Have you ever wondered if your boyfriend’s a keeper? Use these 11 signs to know for sure if the guy you’re dating is a catch who’s worth keeping forever!
When you’re in the dating game, you may sometimes ask yourself if you’ve already found someone you want to spend the rest of your life with. We keep looking for signs that the guy we’re with is “The One.”
But is there really a clear-cut formula for knowing if you’re with a keeper? Do you just feel it deep down or do you have to think it over to know for sure.
11 sure signs your boyfriend is a real keeper
To be honest, knowing if the guy you’re with is worth keeping is entirely up to you. It’s a pretty subjective thing since it changes from woman to woman.
But if you’re in need of a guide for checking if you’re dating someone you shouldn’t let go of, here are some of the signs that should be pretty much consistent across all women.
#1 You’re yourself around him. You don’t need to act like one of the guys or a high-maintenance princess when he’s around. There’s no need to put on a mask or to pretend you’re someone you’re not. Whatever you really are is what you show him. And to top it off, you’re entirely comfortable being yourself when he’s around.
He knows what you look like without makeup. He doesn’t mind seeing you in a ratty giant t-shirt. He accepts the fact that you can sometimes be irrational, petulant or unreasonable. He knows about all your flaws and weaknesses, and he still accepts you. He’s seen almost every side of you and he loves you for it anyway. [Read: 25 signs your guy really loves you even if he doesn’t say it out loud]
#2 He respects your individuality. He treats you as a person who has her own opinions, her own thoughts, her own ideas and her own voice. He doesn’t see you as an extension of himself, someone whom he can mold to be the perfect partner for him. He doesn’t try to control the way you act because he accepts you wholeheartedly.
He lets you have your own set of interests, and he genuinely supports you in them. He doesn’t mind when you have your night out with the girls or when you feel like having some quiet time to yourself.
You can wear what you want, watch what you want and even act however you want, and he won’t judge you for it. Sure, he may express his disapproval for some things you might do, but he knows that you’ll always have the final say when it comes to your own interests.
#3 You laugh together. He doesn’t have to be a clown all the time, but his sense of humor jives with yours. Even if you’re both pretty serious people, you still have it in you to have a chuckle over little things. Being together doesn’t feel like a test of self-restraint because you know that being with him means being able to enjoy what you’re doing. [Read: 15 qualities men secretly crave in their woman]
In the long run, when you’re both old and grey, it’s the number of times you were able to have a laugh together that would make you both feel like you’re young again.
#4 You can talk to him about almost anything. You communicate with each other, and your communication doesn’t just revolve around your mutual interest. You can talk to him about things he may not be into, and instead of ridiculing you or telling you it’s boring, he keeps an open mind and listens anyway.
You can share your opinions about a whole bunch of things, and even if he doesn’t share the same opinion, he’s willing to listen to what you think anyway. The way you communicate is always comfortable for both of you. There’s no feeling that what you say will blow up into a huge argument.
#5 You handle conflicts together. When something’s wrong, he’s not the one to just walk away and blame you for everything. He’s willing to stick around and help out. Even if it’s your fault that things went wrong, he’s still willing to help out in solving the problem.
For instance, you’re having a fight about not spending enough time together. He doesn’t just dismiss you and tell you that you’re being clingy. He’s willing to help come up with solutions to the problem. And he’s not just doing this so you’d drop the issue. He wants to do this because he genuinely wants to find the middle ground that will make you both happy.
#6 He knows how to handle your little quirks. Whenever you’re on your period or you’re having mood swings or when you’re sick, he’s not the type who will just hide and avoid you. He’s willing to put up with all of that and take care of you.
He knows exactly how to make you feel better, whether it’s through entertainment, good food or just plain old medicine. And best of all, he knows when it’s time for him to go so you can get your rest. [Read: 25 awesome ways to keep a guy hooked and happy in love]
#7 Your relationship is growing, and not just because of your efforts. When you compare how you were when you were just starting off your relationship and how you are now, you can see a big improvement. You’re no longer just two twentysomethings who are just winging it, you’re two adults who have relationship goals and means of attaining those goals.
You can see that you’re maturing as individuals and as a couple, and you’re able to do this because you’ve both pitched in your share of work. He’s always there to support you, to guide you, to keep you in check and to remind you of your priorities. [Read: 14 signs your guy really means it when he says ‘I love you’]
#8 He’s got plans for the future, and you’re in it. He doesn’t treat you like some flavor of the week. He actually wants you to be there with him as he progresses in life. When you ask him about future plans, he may talk a lot about his career, what kind of car he’ll be driving and what kind of house he’ll have. But he’ll always mention that you’ll still be there with him.
With so many men finding it difficult to commit to a relationship, you know you’re with a keeper when he knows that he wants you to be with him for the long haul. [Read: Does he love me? – 20 sure signs to read his mind]
#9 His life has direction. He knows what he wants to do with his life. He has a sense of responsibility to himself and to you. He wants to be the best that he can be in order to provide for himself and for you. He has a career instead of just a job, and he genuinely wants to succeed in life. Despite whatever setbacks he may be encountering in his life, he knows how to pull himself back up and move forward.
#10 He’s close to your friends and family. Whenever you take him to family events or nights out with friends, he’s at ease when they talk to him. Your friends and family like him, and he likes them too.
He can keep up a conversation with your dad. He can talk about games and music to your guy best friends. He can even make your girlfriends laugh. Your friends and family support your relationship, and they’re not above saying it out loud.
#11 You’re happy. You may not exactly know why you’re so happy around him, but that’s okay. Sometimes it’s your gut instinct that will tell you that you’re with a guy worth keeping. Go with your instinct, enjoy it and let it motivate you to make your relationship work.
[Read: 25 signs and qualities that make a really great boyfriend]
So do you see most of these signs in your own love life? Are you dating a real catch? Use these 11 signs and ask yourself if you’re dating a guy who’s a real keeper.