I'm 31. Aside from the usual hypergamous female behavior, i.e. being left for some random guy with more money, I haven't experienced anything horrendous in my relationships. I don't even blame women anymore, because I know hypergamy has an evolutionary root. I have devoted my life to become a better version of myself, and I'm never going to get married or have children. I'm much happier having non-exclusive relationships with women than sharing my life and resources with a potential hypergamous "lady" who'll leave me the second she sees a better opportunity. I have never been happier or gotten more action.

I'll be 47 Wednesday and I give myself a 99.9% chance of finding love again. You always find what you look for.

I would agree l am pickier or maybe l don't overlook as much.

I'm sorry you're feeling so low. In the absence of other factors, however, you have a high statistical chance of finding someone. For men, since it has traditionally been expected that their partners will be younger, as you age, the size of the pool opens up. For women, it gets much smaller if you follow the 'marriage gradient' which shows that men tend to partner with women who are younger, less well educated, shorter, and less well off.
Again from the research, it seems that men who are single are choosing to be by rejecting the available options, while women just don't have options.

So try to open your eyes and look around you. There are women everywhere -- in clubs, on sports teams, on websites like this -- sort of everywhere. If you decide you want a partner, you might look for someone with whom you share interests and compatibility. Falling in any regard is painful. People in long term relationships describe their partners as their best friends.

As a liberal agnostic in The South I've had a hard time meeting people of "like minds". I'm also less likely to put up with a whole lot of crap anymore.

Never say never. I'm 46 and fell head over heels in love with a guy I met on this website. I was also extremely picky and doubtful I would meet anyone up to my standards again. So good luck, remain hopeful... it can happen.

Well, as a woman, I feel as if I'm in the same boat. For one thing, I don't make myself available to anyone. My work takes a lot of my energy and time. My cats take the rest. I'm an introvert and I value my time alone. Falling in love, truly in love, is something I don't think I have ever experienced in my life, and I wonder if I ever will.

I think you sound depressed and your chances of falling in love again are far greater than 5%. That does depend on being open to relationships and don't look for love, look for friendships. If a friendship is strong enough it might turn into love but friendships are good too. Stay positive.

First of all, I think this is a great contribution. Thank you, @EggMcMuffin. And to all those who shared their stories and feedback.

Okay, on to my dos centimos.

I'm 44 and have never been married. Although I would love to find someone who would love me as much as I love him/her (or whose attraction for me is somewhere in the general range of my attraction for them), I've also come to terms with the likelihood that that boat has sailed. Besides, I'm probably better off single. It may seem as if I'm just telling myself that, but considering how stressful relationships can be (and I'm not exactly a simple person), I'm pretty sure that's true.

That guesstimate, by the way, is kinda like my certainty about the existence of God. A strong hunch based on empirical evidence (or the lack thereof).

I guess it depends on--should you find somewhere you're interested in and who's interested in you--how willing you are to be the person your beloved wants you to be. We all have our checkboxes, our non-negotiables for a partner (as they do for us), and some of us have much longer lists than others.

In any case, believing that I'm better off where I'm at has so far been a good survival tactic. Should someone come along and prove me wrong by making me fall in love with them, however, it would be a pleasant surprise. (In the meantime, I'll happily accept any FWBs and/or cuddle buddies who meet my exacting standards.)

Whatever happens, I wish you--all of you--the happiness you deserve.

47 here are I couldn’t put a percentage on it. If feels like the odds are low but it only takes one person out of the blue to change everything.

Agreed. But it happened with me after 6 years. The problem was a significant age difference so it didn't work out, and I wish I never felt that again.

5% ? So there's a chance? Lol ?

I think it can happen for all of us. BUT it won't happen if we sit home feeling bad for ourselves. Go out, make new friends, find stuff to do.. Do things you wouldn't normally do.. And don't let finding the one be the only thing you have going on in your life. Romance finds me most often when I'm not looking for it.

5% seems a bit optimistic doesn't it? I mean look who you're dating now. She can't be that great of a conversationalist. ?

I'm days away from 48 and although I've never put a number to it, I can see how 5% might seem about right. However, I'm not sure it's the "falling in love" part that would be the problem, more the "putting up with someone else's quirks and them putting up with mine" that would be the issue.
I find happiness, joy, friendship, companionship all the time, but not in a "significant other" sort of way.
I'm okay with it; I'm pretty set in my ways, but I wouldn't say no to the concept.

I think it's an entirely different ballgame at this age. I have great capacity for both loving & being loved, but falling down the rabbit hole over someone just isn't an option, nor even the ideal anymore. I can share my time, space, passions, brain & body when I please, then circle the wagons for a bit when I'm not feeling it. Nothing wrong or even lesser about that, just different & more reflective of where my heart & head are at this phase of life.

I fall in love almost every week. It's just that at my age I cannot afford to take a gamble and I think a lot of women feel the same way. Also at my age this "love" business can mostly be in your head. A man needs to think with the right head.

I don’t think that’s true , the older you get , the more you want someone by your side to share things with

Never go looking for love, it will happen when you least expect it. But know that you must be open and accepting to the possibilities and the people you meet daily.

I think it can go either way. I was brought up to marry within my religion and I had a list of things I expected in a spouse. They were all the wrongs things to determine whether they were a good spouse or not, though. I now have a different set of indicators on whether a relationship will work or not and I feel certain they are far more solid than the list I had before. I could have a relationship with a much wider range of people than before. That said, with my higher age, opportunities are more slim. Many people are already married or hurting from previous bad relationships. That is the reason I feel like I have fewer opportunities at a healthy relationship now than I did before.

"A little in love with everything" -Al McDougal

Well I haven't been too hopeful. I believe that the intensity of my marriage would never be felt again, but, I am now casually dating a lady with whom I think that old flame could revive. Taking it slow but the energy and attention is starting to flow, so, just maybe.

I'm 54, it seems I have become more complacent and acceptant that I probably will be alone until the end. I am of the attitude of 'if it happens, it happens'. Meanwhile I try to keep my surroundings in my favor and my dogs and cats as buddies. I haven't shut myself down but I'm not actively seeking either.
Also, I have found out all the crap I suffered through earlier wasn't my fault. The social interaction with my family and a couple others ruined my first 53 years. So now I have a new life, I'm exploring it and having fun with it. Perhaps it's a sort of mid-life crisis happening later, whatever it is I feel new and unencumbered. I feel hopeful again.

I thought I was done with all that too. At 57 I went on a hook-up site. Through with love but not yet dead and I had needs.
Then I met her, it was electric! Never before had I felt that instant lighting bolt of connectivity. She felt it too and although it was stormy and tempestuous. It has to rank as the greatest love affair of my life. Yes she left me for her ex. Yes he had more money. Yes I was an asshole but so was she. Yes it hurts like a bitch every day and yes I would do it again in a New-York minute.
You are a long time dead sunshine. Never say never.

I shook my Magic 8-Ball, you're right
I never could get a clear picture of future events.