Whether you're recently widowed or divorced, deciding to date again can be both nerve-wracking and exciting. It's also a challenge to re-enter the world of dating after considerable time out of it. One of the toughest problems is trying to find other eligible seniors. Thankfully, due to the Internet, it's not as difficult as it once was to be a senior looking for love. Entering a senior dating chat room or posting a profile on an online dating site is simple and risk-free. It's up to you who you want to talk to, what you're looking for and how much time you want to take before meeting someone offline.

To enter the world of senior dating, all you need is some basic computer skills. If you have little to no computer skills, you can always ask a friend or relative to help you out. Otherwise, sign up with an online dating site and post your profile about yourself and what you look for in a partner. Or, you can enter senior chat rooms and start a conversation with the whole group or an individual. It's completely up to you. If chat rooms intimidate you, become a "lurker" for awhile. Log in and observe what's going on without joining the conversation.

Whether you've just started senior citizen dating, or you've been doing it for some time, you may wonder how you can love again. If your former spouse passed away, it may be difficult for you to move on. You may feel guilty for seeing someone else. As hard as it is, you have to move on with your life. Your former partner would want you to be happy and if you're lonely, you're not fully happy. Dating again is only natural. Make sure you wait until you are fully ready before doing so, however. Rushing into things is not a good idea.

If you're recently divorced and looking for a new partner, online dating is great for you, as well. But remember to wait until you are fully ready. If you are still heartbroken after your divorce, enjoy time alone for awhile.

In both cases, whether you're divorced or widowed, finding love again is not impossible. Just remember a few things:

• Don't rush love.
• Don't compare your new partner to your old one.
• Don't worry about the problems you may have had with your old partner and whether or not they'll happen with your new one.

Enjoy yourself and let love happen naturally and progressively.

Even with senior dating online, there's a certain etiquette to maintain. While it is understandable that many people are new to senior online dating, or dating again, in general, it's important to learn certain practices quickly.

For senior online dating, below are a few tips to help you out:

• If you send someone an email or message and they never respond, don't take it personally. In addition, do not continue to send this person messages.
• If someone contacts you and you're not interested, politely respond with a "thanks, but no thanks."
• Always respond to a picture that you asked for. If you're no longer interested after viewing the photo, at least thank the person for sending it.

When dating someone you met online, keep these things in mind:

• Keep on top of the conversation. Listen carefully, respond and ask questions.
• Offer to pay. Regardless of your gender, it's always polite to offer to pay for at least some of the date activity. If your date insists on paying, let them. If your date takes you up on your offer, follow through.
• If you've had a miserable date and never want to see this person again, wait until you get home and notify them by email.
• If you've had a wonderful time, express this and tell them you'll call or email them.

After years of not dating, many people are scared that they forget how to date. While dating is like riding a bike — you'll never forget these skills — being nervous is understandable and expected, especially when you are a senior citizen dating.

To ease your way back into dating mode, follow these tips:

• Relax and be yourself.
• Dress accordingly. If you're going out to dinner and aren't sure if the restaurant is casual or formal, do some research. Ask a friend who's been there, check online or call the restaurant.
• Think back to dating when you were younger. What did you like to do? What did you consider a good date?
• Think of activities you enjoy doing now. Can you and a date participate in any of these activities together? If so, maybe you want to suggest this as a possible date idea.
• Look into activities you can do together. Are there any upcoming senior events in your area? Maybe there's a play in town you'd like to see or a new café you want to try.
• Plan your date as a team. Discuss when and where you'll meet. Pick an activity you both enjoy.
• Remember, you never forget your social skills. Talking will come naturally once you meet this person and introduce yourselves.