When you’ve been in the dating game as long as I have, continuous nights out with someone potentially special or wonderfully promising can start to feel monotonous. Even if you’re seeing different individuals on each date, expanding your horizons and meeting new people, it doesn’t mean that you can’t fall into somewhat of a dating routine. It’s not uncommon - we’re creatures of habit - but just going through the dating motions can definitely hinder your ability to meet someone fantastic and life-changing.

Which is why it’s important to continuously evaluate and elevate your dating game, even (and I’d argue, especially) when you’re putting yourself out there with all the positivity your mind can muster. Here are just a few ways I keep my dating game on point and make sure every date doesn’t feel like the last one.

Try new restaurants

We all have our favorite places and, obviously, they’re our favorites for a reason. It can be tempting to continuously visit your favorite food spots - especially if you’re excited to share them with someone else. However, I urge you to try something different every single time. Go to a new restaurant that just opened, try an oldie that you haven’t had the opportunity to experience or let your date choose so you can get a sense of who they are and what they like. This will make sure that each date feels different because each date is at a different location.

Don’t date the same “type” of person

Just like our favorite restaurants, we all have a specific “type” that we look for when we’re dating. It’s great to be honest with yourself about your likes and dislikes, especially if they’re going to determine whether or not you’re compatible with someone else. At the same time, we stifle ourselves when we limit our potential dating pool. You never know who will end up clicking - it honestly can be someone completely unexpected - so if you really want to give yourself the best shot at dating, and make sure it doesn’t feel routine, try dating different people. I can promise you, every date will seem like an adventure.

Don’t ask the same “get to know you” questions

I don’t know about you, but when I go on dates I usually ask the same round of questions, sometimes ad nauseam. Full disclosure: they almost always involve someone’s favorite movie, favorite music and favorite spot in the city. All important questions, to be fair, but they can also make me feel like I’m on the same date over and over. When I’m truly thinking about the person sitting in front of me and taking them into account, I start tailoring my questions to fit them specifically. Of course, there are some questions that should be asked of everyone regardless, but asking different questions that are specific to your unique date will help each date feel different.

Go on a unique date

Most dates involve dinner, drinks or lunch. If you’re feeling “blah” about your dating life, try thinking outside of the box and going on a unique date. Take a ferry and have dinner on one of the islands outlining Seattle, check out an art exhibit or take a glass-blowing class. The city, and everything that surrounds it, is literally your oyster, so don’t confine your dating environment to nothing more than a dimly-lit restaurant.

Try your hand at a group date

If you still feel like going on one-on-one dates is starting to feel routine, try going on a group date. Get together with friends and potential love interests and go do something fun where each member of the group has a chance to get to know someone else. Bowling, a sporting event, a bar hopping scavenger hunt; all good opportunities to make dating new and exciting.

When you’re dating regularly and optimistically searching for that someone special, it can be difficult not to manifest your dating habits into nothing more than a predictable routine. Like anything else worthwhile in life, you have to be vigilant and work at it and put your best foot forward. It might sound like a lot of work, but it honestly isn’t and - I promise you - it’s more than worth it.

Until the next time I kiss and tell,

The Seattle Dating Diva

This post originally appeared on www.itsjustlunchseattle.com/blog Thanks for the great advice Seattle Matchmaking Team!