What's stopping you from finding a good partner? How to avoid bad dates and broken hearts

3. Trust your gut
Your intuition, your sixth sense, is worth developing. Is there a huge gap between what you are being told and what you are actually seeing and sensing with your partner? Check that out. Forget about not wanting to offend someone. Call him or her on bad behaviour and bad vibes. Check out your perceptions and reactions with others that you know and trust. In short, don't give a player another minute of your precious time.

4. Trust friends
Listen and learn when the people closest to your potential date make them the butt of jokes. Drinking too much, being perpetually unemployed and the like should be major deal breakers for you. Run far away before you become a part of that sad, unfunny picture.

5. Trust your spiritual barometer
Do you believe that life is guided by a higher power? A bigger purpose than for just your own happiness? Partner choice can go a long way toward helping or hindering your ability to live out the destiny meant for you. Be reflective and meditative, listening wisely for the unsettled disquiet or all-out anxiety that a particularly ill-suited companion might evoke in you. If you tolerate unacceptable behaviour because you can't live without someone, you're DUI -- dating under the influence -- of guileless body chemicals rather than a benevolent guiding life force. Time for a course correction!

6. Trust your kids
Don't make your kids your confidants around adult matters, but listen to what they say and notice their reactions to people and situations. Talk with them about both their unease and their too speedy familiarity with someone new in their life. There may be some "mouth of babes" wisdom that you would be wise to heed. Sadly, there are predators who will try to get close to you in order to get at your kids.

7. Trust your dog
Kids and dogs often have a heightened awareness of the good and evil in people. Mild jealousy is to be expected when you introduce a new love to a family pet; however, lock the doors on anyone who causes Fido to growl or bare his teeth and pay attention if your pet's negative reaction is out of character or extends beyond the first couple of meetings.

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