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Would you leave the house wearing purple shoes with orange pants? I hope not; even though you may adore each of them equally, they just don't match.

You've got to use some common sense when you're looking for the perfect match. That goes for any category, too - if you need matching shoes, a matching handbag, or a matching significant other. Sometimes, though, we let our fluttering hearts outshine our common sense - and that's always bad news.

The question remains: how do you find the perfect match?

WALK IN SOMEONE ELSE'S PURPLE SHOES
The first thing you must do when you're looking for the perfect match is to be objective. As tempted as you may be to throw caution (and common sense) to the wind, don't do it. You won't be doing yourself any justice if you don't think things all the way through. Step outside and look in - and be honest with yourself about what you see.

We all know I'm talking about singles, not shoes, so ask yourself if the potential significant other has anything more to offer you than what's on the outside. Naturally, a pleasant exterior is always a bonus - no sense denying that - but sometimes the interior is in a total shambles. Your perfect match will have things on the inside that you actually like not just things you pretend to like "just because" or that you think you'll have to learn to tolerate.

I have kissed a lot of frogs, I'll tell you that. I could have saved a lot of money on Chap Stick, too, if I had stepped outside, looked in, and been honest with myself.

LOOKIN' FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES
It makes sense: you've got to look in the right places if you want to find the right match. Sometimes you'll get struck by a lightning bolt, and it doesn't matter where you are; however, a lot of other things in life are much more common than getting struck by lighting. I believe you've got a better chance of making it to the semi-finals of American Idol by singing a Michael Jackson cover, but the official numbers aren't in yet.

If you don't drink and don't much care for people who do, you've got no business going to a bar to meet other singles. Even if you did meet someone whose company you enjoyed, what are the chances that he or she has the same feelings as you do about alcohol consumption? (I ask, and I answer: Slim to none!)

Remember - you do owe it to yourself to be happy. If you won't be happy, you don't have to tolerate a darned thing coming from a potential significant other. Don't you dare say to yourself, "I guess I can deal with that, because I like most of the other things about him or her." You deserve better, but you won't get it if you settle for less than a great match.

DATING SERVICES AND THE LIKE
I can't claim to have personal experience with dating services, but I've seen the same commercials on television that you have. Don't forget, though, that no company CEO in their right mind is going to authorize a commercial that shows people with dashed hopes and broken hearts.

I've also heard the horror stories. In my opinion, you should take the random aspect out of it and get off your bum - go searching for the perfect match on your own.

You'll find your match. You may have to go through a lot of trial and error first - pucker up for those frogs - but it will be worth it. In the process, you'll learn a lot about yourself and what makes you happy (and what doesn't). Every day, remember that you deserve to be happy; if you hold that close to your heart, you'll come out just fine.

Learn more about this author, Angie Papple.
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