You and your dude are walking on the beach when you see a guy on his knees taking dozens of pictures with his phone of his girlfriend. She tells him to get her good side while she pretends to casually drink a beer as the sun sets beautifully in the background. To some, the lengths that poor dude went for his girl to get 100 likes on Insta are total #couplegoals, but you know better. Real #couplegoals could never be measured in ‘likes’ or comments.
- Public persona is not a factor. Some couples go to such great lengths to make sure the world knows just how cute and loving their relationship is. You know those flowers your guy got you on a whim won’t feel any more special if you post a picture of them on Facebook. You and your significant other don’t have anything to prove. The world knows you’re in love, whether you post it online or not.
- Ultimatums aren’t necessary. Couples that make decisions based on ultimatums are rarely happy. Solid couples like you make decisions together and you don’t feel the need to pressure each other into doing things by putting your relationship on the line.
- Fights don’t signal an end. Fights are inevitable in a relationship, but they don’t have to mean it’s over. When you and your guy argue, it sucks, but you never assume that this is the be all end all of your relationship. Your fights can get rough, but they’re constructive and never disrespectful.
- Communication is everything. To you and your guy, talking it out is the only way to resolve anything. You’ve never assumed your guy is a mind reader, and he’d never make that assumption about you. If you feel like your needs aren’t being met, you and your guy don’t let issues fester — you deal with them head on.
- Your friends have really taken to him. When you’re out with a group of friends, they seem genuinely interested in how your guy’s been and why he isn’t there with you. To your friends, your boyfriend is truly your other half, and they take interest in your relationship.
- You’re kind of gross together. Peeing with the door open and sharing a tooth brush on camping trips because one of you forgot yours may sound disgusting, but there’s a serious element of trust underneath it all. You don’t mind sharing private, more intimate moments with your guy because you’re close and you don’t care if he’s seen you at your worst.
- His friends are your friends. If your goal is to hold onto this guy for life, his friends are going to be there for the ride. You may not get along perfectly with every single one of his college buddies, but you can happily say some of them have become good friends of yours.
- You can strike out on your own. Your standing Friday nights with the girls have never been an issue in your relationship. You and your guy can go separate ways and neither one of you has to worry about the other being unfaithful or getting into trouble. Of course, you and your guy get total #couplegoals bonus points if you remember to check in with each other after your Uber has brought you home safely.
- You don’t think twice about the future. Your plans for the future span from checking out a new burger joint opening up down the road in two months to adopting a puppy in two years. The future isn’t a subject you skirt around because the two of you fully intend on spending it with each other.
- Your friends ask for your advice. A huge indicator that you and your guy are total #couplegoals is when other couples reach out to you for advice. Whether it’s one of your dude friends asking about your favorite date night spot or one of your girlfriends asking about how to address a dry spell in her relationship, your friends trust you because they like the example you and your guy have set.
- You’re a team. Every new challenge in life feels a little less daunting with your guy by your side. The two of you face new obstacles together, no questions asked. You both recognize that there’s a healthy balance achieved by carrying out some activities independently, but there’s nothing wrong with leaning heavily on your partner when the time comes.
- You know how lucky you are. You may not be sure the chick on the beach that was posing with a beer knows how lucky she is to have a guy that would look like a total jackass just to get a good picture of her. What you do know is how lucky you felt in that moment when you and your guy were laughing at the ridiculousness of it all as the sun set over the water.