You were recently matched with an older woman on a dating site.

Her dating profile impressed you.

There were common interests and shared values.

Thus far, she has been one of the better dating profiles you have been matched with.

Not to mention, she is attractive too.

The elephant in the room?

She is an older woman and you have never dated an older woman before.

It’s not a year or two older either, it’s several years.

So now you are stuck with a question that has been driving you mad for a few hours.

Should you try dating an older woman?

Do a quick mental exercise.

Close your eyes.

Imagine a life with this older woman.

Does this vision come to you seamlessly or are you struggling with it?

If you are struggling to envision a life with this older woman, you have internal reservations about it.

This isn’t good.

Were you to ignore these internal reservations and date her anyway, they are destined to surface.

When they surface, the likelihood your relationship with her suffers is monumental.

It may not withstand it, leaving you two on opposite ends of the argument without a resolution.

For many relationships, the rise of such poignant internal reservations that have no resolution is akin to straddling a sinking ship.

You have to come to terms with these internal reservations.

Some internal reservations can be overcome and some others can’t.

How strong are these internal reservations?

An internal reservation that is brimming with bias is the most malicious.

With this bias, no matter what this older woman does, you stubbornly look at her age as an impediment.

For example, as an internal bias, you think an older woman won’t have the stamina to keep up with your active lifestyle.

In dating this older woman, your hypothesis is challenged.

She does have stamina.

She goes to the gym with you.

Plays sports with you.

Runs errands for you.

However, at night, she dozes off an hour or two sooner than you do.

You jump on this.

You already had an internal bias and now you exploit it.

You use her older age as a reason why she falls asleep sooner than you do, as you ignore the overwhelming evidence that shows she does have stamina in other areas.

This is how you put this relationship on course for failure, which is why you have to address those internal reservations and how deep they go.

An unshakeable internal bias is the biggest enemy.

Having one makes it impossible to judge her fairly, as you pick out minor imperfections to prove your point.

Going back to the exercise, if you have no trouble visualizing a life with this older woman, with nigh a reservation or bias, half of the work is done.

The next step is to talk to her.

There has to be no internal reservations with your age on her end as well.

Have this discussion about age done early so that there is a mutual understanding.

As long as this is established, the potential for future romance is left to how well you two connect.