschool, and I didn't develop social skills. I've also never had a girl hit on me, so I take every compliment I've ever received as a kind lie. I have no self confidence, so I don't know how to start a dialogue. How I've ever had a girlfriend, much less a wife, is nothing short of sensational. How I've had an ex wife who cheated on me because I wasn't part of "gods plan" is actually expected. If karma existed, I totally screwed someone over like 50 times terrible... But karma doesn't exist. Life can just be really shitty... No plan or rebound to an amazing life after. If you think karma is a thing: you are stupid. Just like if you think magic is real, you are stupid. Karma is magical balance, a conscious shit being making people pay for something or suffer for something else. Stupid.

I don't recommend joining dating sites to find a mate. A better idea is to be open to making connections in places where you do something you adore. For example, by joining the Appalachian Mountain Club, you might meet someone who loves hiking as much as you do. If you play an instrument, consider joinng a local orchestra or band. You will find someone there that you connect with.

Nobody likes rejection and the taste of toads can be a bit much too. I had an evolution from fear of being rejected to not giving a shit but I'm not sure when I passed through this particular gateway lol

First of all, I'll just bet none of you ladies have updated your Frogs to Prince app in a long time. As the new terms and conditions came into effect as soon as we heard that AOL dial up tone and saw all of you sending boob pics everywhere we have done away with the kissing frogs bit and switched to far more efficacious blowing frogs bit with the anal option if that's to extreme for you. Believe me you'll hardly feel it if you choose the anal option. I know what your thinking. Eeew! But look on the bright side. No pubes to get in the way! All of you can deep throat us! We only ejaculate a little bit. Plus! You get a real live Prince! Now these aren't your average run of the mill Princes. No, we all come from a long line of bonerfide Princes that had really crappy curses cast on us for being really assholeish Princes a long long time ago but we have learned our lesson. Honest! Really! But to be honest you're still going to have to put up with a lot of anal stuff because we are all descended from British guys that came from British schools where that was quite common and we had no idea what we were doing.

Rejection is a powerful tool, I think most people just don't want to be hurt. So they don't put themselves out there. I think people fear what they don't know, more than rejection.

This is interesting. I was just thinking that this online dating thing has been instructive about my own double standards. I've met a couple of highly intelligent and wonderful women to whom I did not find myself physically attracted. Am I that shallow? Probably. But then I felt unsure of how to communicate this in a sincere yet non-assholish way...

At any rate it isn't the fear of rejection from a stranger that I hardly know that bothers me; what bothers me is the challenge to my sense of self esteem that whispers "ok, maybe you are not as suave and witty as you think you are." But I would like to think that I am bit of the deviation from the norm, and there is always a price to pay for that privilege.

I think if a person is looking for a 'prince' (and the expectations that come with that) then disappointment is due to follow (on both sides). What the hell is being a prince really mean anyway?

I think that rejection is a huge part of why we don't at least try to connect and then expectations can muddy the connection for those who are brave enough to push past the rejection issue.

I grew up thinking that it is the man's job to approach me. (how sad) It never occurred to me that it is perfectly acceptable for me to approach a man. Confidence was never one of my strengths, so I was quite happy to accept what I thought was the norm. Fast forward to now and I am still not comfortable with approaching men but I do accept that I have every right to do so....so some progress made there. So now, I have and do cautiously attempt to approach and although none of them have been successful thus far, that is ok because I am also learning how to handle rejection! That is a win win in my book.

All I have to do now is work on the expectation part....right?

Even if you get "picked" what's to say you won't get dumped soon thereafter?
And I am not trying to be downer, either!
My point is, are you already happy with most of your life? If someone comes along to enhance your life, excellent! If not, go about your lovely day secure in the idea you lack for nothing!

Just tired of kissing toads. Why can't I find my prince?

My experience in dating sites has been abysmal to say the least. I am usually asked how much I weigh, What do my boobs look like, followed up by do you like to be in top/give good blow jobs/watch TV naked/want anal sex, blah, blah, blah. If I meet a man who is not on a dating site, it is just as bad. I'm not sure what older men are thinking. Maybe they have trouble getting it up, or maybe they think they sound like studs. I don't know. Men who meet me in person, usually don't find me sexy, so I rarely have a second date. The truth is, I don't find them sexy either,but, I might if they could get over themselves, and have a conversation, see them as kind, intelligent, funny, witty, well read, had a sense of honor and integrity, and show as much interest in learning about me as they are about themselves. I don't fear rejection. I have been rejected a lot. A person who doesn't want to be around me, should reject me. Who wants to be with someone who doesn't want to with you? I dont. Life is too short to worry about it. I'm very happy by myself. If a man came along who was my equal, who was my hero and I was his, I would be very happy. If not, I'm still happy.

I don't fear rejection, I think because it has happened so often. I mostly fear wasting my time. I'm 60. The reality is that long distance doesn't work and I'm not open to relocating. I live in a conservative backwater. I have so many filters that there are very few available men, likely zero. So, I've pretty much given up. Lightning will have to strike, and I'm OK with that.

I can't imagine anyone getting used to rejection. To further complicate matters it is not just about kissing a prince/toad but kissing the right prince/toad.

Not being here for dating has never been about "fearing rejection" for me.
I have no interest in dating, and I'm no longer looking for a relationship.
Rejection has never been the issue.
To quote Amy Schumer, I can catch a dick whenever I want.
I'm just tired of the bullshit. I'm tired of duplicity and betrayal.
Those are my reasons. Other people's are their own.

I don't have a high level of hope. I've been single a long time, and the reality is that may not change. (The way I figure it, the odds aren't in my favor.) Because of that, I'm not willing to kiss a lot of frogs. In the meantime, I enjoy the life I have; and if I do find a partner....Bonus!!

I think they have difficulty connecting due to past baggage. The older you get the longer your list of "don't wants" becomes. Its about fear of additional crappy relationships more than fear of rejection.

Trouble connecting ? We're too complicated now - with too many choices, and a throw away attitude. Though I've met some fine people online, and had a couple really good relationships out of it, it seems online meets don't always allow for people to actually get past their initial reactions, and get to know one another. I always wondered how many I might have passed up, that would have been good for me ?

While it isn't always fun, I never saw rejection as something to be "feared". I don't want to be with anyone who does not want to be with me. Simple.
It's not personal, it's preference. Ya move on ...

I think that the greatest reason single people have difficulty connecting is that, in general, decent people willing to work on a relationship, stay in a relationship. A few single people were married to people who were unwilling to try, and those are emotionally damaged by putting up with so much before leaving. We need to work to be better people, and work to find someone else who is doing the same.

Learn to read the posts and what they are explaining. Open your mind to what is being posted aside from dating and then look up the term 'Agnostic'