The 12 Date Rule & Matchmaker Maria

Listen to this episode from Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman on Spotify. This week, Damona is joined by her longtime friend, TV and TikTok superstarMatchmaker Maria, a fourth-generation matchmaker with no time for fairy tale fluff.  They get real about why dating feels so lonely now,, the truth about relationship timelines, and why your deep texting doesn’t count as actual connection. Whether you're stuck on the apps or spiraling in dating burnout, Maria shares practical tools from her new book Ask a Matchmaker that will help you reset your mindset, clarify your compatibility, and finally stop waiting for someone to “just get it.” What You’ll Hear In This Episode Why dating has become a solo sport and what to do about it The truth about the male loneliness epidemic and community loss How siloization is killing our dating lives Maria’s 5 pillars of compatibility and why they actually work How the 12-Date Rule leads to real connection (and yes, sex can wait) The sneaky trap of texting-as-dating Why bangs and Alicia Keys might be holding you back Resources and Links Connect with Maria on Instagram. Facebook, and TikTok Get the book ⁠Ask a Matchmaker⁠ Unlock the Secret to Successful Dating with our ⁠Date Tracker⁠ Call or text your question to: 424-246-6255 Follow @damonahoffman on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Facebook⁠, and submit questions via DM or voice memo anytime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices