Are you single, lonely, and wishing you could find love with a romantic partner? Someone with whom you could hunker down? But what can you do about it?

Even though it seems like there are roadblocks at every turn, you can still find love. This time of national disaster might be a great time to find a silver lining — in the form of a new relationship.

Believe it or not, natural disasters are a life event that pushes many people find love. 

While the Coronavirus was rampant in the U.S., there have several other big disasters in recent history that have been studied for how they impact society. Sociologists discovered that big events like this increase the interest in love and marriage. When catastrophes happen and times are uncertain, the desire for companionship, love, and security tends to rise among singles.

According to Catherine Cohan, Ph.D. of Penn State University, "…in a life-threatening situation, people are motivated to reevaluate their lives, their goals, their futures, and their priorities…" For example, after the initial shock of the Twin Towers coming down in New York City on 9/11, the wedding industry experienced a surge in business that fall, which is very unusual.

Typically, the biggest sales period is January to March, as brides prepare for June weddings. It was tragic, but the tragedy inspired people to prioritize what mattered in life.

You can see how COVID-19 and other natural disasters have encouraged people to push themselves into the next phase of life, including seeking a committed relationship or even getting married.

Many singles are now taking a more traditional approach to dating. And it's not just younger singles, those who are over the age of 40 are feeling the change, too. If you're online dating, don’t just look at the photos — dig in and read some of those profiles.

According to the Pew Research Center, 10% of couples met their partner on a dating app. Yes, you need to find someone attractive, but do they need to be a 9 or 10 or meet a preconceived notion you have of what's attractive? Not if you're serious about connecting with a quality partner for lasting love.

Ronnie Ann Ryan is an Intuitive Coach, Past Life Reader, and author of six books. She’s the creator of the free audio course How to Ask the Universe for a Sign and Get an Answer Within 24 Hours. She's been published on ABC, BBC, and NPR.