Is it time for you to start going out on dates? Have you been out of the dating stream for a while? How will you know when you are ready?

Take a look at this readiness quiz, and give yourself a score of one to ten on each area. Start your quiz by saying the following:

I will know when I am ready for a great dating life, available to meet interesting people that I may want to consider for a future long-term relationship when:

1. I have a network of support.

I have friends and family members who love me and support my endeavors. (I do not have a house full of free-loaders. I have appropriate boundaries with negative family members. I do not encourage or tolerate people in my life who are unkind to me.)

2. I have cleaned up my past relationships.

Better known as "baggage", old relationships that are over but need to be let go of no longer haunt my life. I have completed my divorce, said goodbye to the old lover, made peace with my parents, and brought closure to relationships that no longer serve me.

3. I have a career future.

I am engaged in a job or studies or realistic plans that contribute to my career future. I get along well with my co-workers. (I am not lying on the couch, watching TV all day, waiting for opportunity or jobs to knock on my door.)

4. I am open to healthy new adventures.

Since dating life is a big adventure, I am open to what lies in store for me. I have my own set of rules and parameters of what is okay and what is not, but I am willing to consider new activities. (I'm not planning on bungee jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, but I definitely am willing to go to a new museum, concert, city, park, restaurant, street fair, etc.)

5. I contribute positively to someone's life.

I do something nice for someone at least once a day. (Besides feeding the dog.)

6. I am healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

I am addiction free, have a weekly exercise routine, watch what I eat, and am generally upbeat about life. I am not afraid to say that I need help if I am struggling in those areas.

7. I am loyal and trustworthy.

I am known to keep my word and handle my agreements. I do not say one thing and do another. My friends, neighbors, and family members know that they can count on me.

8. I am responsible with my finances.

I am good at budgeting and living within my income. If I am not happy with the amount of money I make, I am also good at figuring out how to create what I need.

9. I have a strong single life.

I am not looking for someone to make my miserable life happy. I have people, activities, hobbies, and work that I love. I wouldn't mind sharing my life with someone wonderful, but I am complete on my own.

10. I know what I want.

I have learned from past relationships and experiences that I have some very definite requirements in order for my life to be happy. I know that if I compromise those requirements, I will not be the person I need to be. I know what my values, requirements, and visions are for my life.

Give yourself a score from one to ten on each of these categories. The lowest rated areas are the ones you need to work on. While you work on your challenging areas, take a look at your strengths and celebrate them. These are the strengths you take to your dating life.

If you score above 80, you are ready to date with ease. If you score between 80 and 50, you need to take dating slowly while you work on your life.

If you score below 50, give yourself a break from dating and focus on what one category you can improve. When you grow strong in one area, several others will improve at the same time.

Your dating life is waiting for you.

Tonja Weimer

Tonja Evetts Weimer is a Master Certified singles relationship and life coach, speaker, syndicated columnist and author.

Tonja is a full time professional coach with a practice in Greenville, SC. She helps individuals, especially singles, re-craft their lives and find happiness and success in their career and relationships. Some of Tonja's professional activities include:

==> Syndicated singles relationship columnist, writing SAVVY DATING, a weekly column read by over a million readers in many U.S newspapers. Tonja's column addresses relationship and life issues of interest to all adults, but particularly to the over 110 million singles in the U.S. Tonja has also had articles published in New Woman, Hope, and House Beautiful magazines, and has won 3 Matrix Awards for her writing.

==> Motivational speaker, Tonja has been a keynote presenter at national and international conferences over the last 30 years.

==> Author of materials for educators and parents (7 books, six music albums and 2 videos), which have won 22 awards.

Some Speaking and Media Highlights:

==> Keynote speaker for 2004 Women?s Issues Network Conference, Sumter, SC.

==> Keynote speaker for 2002 Parents as Teachers International Conference, St. Louis, MO.

==> Keynote speaker for 1999 International Conference for Children & Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder.

==> Keynote speaker for 1998 European Education Conference, in Mannheim, Germany.

==> Keynote speaker in 35 U.S. states at educational conferences.

==> Presenter at the International Special Olympics in Notre Dame, at the request of Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

==> Created Space Songs for Children, at the request of NASA (album taken into space by astronauts three times.)

==> Appeared on CNN?s Showbiz Today and many other TV shows.

Educational and Professional Qualifications:

==> National Fellow (U.S. Dept. of Education.) M.A. in Human Development and Education, with an emphasis on creativity.

==> Master Certified Singles Relationship Coach, Relationship Coaching Institute.

==> Personal Life Coach, Graduate, Institute for Life Coach Training.

==> Member, International Coaching Federation