50 Dates with Rita Chand
Life Rising
Rita has a huge, open heart. She is kind, smart, beautiful and witty. In our one hour chat, she taught us a lot about the online dating scene and about life in general.
Rita is a self proclaimed expert in online dating. She’s had years of experience on different sites and knows the ins and outs of the process.
“There’s the cynical side that is so easy to build on, because it’s a terrible dating environment out there. And then there’s the hopeful side. I know I’m awesome. There has to be someone awesome out there that’s waiting to meet me. I just don’t know who that is yet.”
“I’m awesome. There has to be someone awesome out there that’s waiting to meet me. I just don’t know who that is yet.”
50 Dates in her 50th Year
Rita shared that she had experienced a rough year in 2019 in all areas of her life.
“Many not-so-great things happened this year. I was really feeling this hit of turning 50. I thought, how do I want my 50th year to go? So, I made a list of 50 things I wanted to do and accomplish in my 50th year. I ended up with 49 things on my list. My best friend asked what the 50th thing was going to be. I joked that someone had mentioned I go on 50 dates. So, we made a deal - she would run 50 miles per week if I agreed to go on 50 dates this year!”
Rita is no stranger to giving herself challenges to accomplish each year. One of the other things on her list is giving away $50 to 50 different people. Once it’s on the list, she has to do it. She is also known in Victoria, BC for the Hugging project.
“My best friend asked what the 50th thing was going to be. I joked that someone had mentioned I go on 50 dates. So, we made a deal - she would run 50 miles per week if I agreed to go on 50 dates this year! ”
Rita discovered a New York Times article called, The 36 Questions that Lead to Love. The questions, written by psychologists, are intended to bring two strangers closer together. She has centered many dates around these questions. “Going through these questions on a date, gives you the opportunity to really get to know someone. If the answers do not jive with you, you know you will not go out again. “
When we asked her how she envisions her next loving relationship, she says,
“I am looking for the feelings I will have in this relationship: warmth , safety, knowingness - knowing someone has my back, every single day.”
“I am looking for the feelings I will have in this relationship: warmth , safety, knowingness - knowing someone has my back, every single day.”
Rita has an attitude of giving and gratitude she carries into her daily life. “I wake up every day with the intention of making a difference for at least one person. In my partnership, it is knowing there is someone in my life who wants to do that for me and who I can do that for every day. I want to be that person for someone and vise versa. I want to be with someone who gets who I am in the world. Someone who plays LIFE at the same level. I refer to this as Life Rising.”
Oprah said, “Life will continue to rise. You can choose to rise with it or stay the same.” Rita was so inspired by these words that she had this mantra tattooed on her collarbone. “You have to be willing to rise to the occasion - Life is not about always being comfortable. I want to be inspired by someone to be the best version of myself.”
Rita is on a mission to #makedatingfunagain because she is tired of hearing people complain about how terrible dating is. “Yes, it sucks sometimes - but I am not complaining about it. It’s just what's happening. If you want to go shopping at Winners, you have to weed through a lot of s#@*! So, that’s what I am doing! I know he’s out there. That is why...50 Dates in my 50th year.”