The Dating Pool Has Pee in It — But I’m Still Swimming

Let’s be honest: modern dating feels like a toxic Olympic sport where everyone’s got their own playbook, half the contestants forgot deodorant, and the water? Well, the dating pool definitely has pee in it.

IYKYK.

We’re swiping left on dudes holding fish, dodging love bombers and ghosters, and trying to figure out if that “good morning beautiful” text is sincere—or just sent to five other women before coffee. At this point, finding love feels less like serendipity and more like survival.

It’s Not Just You — Dating Really Has Changed

If you feel like dating is harder now, you’re not being dramatic. The mix of social media, dating apps, hookup culture, and a global attention span crisis has made intentional relationships feel rare. We’re living in a time where:

• People confuse attention with affection

• “What are we?” is a scary question

• Vulnerability is seen as weakness

• And everyone’s trying to heal and date at the same time (often badly)

We’re navigating a world where real connection is often buried under layers of unhealed trauma, commitment-phobia, and performative intimacy. It’s exhausting.

So, What Do We Do? Swim Smarter. Not Harder.

You don’t have to give up hope, but you do have to date differently. That starts with protecting your peace and raising your standards—and I mean actually raising them, not just reposting memes about “knowing your worth.”

Here are a few lessons from someone who’s been treading water for a while:

💡 1. Stop Dating Potential

He might be charming, creative, and “working on himself”—but until that potential turns into progress, it’s a no. You’re not a rehab center. You’re the reward.

💡 2. Ask Better Questions

Stop asking “What’s your favorite color?” and start asking “How do you handle conflict?” or “When’s the last time you were emotionally available?” If they flinch, you just dodged a bullet.

💡 3. Trust Consistency, Not Chemistry

Chemistry will have you ignoring your intuition. Consistency? That’s the foundation of something real.

💡 4. Know When to Walk

If you have to question whether someone likes you, they don’t. If they wanted to, they would. If you’re constantly anxious around them, that’s not butterflies—it’s your nervous system warning you.

Hope Floats — Even in Murky Water

Yes, the dating pool has pee in it. Yes, it’s filled with people still healing, still lying, still figuring themselves out. But you? You’re learning how to swim with discernment.

Don’t let a few disappointments convince you that love isn’t out there. It is—but it’s waiting for you to stop wasting time on puddles and start expecting oceans.

So, keep swimming, queen. Just don’t drink the water.