After 16 days of chaos, exhaustion, and bitter fighting, President Obama signed a bill last week officially ending the partial government shutdown. While we here at JDate.com, the premier online community for Jewish singles, were happy to see the eleventh-hour deal come through, we also noticed an opportunity to learn a thing or two from all of this mishegas. If you feel like your love life has been furloughed, here are 10 dating lessons we can all learn from the government shutdown.
1. Stay Focused to Get What You Want
Just as there was no reason for the shutdown to go on for two weeks, there is no reason for you to lament that you are single for yet another holiday season! As Bubbie would say, "Make a plan, put yourself out there, and schmooze until you make something happen!"
2. Quit Choosing Schmucks
Most of us believe the way to "fix" Washington is to vote the politicians we disagree with out of office. So why don't we actually do that? The same goes for dating: quit picking schmucks and instead find a nice match who brings out the best in you.
3. Trust Your Instincts
Everyone saw the government shutdown coming, but no one did anything to stop it. When you sense something isn't right with a potential match, trust your gut and move on!
4. Money Matters
The cause of the shutdown boiled down to the fact that Congress and the White House couldn't reach a conclusion on the budget. The lesson here? Discuss money upfront with your partner and make sure you're both on the same page when it comes to financial matters.
5. Compromise is Everything
Although a government shutdown is considered disastrous for the economy, politicians simply could not come to a compromise for more than two weeks to save us from default. We should all remember that open communication and compromise are everything when it comes to any relationship.
6. Squabbling Will Get You Nowhere
Congress fought, bickered, and called one another names for two full weeks... which got them nowhere. Refrain from putting your partner down, no matter how heated your arguments become.
7. Delete the "D" Word from Your Vocab
To make sure we never near default again, we want Congress to keep the "D" word (default) out of their mouths from now on! Similarly, married couples should refrain from using the other "D" word -- divorce -- to ensure their marriage doesn't go there.
8. Stay Positive
It felt at times that our nation's leaders were getting nowhere during the two-week long stalemate. Yet, the end finally came and the U.S. government is back in business. Stay positive about finding lasting love -- negativity can be paralyzing.
9. Parties Matter
Love 'em or hate 'em, parties can serve as a vehicle to get things done. Perhaps the shutdown would have ended sooner had Republicans and Democrats been more unified. "Parties" can serve as a vehicle to get things done for singles as well -- namely to find you a date! (Keep that in mind when you feel like staying home on the couch in a pair of sweatpants this Friday night.)
10. Think About the Future
At times, our politicians made decisions based on their egos during the government shutdown, and do you see where that got us?! Singles take note: stop seeking instant gratification (like dating someone who "will do"). Instead, choose matches based on whether or not they will be a good fit for the long-term.
While Washington may have been deadlocked, your relationship doesn't have to be! Here's hoping these 10 dating lessons from the government shutdown can help you put your dating life back to work.