All the world's a stage!

It might go by different names including The Law of Attraction, the Golden Rule, or even Karma but, simply put, if you want a positive outcome, you need to attract what you want into your life by aligning your thoughts to the outcome you are looking for. Positive thinking works!

Anyone who knows me well will be aware that I like to set myself challenges. I believe that life is for living and I don’t want to sit in my rocking chair as an old woman thinking about all the things I wish that I had achieved. However, when I was young I would always think about the negative and was afraid to try new things because I was worried about failing or about people laughing at me. What I have discovered with age is that people may well laugh at me when I try things – but I laugh a whole lot more myself – and that makes me feel great! So, I have tried to concentrate on the positive feelings in my heart and thoughts in my mind and rather than worry about what others might say about me I know think about my own future and how I want to feel, as well as what I want to accomplish.

So, now, I pay attention to those feelings that leave me feeling good and not to those that don’t. This can be most clearly demonstrated last week, when I appeared in an amateur production of Anything Goes. I love to dance and perform but, as a youngster, I never had the confidence to stand on stage and do so – my performances were restricted to my bedroom. Since reaching 40, I have decided to get rid of that demon and do some of the things I never had the guts to do. So, I have now taken some dancing exams and have sung and danced in front of an audience. Yes I was nervous – but I did it! And what a feeling it has left with me.

So, why am I telling you about this? Well, we are always talking to our RSVP members to get out on our many singles events because we know it is such a great way to meet potential new partners. And many of our members are initially horrified at the thought. But, if I can get up on stage and dance – you can come along to a singles event! What’s the worst that can happen? You might just have some fun!

And, take the moment I forgot my steps in the middle of a dance; I thought everyone would notice, but, actually, if I hadn’t mentioned it, no-one would have noticed! I just kept smiling and carried on!

So how do you cope with attending a hosted event where you don’t know anyone? You want to make sure you are really focusing on the positive outcomes and do your best to push the negative out of your mind. The huge benefit with RSVP singles events is that everyone's single, so they're all in the same boat as you; the big negative thought that the person you approach is already attached just isn't there. The positive thoughts will make you much more receptive to experiencing positive feelings. Then you will start to relax and enjoy yourself. And when you are smiling and having a good time you are much more attractive to others.  

And remember that seemingly unrelated and inconsequential encounters can have a great significance as you pursue your dreams. You might not meet the partner of your dreams at your first event - though there are plenty of RSVP success stories where that has happened - but you'll surely make some more friends and they may know someone who might be just right for you. In today’s world of instant gratification and microwave popcorn, we need to take more time to focus on persistence while we remember that those things that happen easiest or fastest are often not the best.

How successful is RSVP?

One of the questions I am often asked is how successful we are? There are lots of ways to answer that depending on what question is really being asked? Some people want to be reassured that they are joining a real organisation with a good reputation, especially if they have had a bad experience with an online site. RSVP has been successfully matching people for over twenty years and many of our new clients come to us as recommendations from friends and family who met their partners through RSVP.

Other people are curious about the nitty gritty of their membership; how can we run so many events? How does the matching process really work? I think that the popularity of our hosted events is due partly to the variety of activities offered in each RSVP singles events calendar, partly to the care we take to keep a good male to female ratio of attendees and partly because all events are run by an experienced host. As to the matching process, I think the secret is simple: its done by real people not just by entering search-terms into a database. All of our matchmakers are experienced at looking at your personality, your qualities and interests and are experts at predicting who will get on well and how to avoid those bad dates.

Most commonly though, the question really being asked is will I really meet my partner? Of course we can't give guarantees; love is not that predictable but yes it really does work. We have many many success stories of happy couples in lasting relationships. Sometimes this happens quickly; more often it takes a bit more time but each week couples put their membership on hold to concentrate on their new relationships. Many couples meet through their introductions. For others attraction happens on events; sometimes in an instant and other times as a slow burn. Someone told me recently how friendship turned to love quite unexpectedly after over a year of casual meetings at various events.

So although there are no certainties in life the more you put in the more you get out so why not give RSVP a try and see if you could be one of our future success stories?

Spring into action with RSVP singles events

Spring is fast approaching with everybody hoping for an improvement in the weather! Once the sun does start to finally shine, what better way to enjoy it than by attending an RSVP singles event?

The new RSVP singles event calendar for April - June 2013 is now hot off the press. Packed full of exciting hosted events and activities, there really is no better way to meet fellow like minded singles.

Looking through the calendar you will find an exciting mix of high adrenalin activities and relaxed informal evening events. Whichever you are more suited to, there really is something for every member to come along to and enjoy.

Throughout April, May and June you can enjoy a wide range of events such as:

• Sunday Walks and Cycle Rides
• Evening Horse Racing
• Walking Weekends
• Evening Meals at Country Pubs
• Exclusive RSVP Summer Ball Weekend

These are just a selection of the many events available to RSVP dating and singles events members.

Not a member? Don't panic, just request a sample RSVP singles events calendar so you can see what you have been missing out on! Once you're are member you too can choose from up to 50 hosted events and activities per month.

If you are a little nervous about attending, don't worry, as all of our events are hosted by an experiences RSVP host who will help ease you through your first few events. Also, we offer the chance to attend events alongside an RSVP Buddy, so you'll never feel left alone at anytime.

Spring yourself into action and start enjoying life as an RSVP singles events member!

RSVP Valentine's Ball

Valentine's is just around the corner and here at RSVP we are expecting love to be in the air at our exclusive Valentine's Ball!

After receiving some fantastic feedback and watching so many of our members enjoy themselves at last year's Valentine's party, we thought it best to arrange another black tie event.

The newly refurbished Holiday Inn, Weldon, Northamptonshire is the setting for our much anticipated Valentine's Ball, and if last year's event is anything to go by then this is most defiantly an evening not to miss!

RSVP members attending the event will enjoy a sumptuous three course meal followed by dancing until the early hours.

There is even an opportunity to enjoy other members company further with a relaxed Sunday morning stroll along the picturesque Welland Valley, taking in some fantastic views of Harringworth Viaduct.

There's also the option of stopping off for a bite to eat at the George and Dragon pub, in nearby Seaton before it's time pick up your bags and head home.

If you can't make this event don't worry as their are some fantastic events coming up in the January - March 2013 calendar for RSVP dating and singles events members. So why not kick start your new year by attending some events and meeting fellow like minded singles?

Dating: the science

Guest post from Harriet Barnett of Nottingham Trent University:

RSVP is one of the most successful dating agencies that has an abundance of success stories from members, but what makes these relationships so successful? My name is Harriet Barnett, I am a psychology student from Nottingham Trent University in my third year conducting my final year project into what factors make relationships successful. I am hoping to find several factors that support previous literature showing that factors such as intimacy, trust and similarity - to name a few - contribute to this.

Very kindly, RSVP have allowed me to interview several of their previous members who have now met their partner. These short interviews are then transcribed and analysed and will be presented anonymously in my report, which is proving a delightful task at the moment – one I know many of my fellow third years would look at me strangely for saying! The interview – or as I prefer to call it – casual chat – includes questions regarding the formation and maintenance of the relationship as well as the features of a relationship that ‘make it work’.

Once the report has been completed and I have finished my third year (a terrifying thought at this moment in time!) in the summer, I will be presenting my anonymised findings to RSVP, who will no doubt pass them on in this blog! Meanwhile, if you have any questions or thoughts please feel free to share them with me through the RSVP contact page; it’d be a pleasure to hear from you!

Start 2013 with something new

2013 is nearly upon us and the events team here at RSVP have just sent out the new January-March calendar to RSVP dating and singles events members.

The start of the new year is a great opportunity to try something new or embark on a fresh romance, so start the new year on a positive note by coming to few more RSVP singles events.

You can now book your tickets for our Valentines Ball; this has proved very successful in previous years in sparking off some new romances, so let's get dressed up, make some new friends and who knows where it might lead?

After last year's success we have reserved tickets for the Burn's Night at Moor Hall Hotel; this event sells out fast, so please don't leave it to the last minute and be disappointed. Book Today!

We are excited to be running a photography course in March; whether you have an SLR or a compact camera, come and spend the day with a professional photographer and learn how to get the results that will impress your friends. The morning will concentrate on landscapes and outdoor photography and after lunch the focus will be people and portraits. This will be a great opportunity to ask lots of questions and pick up tips from a professional. Places are limited so book early.

By request we have included an event at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. The National Cafe is a lovely venue to have lunch and followed by a stroll around the gallery seems a perfect way to spend a winter afternoon.

Whatever type of events appeals to you, there is a wide range available to choose from, all of which will be hosted by one of our fantastic hard working RSVP hosts.

No fakes at RSVP...

During a meeting this week with a prospective new dating agency member, we were chatting about her online dating experiences and how disappointing she had found it. Amongst the usual stories of meeting guys who didn't live up to the expectations of their profiles and pictures, she mentioned that just as her membership was due to expire she received an email from a guy who was a near perfect match to what she was looking for. As she couldn't reply to him as a lapsed member, she paid for another three months membership. Sadly, despite the interest he showed initially, she never heard from him again. Funny, that. 

This was particularly interesting as it has been reported on Channel4 last week that a large internet dating provider has admitted to using fake profiles on their sites to entice people into paying to join. They confessed that they employed some 20 people to send fabricated messages from these profiles to deceive their members and keep them paying for longer. The report focused on a "white label" dating site where many different themed dating sites share one database of members, so unless you read the small print you may not realise you have joined a variety of differently branded sites and not all may reflect your taste or requirements.

There is no denying that lots of people turn to internet dating when looking for a partner. However, many discover the experience to be impersonal and disappointing at best and some fall victim to scammers and unscrupulous people pretending to be someone they are not. Many of our members here at RSVP have told us they prefer the personal approach that we provide and that our joining process, which includes meeting all of our members face-to-face, helps them to feel safer and better prepared for their dates.

One of our primary aims at RSVP is to provide a professional, personal, confidential and honest service. We want our members to meet a new partner. Many have shared stories of their positive experiences of RSVP with their friends. With over 20 years experience behind us and many successful, lasting relationships formed, we have absolutely no need to use fake profiles or to hide behind someone else's brand. RSVP members really are who they say they are.