Disillusioned? Join the freakin’ club.

Quick. Off the top of your head, list the number of happy relationships you know. Not many, we'll wager. Why is that? Personally, we blame Hollywood. And here's why—unrealistic expectations.

Cinderella Was a Liar: The Real Reason You Cant Find (or Keep) a Prince.

We're not saying that you won't find a gorgeous partner who loves and adores you 24/7. Only that Hollywood incorrectly makes people EXPECT that. (And frankly, there's only so many supermodels out there to go around.) Does that mean you have to settle? Not at all.

Are you meeting the wrong people online?

Hollywood has taught us to believe everyone should seek a model-perfect mate. So we're in a perpetual state of waiting to see what's coming down the pike. Americans are basically shoppers—pretty damn good ones, too. But we don't shop for mates the way we shop for most things. And maybe we should.

Dating is very similar to shopping for a car.

You look around and see what's out there, take a few of the better ones out for a test drive around the block, and buy the one you like best. The main difference is that while you're testing it, it's testing you. (Cars can't tell you to take a flying leap. Of course, they can't steal your CD collection either, so maybe it's a wash.) Either way, you need a new way of thinking about what you are looking for in a mate.

Because all sales are final.