He can’t be under six feet tall, he must have a great sense of humor, and if he ever wears pink bow-ties, you’ll call it quits immediately. We’re always told that we should never settle for less than the perfect man, but do we really think that no man is going to settle for us? Maybe you’re more of a homebody than he’d like, or he’d prefer someone more low maintenance. We all have some not-so-ideal personality traits that our future partner will have to put up with, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that those things should be deal breakers. Before you start writing off guys who don’t fit your ideal, take a look at this list and think of what negative traits you have that guys might be willing to put up with.
1. You’re insanely jealous.
He puts up with it because: He knows you love spending time with him.
You may be prone to stalking his Facebook profile, asking about every single one of his female friends, or pitching a hissy fit when he goes out for a guy’s night. But your guy knows that underneath that green-eyed monster is a woman who cares for him, and who would rather spend more time with him than anyone else in the world.
2. You can come off like a total bitch.
He puts up with it because: He knows you’ll speak your mind.
You can come across as blunt, tactless, or even downright rude, but your guy knows that you won’t let anyone walk all over you. He’s sure you can handle yourself, because he’s seen it in action. When the time calls for it, you will stand up for yourself – and him – and any man would be lucky to have a woman like that in his life.
3. You rage when you fight.
He puts up with it because: He knows you care.
The opposite of love is not hate; it’s indifference. Fighting means you still have an investment in your relationship and want to see it work out. When you stop fighting, that’s when he really knows it’s over. So he’ll put up with your bursts of anger, because he knows you still love him.
4. You’re a know-it-all.
He puts up with it because: He knows it means you’re damn smart.
Some men may find this intimidating, but most don’t mind being with a woman who knows her way around a textbook or two. Knowing you’re at (or above) his intellectual level forces him to learn and grow, too. He’s confident in knowing that you can discuss important issues and handle yourself no matter the situation.
5. You stress way too much over the little things.
He puts up with it because: He knows you’ll always be looking out for him.
You’re always worrying about something. The definition of “high strung” in the dictionary has your name written next to it. But your guy knows that you are attentive and will know immediately if something is wrong. Your worrying habits show how important he is to you; and if he ever needs anything, he knows that you’ll be the first one ready to take care of it.
6. You’re aggressive.
He puts up with it because: He knows you’re not a pushover.
You definitely come on strong, but your guy doesn’t mind. He knows that he can’t take advantage of you, and that no one else can, either. You know how to stand your ground, and that frees him up from the burden of constantly having to play knight to a damsel in distress.
7. You don’t put out on the first date.
He puts up with it because: He knows for a fact that he’s not just a hook-up.
You might seem like a prude, and you maybe even follow that 90-day rule that says to wait three months before a guy can get any. Your guy is willing to wait it out, though, because he knows for sure that you take your relationship seriously, and that you’re definitely not just in it for the sex.
8. You’re not the adventurous type.
He puts up with it because: He knows you can be his rock.
Maybe you don’t like going out every weekend or bungee jumping off the nearest highrise building. While you may not be exciting enough for some free spirits, there’s a guy out there who will love the comforting sense of stability you bring to his life. He knows there will always be someone sensible to bring him back down to earth: someone to keep their feet on the ground while he’s got his head in the clouds.
9. You’re needy and/or clingy.
He puts up with it because: He likes to feel strong for you.
Common wisdom tells us not to be clingy because guys don’t like to feel smothered, and modern day feminism tells us not to be needy because we should be independent and self-sufficient women. But there are still men out there who prefer more traditional gender roles, and many would be happy to have a woman who is more than a little reliant on them. If you tend to stray towards the needy/clingy end of the spectrum, then fear not: you guy will love the opportunity to prove that he can provide for you should you need it.
10. You’re a drama queen.
He puts up with it because: He knows there will never be a dull moment.
You may have gotten the “nuts” label. Most people might tell guys to stay away from you, with the reasoning that we all need a little less drama in our lives. But some people may like – may even crave – those thrilling emotional highs and lows. A guy may love being with a drama queen to help jolt him out of his daily routine and feel something a little bit different every now and then.
