Dustin Lynch has a lot going for him, including successful tours, hit singles, and his sixth studio album, Killed the Cowboy, out on September 29. But one thing he doesn’t have in his life — and one thing he still wants to find — is lasting love.

“I’m single right now,” the 38-year-old tells People. “What I’ve learned is I’ve got to continue to have a personal life and embrace what’s missing in my life, which is a relationship.”

Lynch, whose “Break It On A Beach”  song from his Blue In The Sky album was inspired by his own breakup with actress and model Kelli Seymour, admits that, while he does want a girlfriend, he isn’t always sure he wants to put in the work to find someone he wants to date.

“Do I lean in and try [to date] more?” Lynch reflects. “Or do I just go about loving where I’m at and maybe that person finds me?”

“It’s a back and forth, like, is there another level to unlock?” he adds. “I think that’s something that I want to continue to keep in the forefront, like, ‘OK. What’s me happy five, ten, 20, 30 years from now if I’m blessed to have that many? Is that with one person? Is that with kids?’ I don’t know the answer yet.”

A self-proclaimed overthinker, the Tennessee native acknowledges that he often gets in his own way when it comes to pursuing romance.

“I have a very strong defensive coordinator on the shoulder right here that comes up with excuses and nos and why nots,” Lynch reveals. “Then I look back at this past year, and I’m like, ‘Damn, I didn’t really take any trips with anybody, and that sucks.’ I need to be a little bit more open to spending quality time with somebody.”

Lynch, who wrote five of the 12 tracks on Killed the Cowboy, has done a lot of self-reflecting as he readies its release, finding ways he can successfully move forward in a healthy, positive way.

“As we promote this album coming out, I’ve been saying it’s kind of therapeutic to discover what’s wrong with me,” Lynch concedes. “I think the conclusion is I just need to stop being a worrywart. Maybe I need to take advantage of the album cycle, if you will, and go and get my heart broken again.”

Lynch will embark on his Killed the Cowboy Tour on April 2 in Nashville, just part of a busy future that the singer-songwriter is eager and excited about.

“I’m just happy to continue to keep it going,” Lynch says. “We’ve got tours lined up and more to announce, and it’s going to be a fun year to make music. It’s been a hell of a ride so far.”

Find all of Lynch’s music and upcoming shows at DustinLynchMusic.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sweet Talk Publicity / Alysse Gafkjen