Navigating relationships is hard as hell, and there’s no single “right” way to do it because every couple is different. That being said, if he’s the right guy and it’s the right relationship, there are certain things you’ll never have to do and games you’ll never have to play to make things work:
- You won’t need to keep it casual or keep your options open. If you’ve met the right one, you won’t want to be casual and you’ll give zero f*cks who else you might meet. You’ll know that you’ve already met the one who matters, and you won’t want to let them slip away. When it’s right, you just know, and commitment becomes so much easier to fathom.
- You won’t have to wait to have important conversations. If a guy has ever made you feel “crazy” for initiating important conversations early in the relationship, you need to know that you weren’t the crazy one. The entire goal of dating is to find someone you can share a future with; it makes no sense to date someone for months without having a clue if you share any long-term life goals. You have every right to gather information in order to make a responsible decision about the relationship.
- You won’t have to date for years before committing. There’s nothing wrong with taking your time when making important decisions, but love is a decision that’s far more instinctual than intellectual. If it’s truly a good fit, you’ll know deep down pretty quickly, and you won’t need or want to wait years before taking the next steps.
- You won’t have to wait to say “I love you.” Love is incredibly fickle, and it likes to sneak up on you when you’re least expecting it. Unfortunately, thanks to hookup culture, it’s hard to tell someone you love them for the first time because you may never see them again. Forever connections are the exception here: if you have the right connection, you’ll be able to say those 3 words whenever you feel them without fear of being ghosted or otherwise disrespected.
- You won’t feel the need to shack up first in order to test your relationship. There’s nothing wrong with living together before marriage, but it’s not entirely necessary in the right relationship. Cohabitation is a big step, but you’ll just know if your love is strong enough to overcome all the dirty dishes and laundry that life can throw at you.
- You won’t spend your life playing “what if.” When you’re in a relationship that makes you insecure, you worry a lot about how certain situations might affect your life and your relationship. If you’re with the right partner and you know it, you stop worrying because the answer is the same for each question: you’ll get through it together because you can get through anything together.
- You won’t need to keep your guard up. Even if you’re normally a very guarded person, true love will open you up quickly and in ways you never knew were possible. Once you’ve felt it, you’ll never want to build those walls back up again.
