For the purpose of this article I have used the words “ dating mistakes.” Although, I don’t believe we can really ever entirely mess it up with the right person, I do believe there are things men and women do while dating that can certainly make their dating process a lot less fun and rewarding.

So, what are the major dating mistakes men and women often overlook?

3 Dating Mistakes Women Make

1. Unrealistic expectations. Do you go from first date to wedding bells immediately in your head after going on a few dates with a guy? Not being able to live in the moment with him and let the relationship organically unfold can be stifling to new relationships. It’s great to think about the future but ensure you really get to know the guy first, before you decide if he’s marriage material.
2. You pretend to be something you’re not. Of course in the initial stages of dating we’re on our best behaviour so to speak, but are you still being true to yourself? Are you acting/dressing how you normally would? Pretending to be someone you’re not is a waste of your time and your dates time. It’s important for you to let this guy get to know the real you, you want someone who is going to love you for you.
3. Losing yourself in the relationship. Women are nurturers by nature. Sometimes there’s a tendency to get so wrapped up in the relationship that you loose yourself in the process.  As a result, your life ends up being about the partnership. It’s important you’re still doing things for you, that you love and enjoy.

3 Dating Mistakes Men Make

1. You make her feel unsafe. Are you someone she can rely on? Are your words and actions consistent? Do you disappear on her from time to time? Women who feel unsafe start to question the relationship. Consistency is everything to a woman. If you ask her out on a date, show up and show up on time. It’s quite simple, follow through with your word and show up for her.
2. You don’t make time for her. Transitioning from the single life to dating and eventually a relationship, can be difficult for some. With the right girl, it should feel relatively easy to give up some of that old “weekend friend time” to spend time with her. Showing up at her place late at night after going out with the boys or only hanging out with her during the week is going to breed doubt in her head about you.
3. You don’t communicate. Communication is huge for women. Be present and communicate with her as best you can. If you want a weekend with your friends, just let her know. It’s actually simpler then a lot of men think in their head. In actuality, managing expectations upfront is the best thing you can do for a woman.

            By Laura Bilotta, dating coach, matchmaker and the co-founder of Single in the City.

Below is an exert from brilliant article written by Zoya Sheftalovich from Choice that looks into the safety of traditional online dating sites & contains some great advise.  You might be surprised. We were...

"So you're looking for love, just like millions of other Australians. But where exactly should you be looking? Do free online dating sites offer a good service at the right price? Or should you stump up the cash for paid online dating sites instead? And how safe is online dating anyway?

Our investigation into popular online dating sites, including RSVP, eHarmony, Oasis Active, Plenty of Fish, Zoosk and OkCupid, and popular app Tinder, has found that scams are rife, and some privacy policies and terms and conditions are riddled with disturbing provisions.

Watch out for online dating site scamsThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been investigating online scammers who use dating sites and romance services as a feeding ground. In 2013 alone, Australians lost $25.3 million to these shysters.

The ACCC reports that they've received 2770 complaints, with more than 400 people saying they'd lost in excess of $10,000. In fact, 64 people reported losing more than $100,000. And shockingly, 43% of people who came into contact with dating and romance scams lost money – one of the highest conversion rates of scams reported to the ACCC.

Popular scams include convincing users to part with their personal details or money, which is often sent overseas and is unrecoverable.

"Scammers go to great lengths to gain your trust, spending months and even years building a relationship with you. Once your defences are lowered, they spin an elaborate tale about how they need your financial help with a crisis, such as being ill or stranded, and ask for money," says ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard.

"These scams can also pose a risk to your personal safety, as scammers are often part of international criminal networks. Scammers have lured unwitting Australian victims overseas, putting people in dangerous situations that can have tragic consequences."

Is online dating safe?Internet dating can be a great way to meet new people – and possibly find 'the one' – but it's important to keep your wits about you and protect your own privacy and safety, first and foremost.

Top 4 signs you're dealing with a scammer on an online dating site

1. You've never met or seen them: scammers will say anything to avoid a face-to-face meeting.
2. They're not who they appear to be: scammers steal photos and profiles from real people to create an appealing facade. Run a Google image search on photos, and search words in their description to check if they're the real deal.
3. You don't know a lot about them: scammers are keen to get to know you as much as possible, but are less forthcoming about themselves
4. They ask you for money: once the connection's been made – be it as a friend, admirer or business partner – scammers will ask you to transfer money. Don't fall for a tall tale, no matter how plausible it sounds.

How to stay safe on online dating sitesBefore you sign up for an online dating service, consider the following:

• Read terms and conditions so you know what you're signing up to and how much it will cost.
• Check your options for cancelling the contract.
• Set reminders in your phone or diary to cancel your subscription to avoid inadvertently rolling over for a further term.
• Research the business: conduct an internet search on the name of the company and verify any contact details.
• Create a separate email address for online dating.
• Never include personal information such as your real name, workplace, work or home address, phone number or birthday, in your profile.
• Do a reverse Google image search on photos of profiles to check for authenticity.
• When you meet somebody for the first time, pick a public place, tell a friend where you're going and keep the first meeting brief and inexpensive, such as grabbing a cup of coffee.
• Don't let somebody new pick you up or drop you at your home.
• Never send money to someone you've only ever contacted online or over the phone".

I get so many female clients who are over 35 and divorced who come to me operating under the assumption that they are at an automatic dating disadvantage because of their age. They tell me how frustrated they are trying to date being in the "over 35" age group.

Let me tell you something. They could not be more wrong. The biggest problem that these women have is not their age, but their mindset. So to any women who are in this demographic and feel like these women do about dating as an "over 35," here are five of the best ways to meet men if you are over 35.

1. If You Believe It Then It's True: Do you remember the famous Henry Ford quote "Whether you think you can, or that you can't, you are usually right?" I have found that you can meet amazing people anywhere and at any age. It's all about having an abundance mindset. So many people listen to their friends or the monkey chatter in their own head telling them all the obstacles that stand in their way as a single woman over the age of 35. Many times this comes from other single friends.

I don't listen to friends like this, because I find that many singles have attitudes that are just ridiculous. They love to buy into the negative, instead of the positive. I hear so many people who live in Los Angeles tell me that Los Angeles is the worst place to date if you're a woman over 35. Really?! It's the biggest city in the country and there's no one to meet if you're a woman over 35? C'mon!

What happens is that people will manifest the things on which they focus. So if women are focusing on disappointment, scarcity and failure in their dating life, then that's what they are going to experience in their dating life. I have found that you can always find someone who will agree with you when you are looking for confirmation about something negative because most people are negative. Most people love to commiserate, and most people really like having others commiserate with them. So the first thing you need to do is to change your mindset.

2. Take A Good Look At Yourself: I want to give you a little bit of a wake-up call. I want to challenge you to look deep inside your life. If you have had trouble meeting men, I want you to ask yourself if you've really done enough on your part to meet them.

Just like I tell singles of any age, your perfect person is not just going to show up at your doorstep one day with flowers and a bottle of wine in hand. You need to be proactive. So I want you to ask yourself if you've done enough. Have you really networked as much as you can? Have you gone on a great online dating site, wrote a really good profile and started contacting some men online? Have you researched what things are going on in your area to which you could go?

Have you truly done everything you possibly can do, because I seriously doubt that there are no men in their 40s that you can date. I just think that you've been frustrated, and you've let that get to you. It happens to a lot of single people . . . but take time now to "reset" and regroup.

3. Do Your Research: The next thing to do is to do a little "homework." Do some research and find out what things are going on and available in your area. See what things are interesting to you. Don't choose things you have no personal interest in just because you think there might be men there to meet. You will not only have more fun, but will also be most successful meeting people, when you are enjoying your life and creating good energy. At the same time, though, be open to lots of possibilities.

Here are some ideas for you to research. Try finding out about happy hours that are out there for people in their 40s. Consider speed dating events. Try having lunch in areas where there are hospitals where you can meet doctors. Go where lawyers are hanging out around lunchtime or during happy hours. Have you thought about going to car dealerships? Many of the high-end ones actually have parties. Go to one and tell them you'd love to come to one of their parties when they have new car releases. There's networking events like Toastmasters where people will go and they will speak. There are fundraisers. Think outside the box and get researching.

4. Make A List: So, I'm challenging you right now to put together a list. Find at least ten places you can go or ten things you can do in your town other than what I've suggested. I had a client one time who actually went to hospital and had lunch every single day because she wanted to meet a doctor. Sure enough, after two and-a-half months she did meet a doctor. It's all about pursuing what you want and taking the steps to get it.

5. Get Out There!: Now that we've talked about your mindset, had you do some research and even had you make a list, the only thing left to do is to actually get yourself out there and start meeting people. Life is in the field. Life is about enjoying the moment. Nothing happens for those who sit and wait though. So challenge yourself to take action every day. You won't believe what is waiting out there for you!

Following these five tips will get you well on your way to meeting lots of men. For all of the women who are over 35, there are tons of amazing and available men out there for you to meet. Think abundance and you will find them.

 David Wygant  http://www.twitter.com/davidwygant

1. Take a cooking class. (guys, that's where the ladies are!) The Golden Pig Food & Wine School is located in a large 310 sq. meter warehouse in Newstead, Brisvegas. They are a Cooking School that focuses on quality ingredients, teaching a variety of cuisines in a fun and funky environment. They hold a variety of cooking classes, wine and beer workshops and food and wine events and specialise in team building events. Their space is very different to most commercial kitchens – it is large and airy with lush plants and has a very relaxing ambiance. They aim to create a learning experience that is both fun and informal. Just do it!

2. Hit the Gym. Get fit and get social at the same time. Become a regular at any gym and you'll soon start to get to know people. There are hundreds of gyms in and around Brisbane that cater for many different styles of workout. Don't force it, but let the introduction and conversations happen naturally. Your effort will pay off. Check out a gym in your area here. 


3. Learn to Dance.  This is a personal favorite of mine, and in most classes I've taken, there have been an over whelming number of ladies to gentlemen. So particularly for the guys, this is a great way to meet lots of lovely active ladies all in a single night. River City Ballroom in Brisbane's West End teaches a range of lessons and caters from complete beginner to advanced. Definitely put this one on your to do list!


4.  The Markets. Brisbane is blessed with some amazing markets. We recommend the Eat Street Markets, Boundary Street Markets and the Jan Powers Farmers Markets. Grab a coffee or strike up a conversation about your mutual love of cronuts (half croissant, half donut…yes this is a real thing) from the Kromberry van and then find a quite place to share them. These days, these markets are packed full of people and a great way to meet.


5. Follow your passion. Do something your passionate about. It could be playing a sport, arts & crafts, pistol shooting, doll making or building a business. Google whatever you love doing and find others that love doing it too. Join a team, a club, or start your own. At the very least you'll have something in common with the people you will meet, and you'll be doing something that you love doing. Its a win win!

How often have you heard "its just so hard to meet people in Brisbane," or anywhere for that matter. It's something I've heard many times and I've even said it myself. It's ultimately what drove me to create A Table For Eight™.
I'd tried and failed miserably at internet dating, i just wanted to meet real people! All my friends were couples and I was busy at work  trying to establish my career so i didn't have time for extra curricular activities.  I just wanted to meet some new friends and hopefully find my Mr Right. Well no longer is it hard to meet people in Brisbane.
At A Table For Eight™ you could meet your best friend and your Mr or Miss right in the same night. The idea is simple, 4 single men and 4 single ladies  meet up over dinner at a great restaurant or event in Brisbane and enjoy getting to know each other in a fun, secure, no pressure environment. We cater for men and women aged 28 to 65+. If you or someone you knows is finding it hard to meet people in Brisbane, tell them to check out atableforeight.com.au