When you’re in a new relationship, it can be easy to get caught up in all the excitement and romance, and you may find yourself looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. However, this fantasyland can’t last forever, and when it fades, you realize if it was just a fling, or if you’re in it for the long haul. As things get more serious and feel less like a daydream, here are 10 sure-fire signs that you’re in the right relationship.
1. You aren’t afraid to cry in front of them.
If you can sit on the couch sobbing over The Walking Dead and know that they’ll be there the whole time and wont think you’re insane, you’ve found a keeper.
2. You support each other’s ambitions.
You want each other to be the best they can be, which can include helping them buckle down and get their homework done or study for that exam. You aren’t insecure if one person is better at something than you are; in fact, you think it’s pretty cool that they’re so talented. If they have a goal, you’ll be there every step of the way and do your best to make it a reality, and they will do the same for you.
3. You don’t get tired of being with them.
You could have been together for the past 72 hours straight and still want to see each other the next day. You could stay in or go out, but either way you want to be with them.
4. They make sure you feel special.
A great person will make you feel great. They care about you and they aren’t afraid to show it. They accept you as you are and don’t try to change you or make you feel insecure about your faults. When you’re with them, you see your Brightside, and you want them to see theirs.
5. You are true to yourself and encourage them to be independent too.
When you’re in a relationship, it can be easy to mold into one jumbled, two-person hybrid that is always on the same page, but when you’re in the right relationship, you will still feel like yourself and will still be able to share your opinions and participate in the activities you did before your relationship, and you encourage them to do the same. They don’t always have to agree with you and you don’t always have to agree with them, and you wont expect that. What’s most important is that you respect your differences and aren’t constantly trying to change them.
6. You spend time with each other’s family.
You aren’t a mystery—their family knows who you are and knows what you’re up to. Even if you aren’t super close with them, you are respectful and make an effort to stay in touch.
7. You laugh more, smile more, and feel more.
You’re happy! You aren’t tired all of the time and constantly making the “it was just a bad day” excuse. A good relationship won’t add constant stress, but will help take some of that away.
8. You try to understand each other’s interests.
Maybe you like indie films and they like ESPN, or maybe they’re into musicals and you like reading Jane Austen. Even if you aren’t interested in everything that they enjoy, you encourage them to do what makes them happy and let them tell you about it every now and then. You aren’t constantly doing what one person wants to do, and you try your best to respect the things that they’re interested in.
9. You talk. A lot.
Miscommunication can be a real problem, so you do your best to make sure that you’re both on the same page. Did what they do yesterday bother you, or were you feeling stressed about school and acted grumpy around them? Clearing the air is important to you both, and you aren’t afraid to talk it out or to admit when you were wrong. You both make it a priority to make sure you understand each other to prevent problems and misunderstanding. Seriously, read Romeo and Juliet.
10. You spend some time apart.
It can be hard to be apart when all you want to do is be together, but you both have your own friends and activities apart from each other that keep you from becoming codependent. They have their friends and you have yours, and you both make it a priority to keep in touch with them.
Relationships are fun and incredibly meaningful, and the right relationship will feel right and will inspire you to be the best you can be. No relationship is perfect, but the best relationships will be healthy, loving, and supportive and will make you feel safe and important in addition to the butterflies.