How to Find Love

First things first, work on being your most confident self.

DON’T Expect White Tablecloths - Do you have money for fancy restaurants and bottle service? No? So don’t expect that freshman who asked you out to drop a ton of cash on a date with you. In fact, be prepared to split the bill at the dive you hit up around the corner from campus, or better yet, plan a free date, like a walk in the park or an outdoor movie.  (Photo: Fuse/Getty Images)

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L-O-V-E - Your friends are all booed up, but you’re still looking for real love. Don’t worry—he’s out there! Follow these tips, and you’ll be on the path to meeting your love, too. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel (Photo: Fuse/Getty Images)

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Be Content - If you are not happy with where you are in your life right now, it will be hard to enter into a relationship that honors joy. Work on being your most confident self and the good vibes will radiate from you each time you smile. And that, my dear, is extremely attractive.

Cutting 500 Calories - So let’s start with the basic. If you want to lose a pound a week, each week you have to slash 500 calories a day from your diet, i.e. 3,500 a week. The easiest way is to slash 250 calories in your diet and burn 250 calories with exercise.  (Photo: Paul Bradbury / Getty Images)

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Do Something New - If you aren’t meeting eligible partners as you go about your day, change things up. Go to another grocery store, head to a museum you’ve been meaning to visit, hit the gym at a different time, or take that cooking class you read about last month. Not only will you put yourself in a position to meet someone, but he might even share your love for trying new things. (Photo: Paul Bradbury / Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Paul Bradburyu0000 / Getty Images/ Paul Bradbury / Getty Images

Look for the Lesson - It’s hard to believe that everything happens for a reason when you’re dealing with a disaster, but you can get something out of it if you search for what you’re supposed to learn from the situation. Did you get passed over for your dream job because you weren’t able to effectively sell your skill set? Now you know what to work on for the next time an opportunity comes up. (Photo: Hero Images/Getty Images)

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Have Faith - It’s not enough to think that maybe, someday, perhaps, you will find yourself in a loving relationship. You have to know that it will happen, and you will unconsciously live your life preparing for your next chapter. (Photo: Hero Images/Getty Images)

Be Proactive - You’ll never meet your great love if you sit in the house alone every weekend. Host an ex-boyfriend party, where your single girlfriends have to bring someone great who they used to date. Or tag along with your homegirl the next time she has drinks with her old coworkers or her friends from college. (Photo: James Carman/Getty Images)

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Be Proactive - You’ll never meet your great love if you sit in the house alone every weekend. Host an ex-boyfriend party, where your single girlfriends have to bring someone great who they used to date. Or tag along with your homegirl the next time she has drinks with her old coworkers or her friends from college. (Photo: James Carman/Getty Images)

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Know What You Want - Most women know what they don’t want in their next mate, and some know what they do want. But it’s even more helpful to focus on how you want to feel. Safe? Adored? Heard? Make a list of how you want to feel when you are involved with the love of your life, and tuck it away. Without even realizing it, you’ll pay closer attention to your interactions with potential boyfriends to see if they are a match. (Photo: Jamie Grill/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Jamie Grill/Getty Images

Interracial Dating May Not Be for You - What works for some may not work for others. If you find that dating a non-Black person isn’t for you and that you prefer to be with someone Black, then that’s OK, too. It’s good to try out new things and find out what you want for sure. (Photo: Skip ODonnell/GettyImages)

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Take a Chance - We’re not saying you should settle. Never that. But the super-sweet (but borderline dorky) dude who asked you out in the elevator at work might actually be a fun date. And the guy your mom says would be perfect for you might be worth a quick call to see where his head is. If he’s not a good fit, you can move on, but at least be open to the possibility. (Photo: Skip ODonnell/GettyImages)

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Forgive Your Exes - When you are able to move beyond the hurtful things you’ve experienced, you’ll be in a better position to learn from those situations and not make the next man pay for them. So let it all go, whether that means making a conscious decision to not let those concerns interfere, or actually having a convo with the last dude to get some closure. Your next partner will thank you. (Photo: Eric Audras/Getty Images)

Consider Your Motive - It’s important to think about why you want to be in a relationship, because it will impact the type of union you create. Do you want to share your life with someone? Or are you looking for someone to rescue you from loneliness, or make you feel happy? Tying your emotions to someone else will always leave you feeling out of control and dependent. Until you learn to make your own joy, you’ll have trouble attracting someone who is happy with himself—which is crucial to creating a mutually beneficial love connection. (Photo: Joshua Hodge Photography/Getty Images)

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Consider Your Motive - It’s important to think about why you want to be in a relationship, because it will impact the type of union you create. Do you want to share your life with someone? Or are you looking for someone to rescue you from loneliness, or make you feel happy? Tying your emotions to someone else will always leave you feeling out of control and dependent. Until you learn to make your own joy, you’ll have trouble attracting someone who is happy with himself—which is crucial to creating a mutually beneficial love connection. (Photo: Joshua Hodge Photography/Getty Images)