How to Stop Playing Matchmaker

All right, enough already. If your friends are up in arms over your latest meddling in their affairs (or lack of), your days of matchmaking may be numbered. You may fancy yourself as a splendid judge of character, but your friends disagree. Here's a 6-step plan to quit the matchmaking habit.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Count up your matchmaking successes versus your failures. Were your friends happy with the choices you made for them, or were they cursing your very name on their first and last date with the person? If the roadside of your love matches is littered with car wrecks, that may be a clue that it's time to hang it up.
2. Look critically at yourself. Is there something lacking in your own life that might be contributing to your need to fix everyone up? Some soul-searching may be in order.
3. Commiserate with a literary heroine. Read "Emma," the classic novel by Jane Austen. Emma was another misguided soul who truly desired to make others' lives complete, while totally missing the chance that was right in front of her. (If you don't like to read, rent the '90s classic "Clueless" to get the same point without all the work.)
4. Don't feel bad about the loss of your matchmaking career. So many people travel this life without caring one iota about the fate of their fellow man. You just happen to care too much.
5. Carve out some free time to take care of you. Join the local gym, scrapbook with your friends or just spend some time daydreaming.
6. Consider an online matchmaking service such as the Love Happens website if you just can't stop fixing up your friends (see Resources below). At Love Happens, your friend can post her description, but her friends can add testimonials and make introductions. Helping your friends within this controlled environment may be the best way for you to continue to help in a way that truly benefits your friends.