Are you beginning to develop feelings for him, but you also find yourself wondering if he is the one who won’t hesitate to take you and the relationship seriously?
There is no doubt that dating is hard. Especially knowing that there are a million reasons not to trust a relationship. Phones and the internet, amongst several other things, have made it easier for people to cheat.
But regardless, you can’t help but wonder if he is serious about you.
Here are the 15 signs to look for in your man. The more you find the merrier to rest assured that he is actually into you!
15 Signs He Wants A Serious Relationship With You
1. He is Transparent And Honest With You
Honesty is the best policy, but it comes at the cost of being vulnerable sometimes. The fact of the matter is that honesty may mean different for different people. While some may feel that it is okay to continue to see other people romantically even after they have started dating because there has been no agreement. While you may stop seeing other people immediately because it may seem dishonest.
The thing that makes a difference is being transparent and honest with you. If he begins to share his thoughts and feelings with you openly without hesitation, he willingly puts his emotions on the table in front of you. Showing vulnerability and honesty is a trait most men guard until they trust you and want to build a strong relationship with you.
When a man becomes honest and transparent, his motto will be to communicate how much he likes you and what you mean to him. He will never fool around or dodge admitting his real feelings toward you. That’s one way of knowing that he is serious about you and your relationship.
2. Conversations With You Are His Priority
There is a difference between just talking and having a conversation. Talking is when one person is speaking, and the other may or may not be involved or interested. It is more of a one-way street. Whereas a conversation is an exchange of thoughts and involves active listening and participation.
He loves having conversations with you about your childhood, career, or future. Even if the conversation is just casual about how your day went, he is deeply involved in it. He actively listens to what you say and engages with you while respecting your opinion.
You know he is serious about you when he remembers the little details you discussed. He will never fail to show that he cares and remembers your important days and events, and he’ll ask how it went.
3. Initiating Mini Commitments
Commitments in a relationship are like a mini-marriage model. There are several ways partners show commitment to each other. But when you have just started dating and are wondering if he is serious about you, you can see if he is making mini-commitments with you.
Putting out his old flames is one of the prominent ones. A man who is serious about you would not waste his time with his exes and flings. He would rather turn his entire focus on you and your relationship. This is a way of him showing that he doesn’t want nor will allow any other woman to come and destroy what he is trying to build with you.
Other mini-commitments may look like leaving his belongings with you, building new habits with you, finding ways to include you in his activities, making a spot for you and your things at his place, etc.
4. Not Rushing Into Physical Intimacy
Taking things slow around physical intimacy may seem absurd to some. As it may look like a commitment issue. But when he is content waiting for you to get comfortable enough for this next step, you will know that he is serious about you. He wants you to know that there’s much more to your relationship than just physical attraction or the desire for a quick hook-up.
Even though he was a player in the past, you are not his 3 am boot call. He does not mind waiting for you to initiate the physical intimacy. You do not feel pressured by him to indulge in intimate acts you don’t want to. He respects your boundaries and will treat you like his woman and not just like a potential sexual encounter.
5. Introducing You To His Family And Friends Is Exciting For Him
An important aspect of anybody’s life is their family. Nobody messes around with their social circles. If he is excited about introducing you to his circle, he is proud of you and serious about the relationship. Meshing social circles and families is a great deal for many people.
It is less likely for people who aren’t committed to a relationship to introduce their partners to their family and friends. Because then they are expected to be around when there is a get-together or a party. A man that lacks commitment will probably never take that liability to be answerable to their friends and family. So the easy way out is to avoid this interaction for as long as possible.
Whereas, when he has no doubts about you in his heart, he will be happy to see you and his social circle getting along. Sometimes, this is also the event when he makes this relationship official by calling you his girlfriend in front of everyone.
6. Spending Time With You Is Meaningful
Nothing is more precious to him than spending quality time with you. He makes efforts to create a bond with you that he cherishes. He wants to know you better and thinks about making it a long-term commitment. You are the person he would spend his time with more than anybody else.
It is rather true that actions speak louder than words. You may have met people in your life who all did was talk without showing it in their actions. However, when a man reserves some time with you, follows up on the plans, shows up on time, and makes your time together worthwhile, that’s your sign that he likes you and wants to take things seriously.
Afterall. If he wants to be with you, it will vividly reflect his actions towards you and for you. He will be responsible for his actions because he doesn’t want to risk your relationship in any way that may screw things up.
7. Your Absence Is Making His Heart Grow Fonder
Even though when you are not around, he is thinking about you. You have become a part of his life that he wants to keep close to his heart. You don’t have to work hard to get your place in his heart or his life for that matter. This is one of those signs where you will see more in his actions than in his words.
He may message you good morning, good night, and randomly throughout the day just to let you know that he misses you. He finds ways to include you in his solo adventures though it may be through phone, messages, or just sharing a few pictures.
When he is not with you physically, he dreads that and wishes to be with you as soon as he can. He talks about you with his friends and doesn’t hesitate to show his relationship with you on social media.
8. Trying To Make A Positive Impression With Your People
Of course, he wants to come across as the best for you especially when he is around your people. A man who cares for you will try as hard as he can to make a positive impression on the people who matter most to you. He knows that their opinion matters to you and he doesn’t want them to think poorly of you.
If you see that he is excited yet fidgety, asking a million questions, and feeling confused about what he should wear or bring while meeting your social circle, then you can tell that he is wholeheartedly serious about your relationship. It is not just about meeting your family and friends for him. He is willing to go all out just to make a positive impression on them.
You are his passion and he wants to be a part of your life as much as he wants you to be a part of his life. Even though his palms are getting sweaty, he may feel aloof, or makes a fool out of himself yet he is ready to take a chance at making you happy and giving what it takes to make this relationship work.
9. Willing To Work On The Relationship Flaws
He will not leave you if things go south. That’s the kind of man who will commit to a serious relationship. Most relationships are flawed and so are the people involved in them. Most people bring their emotional baggage to their next relationship. It is normal for the disappointments of our past relationships to seek ways in our new ones.
Regardless of the hardships, his willingness to work on the flaws of the relationship with you is a sign that he is a keeper. He doesn’t negate your opinion nor invade your space. You will not find him enforcing his views and ideas on you. He is aware that you have your own pulse and to make things work he has to respect the differences.
Even after fights, he doesn’t ghost you. Instead, he is the kind that will show up and would want to bring things back to normal. You aren’t afraid of being yourself in front of him because you know that he accepts you for who you are and he wants to work on this relationship with you.
10. His Actions Show That He Cares
Most men put up a great show when it comes to talking and preparing an extempore about how much they love you. But as soon as they are asked to act like they just described they vanish into thin air. Similarly, you can come across men who are big on treating you like a princess and gifting you things that don’t seem to be emotionally available to be in a serious relationship.
Apart from anything, it is the way that he treats you through his actions, and his words matter. You are your biggest sign to tell if he is ready to make this relationship long-term. The time he spends with you, the experiences that he shares with you, and all the little things he does for you are proof that whether he loves you deeply or it’s just another fling for him.
If he has established trust with you and you know that he is just a call away then you have your answer. A man wanting a serious relationship will do all in his control and beyond to make you feel loved and celebrated.
11. Respecting Your Boundaries Isn’t An Issue
Acknowledging and respecting where you draw a line is a massive effort toward making a relationship the real deal. If a man intends to make compromises and find a common ground with you then he is taking the relationship seriously.
Short-termed relationship goals can never be a reason for compromise. It takes a heart filled with love, care, empathy, commitment, and respect to accept their partner’s boundaries and be positive about them. You can sense that he is trying to understand your boundaries better by communicating with you.
He never means to overstep your space or autonomy and supports you for the person you are. Plus, you will never find his man’s ego in the dynamics of the relationship. He also apologizes for his mistakes while also taking into account your feelings and perspective without guilt trapping or manipulation.
12. Encourages Heart-To-Heart Talks
No relationship is all roses. There will be tough times too and it is indeed a natural cycle. Times when you will bud heads together, may not see eye to eye on a matter, or have to discuss serious topics like commitment and boundaries.
It is also the time when you get to see the real face of a person and judge their intent to be with you long-term. A man who is serious about you will never go cold shoulder on you when tough conversations are brought up. Because he is aware of the challenges that are a part of every relationship.
Even after the disagreements, his affection towards you hasn’t soured. He prefers talking it out than holding grudges and misconceptions. Because your relationship means a lot to him, he would do what it takes to keep it happy and healthy.
13. Getting Protective Of You
You are precious to him. He thrives on being able to keep you safe and protected. Although you may not be a damsel in distress who needs a hero to save her life. Let’s say it this way – he can’t help but be a hero to you. His testosterones are forcing him to man up and guard the woman he sees his future with. That’s an obvious sign that he is indeed serious about you.
He may also ask you to be exclusive so that there is no confusion as to where you two stand in your relationship. He doesn’t want to allow another man a chance to get you. It is no secret, a man who is not sure about you will never give exclusivity a chance. Because his relationship goal is only to strive on dates and nothing beyond that.
Simply put, if he is putting the “I am yours, and you’re mine” notion in action, he loves to be in love with you. He appreciates being devoted to you and would love it if you can be as devoted to him today and probably more in the future.
14. You Feel Secure When He Isn’t Around
Trust in a relationship is the very base of it. A relationship without a strong base goes nowhere. If you find yourself constantly worrying about what he is up to then something is not right with your relationship. Sometimes feeling insecure about your man may be because of past traumatic experiences. But you are always aware at heart if you are worried because of your experience or his behavior.
The way a man behaves says a lot about his character. If he keeps secrets from you, can’t share his phone’s password with you, doesn’t inform you about his plans, and blames it on you for being insecure then you know that’s trash.
Serious relationships require much more than just love. They need responsibility, attention to detail, respect, and security. If he wants a serious relationship with you, he will do all he can to make you feel secure even when you are not around. You will not doubt his intentions once because you know that his love is only for you and you can trust him.
15. He Is Ready To Settle Down
Every person has some sort of plan in mind. You cannot expect a guy in college or one who is trying to get his career off the ground to be full-time committed. While, yes there are instances where guys have committed to a relationship even at a very young age but they are rare. Marriage or a serious relationship is usually the last thing a man will think about if he is already puzzled in figuring out his life.
If he is at a point in his life where has accomplished something in his life and feels it's time to enjoy life with his partner by his side then yes, you can expect him to be serious about your relationship. More than anything, he will clearly communicate his intentions of wanting a serious relationship load. He will ask you questions about your future goals and work hard on developing a healthy relationship with you.
Moreover, it isn’t always about money. Some men are well-settled in terms of bank accounts and yet find themselves hopping from dating one woman to another. These are the type of men who would care less for a relationship and that too of a serious type.
Takeaway
Relationships are a two-way street. To make it successful in the longer run, you have to nurture it from the first day. You shouldn’t be expecting any signs of him being serious if you aren’t even serious yourself. In a majority of cases, actions are reciprocated in a relationship. A man who wants a serious relationship with you will exhibit most, if not all, signs we discussed in this article.
Nonetheless, you gave your best shot, and yet he hasn’t shown any signs that may project his commitment towards the relationship, then you know where it stands. Yes, it may be emotionally and physically exhausting trying to know your worth to the person you are in love with. The majority of the time you can tell apart if he is serious about the relationship by the way he conducts himself around you.
If he mistreats you, takes you for granted, disrespects you behind your back, leaves you alone in your hour of need, sees other women alongside, swipes right on dating apps, or makes the relationship difficult for you in any way then he is not the one you should be investing your time or efforts in. He may say that he loves you and he will get better in some time but remember that ‘actions speak louder than words.’ He has not changed and he probably never will.
But, if he treats you well, respects your point of view, enjoys his time with you, talks well about you, and stays honest about the relationship, he is possibly warming up to the idea of being in a long-term relationship. He may be scared of commitment due to his past experiences. Or he is just skeptical about the practicality of it all. The best advice would be to cut him some slack and let him figure this out on his own while you sit back and enjoy your life.