The “half-your-age-plus-seven” rule requires that you divide your age in half and add seven to it to determine the minimum age of someone you date.

It has been around for a while as a concept, but it is antiquated.

Putting yourself into a stifling box in reference to who you date is ill-advised.

It causes you to lose out on potential partners whose ages fall below the mathematical calculation of the rule.

Should you so happen to meet a girl whose age doesn’t fall within the parameters of the rule, but has the potential to be a worthy match to you, you risk not taking her seriously on account of the violation of the “half-your-age-plus-seven” rule.

That is not wise.

Obviously, age is a factor in dating.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that a girl who is younger than the age that fits the rule isn’t a worthy potential partner.

Obviously, whoever you choose to date should be of lawful age, but besides this, it is more important to find someone that you have a bona fide connection with, irrespective of the rule.

As aforementioned, should you become too stuck on this rule, you risk losing out on a woman that is a great match for you, but so happens to not fit the age requirement of the rule.

This said, it’s critical that you know what it is you are looking for in a partner.

It all starts with this.

Without a clear grasp on the qualities of the potential partner that you want to date, you are lost in the wilderness.

This leaves you with no clear direction.

A boat without a paddle so to speak.

Although age is a factor in dating, a potential partner’s lifestyle, character, goals, values, and more, are major factors too.

The peril in religiously sticking with the “half-your-age-plus-seven” rule is in how it narrows the pool of potential partners that you are capable of entertaining.

Dating is a numbers game after all.

When you are so restricted in who you think has relationship potential, thanks to this rule, you risk entertaining the wrong type of woman.

Even though you are aware that she doesn’t have the requisite qualities you so desire in a potential partner, you give her a pass because she passes the “half-your-age-plus-seven” rule, and falls within the appropriate age range.

Sadly, you are overlooking the vital qualities you desire in a potential partner.

Think about the qualities you want in a potential partner.

Is she outdoorsy, responsible with money, spiritually or religiously convicted, intelligent, etc.,?

Whatever it is that matters to you in a potential partner in terms of her qualities, you risk overlooking them when you are too devoted to this age rule.

Naturally, the longer it takes for you to find a partner whose age falls in line with this rule, the likelier you become desperate enough to take whatever you can get, irrespective of the fact that she is deficient in so many of the qualities you want in a potential partner.

Unwisely, you decide to commit to her, all due to a dogged devotion to the “half-your-age-plus-seven” rule.

This leads to a miserable relationship that ends in bitterness.

Remember that you are the one who gets stuck in a relationship with the wrong partner as a result of an ill-advised devotion to this rule.

It’s not society that gets stuck in it.

You are the one that does.

Keeping this in mind, stop worrying about what age society deems appropriate to date.

When you are choosing a life partner, what matters most is who is most compatible with you.

Should that woman be younger than what the rule dictates, but is clearly a great match for you, and of legal age, it isn’t prudent to cast her aside and stick to the rule.