Author Archives: Hannah Grace

‘New year, new me’. We hear this phrase so many times (and sometimes say it!) with New Year’s resolutions. We make health plans, fitness and life goals and, of course, dating ambitions – all ready to start at the stroke of midnight. The excitement and pressure build, the determination is there, but according to the US News and World report, 80% of the New Year’s resolutions fail by February. How are yours going so far?!

Dating during this past year has had unique challenges. We’ve all had to cope with isolation, whether single, newly dating or in a relationship. When I was single and waiting impatiently for God to show me the right man, I found I had many moments of loneliness, impatience, frustration and despair. Christmas accentuated it. Every Christmas, I would say “This is the year I meet my husband,” and for many years I was disappointed. But every year gave me time to prepare, reflect and grow closer to God.

The acting life can easily become all-consuming. Emotions flying everywhere – nerves before auditions and shows, not knowing if I’ll get the job or not, excitement on opening night, heartbreak when I’ve worked so hard for a job and then find out someone else got it! Having performed in shows like ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ on the London stage and ‘Mary Poppins’ internationally, I know it’s a rollercoaster, unpredictable, a whirlwind, and a joy.

Whenever I prepared for a date, I was nervous (of course) and excited (sometimes!) but I would get very anxious about certain areas of how the date would go. Would I run out of conversation? Would it be awkward? What if he tried to kiss me? My brain would go on overdrive and I would often consider backing out so I wouldn’t have to deal with the uncertainty.

In dating, everyone you meet comes from a different background. What makes each person unique is their own culture, personality, and upbringing. Your own experiences will shape exactly what you would like in a lifetime partner – and what you want to avoid!

A tricky thing, whether you’re single or dating, is the temptation to compare your life, status or relationship with other people’s. Whether it’s strangers on social media, influencers, people you see on the street or even family and friends, it can be easy to assume others have it better. If you want to find love, seeing happy couples beaming on romantic breaks, picture-perfect proposals and lavish gifts with captions of “my one and only” or “so blessed” can be hard to take.

“Communication is key” – how many times do we hear that? It’s crucial in all relationships. From the moment I first started talking on Christian Connection with the man who is now my husband, we were polar opposites in regard to our hours, vicinity and quite frankly, our lives! We hardly ever saw each other in person. We relied on communication over distance and had to communicate emotionally too (which sometimes is difficult with the barrier of a screen).

The current guidance on not meeting in person creates a big dating challenge: how am I meant to get to know someone I can’t meet? On the surface, it could seem impossible to get to know someone well. But…Praise God! There is no reason to stop dating – in fact it’s a great time to start!