Dating in 2025 is exhausting. If you're feeling burnt out, frustrated by ghosting, or questioning whether good people even exist anymore, this episode is for you.
In this raw, filter-off solo episode, I'm taking the dating coach hat completely off and sharing my honest experience as someone actively dating in the modern landscape. With 79% of millennials and Gen Z reporting dating app burnout, you're not alone in feeling like modern dating is a mess—because it absolutely is.
I'm getting real about the challenges we're all facing: profiles that give you nothing to work with, the waiting game after matching, the normalization of ghosting (which 91% of daters consider the worst trend in modern dating) and the frustration of people saying one thing while their actions show something completely different.
But here's what matters most: even with all these frustrations, I still have amazing dates. I still meet wonderful people. And I still believe you can date from a grounded, optimistic place—without losing yourself in the chaos.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
"The behavior you're receiving from other people that can make dating really challenging has nothing to do with you. The moment you're able to disconnect your worth or your value from the situation, the easier it is to be like, okay, yeah, that sucked, but to also move on."
- Madden Zappa
CONNECT WITH MADDEN:
Madden's Instagram: @maddenzappa
STAY UP TO DATE WITH WE'RE DATING THE SAME GUY:
We NOW have an Instagram. Follow us over at @datedifferentlyco
Submit YOUR dating stories and questions: Date Differently Diaries (completely anonymous)
✨As always, we do not gatekeep how to date smarter. If this episode moved you or taught you something new, think it would be beneficial for others to hear, please take a moment to follow, leave a review, and SHARE! Pass this episode along to someone who would love it too or head on over Instagram to share the most recent episode.