27M – I feel lonely and I don’t know how to start a real relationship

I’m 27M and I’ve been single for quite a long time. Most of my friends are in relationships or even married, and whenever I see them happy together, I start to feel even more alone. I don’t mean that I’m jealous of them, but it makes me realize how much I want to have a partner of my own.

The truth is, I really want a serious and meaningful relationship. Something where we both support and understand each other. But I don’t really know how to get there. Dating apps feel so shallow to me – people swipe, chat for a few days, and then it fades away. It never really turns into anything real. Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing something wrong, or if maybe I’m just not interesting enough.

I try to stay busy with work and hobbies, but at the end of the day, I still feel this emptiness. I miss the idea of sharing daily life with someone, talking about little things, making plans together, or just having that emotional connection. I don’t want to rush into something unhealthy, but at the same time, this loneliness is getting heavier every year.

For those who have been in the same situation before – how did you handle it? How do you actually break the cycle of being single for so long and start building a healthy, real relationship? Any advice or personal experiences would mean a lot.

TL;DR

27M, single for a long time, feeling very lonely. I want a serious and meaningful relationship but don’t know how to start. Looking for advice from people who’ve been in a similar situation.