In 2021, you knew what you wanted from dating and became more focused, not wasting time on people with incompatible values, goals or visions of what relationships should look like. You talked more openly about your mental health, your needs, what you felt comfortable with, what you weren’t willing to put up with, the facts about public health. You started putting self-care and compassion in the diary, working on yourself, building up your support networks. Authentic connections, organic dating (meeting in real life) and healthy boundaries became the ideals you knew you wanted to pursue.