Andersen Advice

Can You Keep Up? Dating Someone Who Lives in Motion

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

There’s a particular kind of person you might come across in the world of modern dating.
They’re not waiting for life to happen. They’re already out there living it.

Always learning. Always exploring. Always in motion.

They’re the ones who book the next trip before they’ve unpacked from the last one.
Who read voraciously, take care of their minds and bodies, and view curiosity not as a phase—but as a way of life.

They’re magnetic, high-energy, and full of momentum.
But dating someone like this? It’s not for the faint of heart.

This week at Linx, we’re reflecting on what it means to be—or date—a person like this. Because while the energy may be exciting, compatibility requires more than just admiration. It requires alignment.

Let’s break it down:

They lead with curiosity.

This person asks questions that don’t come with easy answers. They’re always trying to understand more—about the world, about others, and about themselves.

They’re a match for someone who:
– Enjoys thoughtful dialogue
– Can share ideas and challenge perspectives
– Isn’t defensive when asked to go deeper

They’re not a match for someone who:
– Gets bored easily in conversation
– Finds big questions exhausting
– Feels uncomfortable without certainty

They live in motion.

Stillness is beautiful, but for them, movement is joy. They don’t seek busyness—they seek momentum. Whether it’s a business goal, a hike, or a new hobby, they’re in constant creation.

They’re a match for someone who:
– Brings initiative to their own life
– Finds energy in doing and exploring
– Sees their pace as a shared rhythm

They’re not a match for someone who:
– Feels anxious without predictability
– Prefers a routine-centered relationship
– Expects a partner to slow down to feel “secure”

They prioritize self-care.

This kind of person protects their peace. They may have early mornings, specific rituals, or structured weeks. But their discipline is part of their glow—it’s how they stay balanced.

They’re a match for someone who:
– Values boundaries and independence
– Doesn’t confuse structure with distance
– Appreciates wellness and consistency

They’re not a match for someone who:
– Expects constant availability
– Finds routines controlling
– Takes alone time personally

They are wired for discovery.

New cultures, new restaurants, new experiences. For them, adventure isn’t a break from life—it is life. They are often planning their next chapter before others have finished the last.

They’re a match for someone who:
– Feels energized by change
– Is comfortable with spontaneity
– Sees travel as a shared love language

They’re not a match for someone who:
– Seeks safety in sameness
– Fears the unknown
– Prefers “settled” over “stimulated”

They are not for the faint of heart.

This person doesn’t need rescuing, taming, or molding. They don’t need to be completed—they want to be met. Emotionally, intellectually, energetically.

They can be intense—but it’s a generous intensity. And when met with the right kind of presence, the relationship is electric, expansive, and full of life.

The Bottom Line

Loving someone who lives in motion isn’t about “keeping up” in a performative way.
It’s about having your own inner momentum—your own curiosity, your own pace, your own growth.

Because when both people are moving forward in their own lives, that’s where real connection begins.
That’s where the journey gets interesting.
And that’s when love becomes not just a chapter—but an epic.

From Spark to Substance: Four Conversations That Reveal Real Compatibility

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

The first couple of dates are filled with lightness — stories, laughs, surface-level discoveries. That’s exactly how attraction grows. But if by the third or fourth date you’re still talking only about favorite restaurants or vacation spots, you might be missing a bigger opportunity.

This is the moment to begin weaving in deeper themes. Not with an interrogation, but with curiosity. The goal is not to rush — it’s to open gentle doors into one another’s inner worlds.

Here are four conversations I encourage clients to explore:

  • Passion & Purpose – What gives you energy right now? What purpose excites you?

  • Guilt & Regret – What’s something you’ve had to forgive yourself for? How has guilt shaped you?

  • Identity & Self-Discovery – When do you feel most like yourself? Have you surprised yourself by growing into a new version of you?

  • Love & Values – What value matters most in a relationship? Kindness, honesty, family, growth?

The magic comes when you share first. Vulnerability builds trust, and when you offer your story, you create space for your date to do the same.

The point isn’t the “perfect” answer. It’s how you feel in the moment: Do you feel safe? Curious? Inspired? Do you feel understood?

By Date 3 or 4, you still want the butterflies. But you also want to know whether love has roots. When two people are willing to go a little deeper, that’s when chemistry transforms into true compatibility.

Love isn’t just in the spark — it’s in the courage to go deeper, even early on.

5 Types of People to Walk Away From in Dating

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

In my two decades as a professional matchmaker, I’ve learned that people show you who they are very early in dating. The challenge is that when we’re hopeful, lonely, or dazzled by chemistry, it’s easy to ignore those early signs. But clarity at the beginning is one of the most powerful tools you have.

Here are five types of people I advise my clients to walk away from—and how to handle it if you find yourself already caught in the dynamic.

1. The Love Bomber

Lavish gifts, over-the-top affection, and declarations of love after just a date or two can feel intoxicating. But love bombing isn’t about building intimacy—it’s about fast-tracking trust so they can get what they want. It often signals insecurity, immaturity, or even manipulation.

Action Step: Slow the pace. Opt for grounded, simple dates and see how they respond. If they respect your boundaries, that’s healthy. If they pressure or guilt you, that’s a red flag.

2. The Breadcrumb Giver

They send a steady drip of attention—texts, compliments, vague plans—but never follow through. It’s just enough to keep you emotionally invested, but not enough to create real momentum.

Action Step: Be direct. Try: “I’m looking for someone who prioritizes meeting in person. If that’s not you, I wish you well.” Clear communication either prompts action—or reveals their lack of seriousness.

3. The Egotist

Conversations revolve around them—their career, their stress, their stories. At first, you may find their confidence appealing, but over time you’ll realize there’s no space for your voice.

Action Step: Redirect. Ask: “What would you like to know about me?” If they consistently deflect or minimize your experiences, you’re not dealing with a partner—you’re dealing with a performer.

4. The Window Shopper

They flirt, they date, and they enjoy companionship, but when it comes time to commit, they stall. You’ll always feel like you’re on display but never chosen.

Action Step: Clarify intentions. Ask: “What are you truly looking for right now?” If their answer is vague or evasive, trust it. Don’t keep yourself “on the shelf” for someone who doesn’t have the courage to choose you.

5. The Houdini

One day they’re all in, the next day they vanish without a trace—only to reappear later with a casual “Hey, how’ve you been?” This inconsistency isn’t a mystery to solve; it’s immaturity and lack of readiness.

Action Step: Address it head-on. Say: “Consistency matters to me. If you can’t communicate regularly, I don’t think this is a fit.” The right partner will step up. The wrong one will fade—and that’s your answer.

Final Thought

Dating should feel clear, kind, and reciprocal. The wrong people will drain your energy with mixed signals, ego-driven behavior, or half-hearted investment. The right person will bring consistency, ease, and emotional safety.

At Linx Dating, I remind my clients that walking away sooner isn’t failure—it’s discernment. Every “no” clears space for the right “yes.”

From Heartbreak to Happily Ever After: How Linx Was Born

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

Most people don’t look back on heartbreak with gratitude. But in my case, a painful breakup became the unlikely spark that launched my life’s calling.

In the early 2000s, I was living in San Francisco when I met someone at a networking event. Our relationship drew me down to Silicon Valley—a part of the Bay Area I hadn’t explored growing up in Mill Valley. What I found surprised me: a social ecosystem unlike anything I had ever seen.

There was an abundance of eligible, accomplished men… and yet, a shortage of women in the same circles. His friends would quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) ask me to set them up. Meanwhile, my girlfriends in San Francisco lamented how impossible it felt to meet decent, available men. It was as if the puzzle pieces were scattered across two cities but no one was putting them together. That’s when the lightbulb went off: what if I bridged the gap?

From Connector to Cupid

Matchmaking wasn’t such a leap. I had always been the connector type—the person who instinctively knew which two people should meet. With a degree in communications from USC, some early career chapters in PR and finance, and a natural entrepreneurial streak, I realized I could channel my instincts into something much bigger.

In 2003, I officially launched Linx Dating. The name was simple yet symbolic: linking two people together, with the “x” serving as both a hug and a nod to Silicon Valley’s precision. What started with a few referrals grew organically into a curated community of some of the most extraordinary people in the Bay Area—and eventually, the world.

A Different Kind of Matchmaking

Forget the clichés of old-world yentas. Linx was never about volume or gimmicks—it was about discernment. My clients are brilliant, high-achieving individuals: startup founders, professors, C-suite executives, even international royalty. They excel in their careers but often feel frustrated when it comes to love.

Through personal interviews, guided reflection, and yes, plenty of “homework,” I work with each client to define the core DNA of what makes a lasting partnership. In the early days, I leaned on scientific assessments; now, after thousands of meetings and two decades of experience, I know that chemistry, intuition, and timing matter just as much. I often say 85% of what I do is intuition—fine-tuned from years of listening deeply, observing patterns, and sensing when two people are truly aligned. 

Walking the Walk

Of course, being a matchmaker didn’t mean my own love story came easily. My single years unfolded long before dating apps like Bumble or Hinge. Back then, I was putting myself on Match.com, Yahoo Personals, and eHarmony. Obviously, I was never going to date my clients, which made things even more challenging. And for me—as a single founder and strong woman—many men were not comfortable with the idea of me running my own business, particularly as a professional matchmaker.

It was a very challenging journey. Ultimately, I decided to move from San Francisco back to Palo Alto, because I felt the community and lifestyle there would better serve me in finding my future husband. And I was right.

Serendipity struck when a friend set me up on a blind date with the man who would become my husband. That first date lasted nine hours. ;-)  At the end of the night, he walked me back to my little apartment on Forest Avenue in Palo Alto and said he wanted to see me again—the very next day. Sure enough, we had our second date right away, and from then on, we were essentially exclusive. It was just right. Nine months later, he proposed. Today we share a beautiful marriage and a son. My own story reminds me—and my clients—that when it’s right, it truly is right.

Love, Curated

Today, I continue to do what I love most: helping extraordinary men and women find each other. Linx offers different membership tiers, from entry-level to highly bespoke VIP engagements that involve exhaustive searches across the globe. But regardless of tier, I remind everyone of one truth: matchmaking is not about guarantees, it’s about increasing the probability of love.

And many times, for the lucky few I get to call my clients, love arrives through Linx. What matters most is keeping an open heart and putting in the effort.

If there’s one final piece of advice I can offer, it’s this: don’t judge too quickly. Slow down. Pay attention. Give the person in front of you the chance to surprise you. Every experience—every heartbreak, every near miss, every false start—is a stepping stone that brings you closer to the relationship you truly deserve.

That, in essence, is the mission of Linx: to remind you that love isn’t a matter of luck. It’s a matter of courage, clarity, and connection.

When He’s Not Taking It to the Next Level: Why You Can’t Wait Forever

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

You’ve invested your heart.
You’ve made space in your life.
You’ve been patient. Understanding. Loyal.

But still—he hasn’t made a move.

Not toward exclusivity.
Not toward engagement.
Or worse… he proposed, and now the engagement lingers indefinitely.

At Linx, we work with exceptional women—smart, successful, emotionally generous—who want to build lives with someone extraordinary. And far too often, we meet them after they’ve spent months… even years… waiting for a man to “be ready.”

Here’s the truth: you can’t build a future with someone stuck in the pause.

1. If It Feels Like Limbo, It Is

A relationship should feel like forward motion—not a holding pattern. If you’re constantly wondering when he’ll step up, commit, or get serious, chances are… he won’t. Not because you aren’t worthy, but because he isn’t ready. Or worse, he’s comfortable—right where things are.

2. Words Are Easy. Watch His Pattern.

He says he wants a future. He talks about “someday.” But when it comes time to make plans, take steps, or define the relationship—he freezes.

A man’s actions tell you everything. If his pattern is avoidance, deflection, or procrastination, then you’re not his priority. You’re his safety net.

3. Engaged… But Not Advancing? That’s a Message.

We often romanticize engagements—but forget they’re meant to lead somewhere. If a man proposes but then resists planning, avoids conversations about marriage, or seems indifferent to timelines… that’s not “taking things slow.” That’s avoidance wrapped in sentiment.

You’re not “pressuring” someone by wanting to move forward. You’re honoring your life.

4. He’s Not Confused. He’s Comfortable.

This is the hardest truth:
A man who truly wants to be with you will not stay confused for years.

“Not ready” often translates to “not willing to change.”
And as long as you continue to give him everything—your support, your time, your heart—without requiring him to meet you where you are, he’ll stay comfortable. Because comfort costs him nothing.

5. You’re Not Asking for Too Much. You’re Asking the Wrong Person.

There is nothing unreasonable about wanting commitment, momentum, or clarity.
There is nothing “difficult” about setting standards.

The right man will feel inspired by your vision—not threatened.
The right man will move forward—not drag his feet.

Final Thought: You Can Leave the Waiting Room

The next level doesn’t come from nudging, begging, or outlasting his doubts. It comes from choosing yourself. From honoring your time, your value, and your desire to build a life that moves with intention.

If he won’t meet you there, step out of the waiting room.

Because the right partner?
He’s not hesitant.
He’s ready—and already walking your way.