Yahoo Sports Cheryl Burke Admits She Hasn't Been a 'Great Picker' of Men — but Wants to 'Change That Pattern'
The 'Dancing with the Stars' alum divorced Matthew Lawrence in 2022 and has been enjoying the single life since: "I'm literally dating myself"
Cheryl Burke is embracing her solo era.
The Dancing with the Stars alum, 39, opened up about her dating life following her divorce from Matthew Lawrence. However, it seems like seeking out a new romance is actually the last thing on her mind — especially after her previous track record in choosing partners.
“I'm literally dating myself,” she said in an interview with E! News. “I know that sounds so, like, cliché, 'OK, whatever.' No, but really, I'm not looking, I'm not interested at the moment.”
She admitted that she “[hasn’t] been a great picker" when it comes to men but is hopeful that things will be different in the future.
"Until I change that pattern — I have to really authentically change the pattern or else I'll continue to pick maybe not the good ones for me," she noted.
The pro dancer also took a moment to shout out the true love of her life: her dog, Ysabella. (Burke was awarded full custody of the pup after a lengthy legal battle with Lawrence, 43, amid their divorce.)
“I'm dating my dog, for god's sake,” she joked. "They have no opinion, they're great, they're cute and they smell maybe a little bit but that's fine."
Besides her dating life, Burke's career has also recently undergone a shakeup as she exited Dancing With the Stars in November after almost 17 years.
“It's been an interesting ride the last couple years, but I've learned so much,” Burke told the outlet. “It puts everything into perspective, life in general. I defined myself by everything that I shouldn't have in a way because it's so temporary — whether it's your job, or your marriage or whatever it is, right?”
“At the end of the day, it really starts with you, and you're stuck with you and you better like yourself. And I've done a lot of work, and finally I can say I do,” she continued. “I'm a work in progress forever, and it's been something that has been, in a way, enlightening that I want to continue to share with the world … I have definitely lived a lot already.”
Related: Matthew Lawrence Breaks Silence on Divorce from Cheryl Burke as His 'Life Is in Bloom'
Burke filed for divorce from Lawrence in February 2022 after almost three years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple’s divorce was finalized in September 2022.
Burke told PEOPLE in February that finalizing the divorce had been “really healing" and that she was "not in a rush" to start dating again.
“It couldn’t have come at a better time,” she said of the split. "I think I definitely have a lot of growing and evolving to do, and now...I have the time to really do that without the anxiety of a timeline."
"I've always put everyone in front of me, so this is the first time I'm actually being selfish, but in a good way," she added.
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While she may not be searching for a relationship right now, the pro dancer opened up about what she's eventually hoping for in a partner.
"As I've changed, the characteristics of somebody I'd be interested in has changed," she told E! News in March. "It's about somebody who wants to grow and evolve because without it, life can be very stagnant and I'm not about to live that again."
"If the right guy comes along, so be it, but I am not searching," she added. "I'm not on a dating app, let's put it that way."
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