So you have met this terrific person that is into the same exact activities that you are into.  Most people would call this type of dating special interest dating because these activities may not be common like horse back riding, martial arts or even musicians.  It is one thing to have an open minded partner who is interested in learning what you know and another is a person who already participates in what you do.  In this way, you are able to collaborate together rather than have the teacher student dynamic in the relationship.

There are two very different sides to special interest dating.  Finding someone who enjoys what you love to do is a great way to meet this person first of all and then to spend time with them.  Life is so busy sometimes that between working and studying, the few hours that you have off, you want to spend them doing something that you love.  However, if you have a partner, you will be expected to spend time with this person.  With special interest dating, you can spend time with the person that you have or want to have a relationship with and do what you love to do.

You can learn a lot about your special interest from your partner’s point of view.  This could be valuable and interesting information that makes you fall deeper in love.  At this point, special interest dating seems to be the best type of dating out there.  Here comes the but.  A major downside of special interest dating is that if one day you do not want to pursue your special interest or can no longer do it, then you may lose the one bond that was holding your relationship together.  You may even become resentful if your partner can continue to participate while you cannot.

You may also lose your identity in special interest dating,  Many people pride themselves in having a talent.  When you share that talent with the person you love, you may feel like you are less special.  Therefore, if you want to feel good in your relationship and have a strong relationship despite having a common interest then it is important to have interests outside of your special interest.  If you are a martial artist, it may be better to train in different dojos.  If you are a musician, you may want to play in a different band then your partner.  This way you can keep your identities and separate your lives a little while still having a common interest to link each other together.

This post was written by Allison Schleck of Senior Dating