20 Signs That Says They're Ready To Be In An Exclusive Relationship

You’re pretty sure you’re more than a random hook-up, but are you in a relationship? You’ve been on several dates over the past few months. He's a great kisser and good in bed. However, you spend as much time snuggling and talking as you do being intimate. That's a good sign that he's interested in a relationship. As far as you know, he hasn’t been seeing anyone else. There have been no strange smells of perfume that doesn’t belong to you. No unexplained lipstick on his collar or neck. Or explained lipstick for that matter. Another positive sign.

Have you been seeing anyone else? No? Do you like spending time with him? Yes? Do you miss him when he’s not around? Yes, again? If something exciting happens at work, is he the first person you think of when you want to tell someone about it. Yes? Then, you’re likely ready to be his girlfriend. If you’re ready to be an exclusive relationship, but you’re not sure how he feels about being in a committed relationship, continue.

Should you go ahead and ask him if he wants to be in an exclusive relationship? When should you ask if he wants to be in a relationship? How should you ask if he wants to be in a relationship? Do you wait for him to ask you if you want to be in a relationship? Does he already think you’re his girlfriend and you're in an exclusive relationship? Before you decide what steps you’re going to take, you might want to gauge his reaction. Consider the below signs, before you ask if he wants to be in a relationship. Ask yourself how the guy your dating has been acting in these situations or how he would act if these incidents have not previously occurred. The answers will be a good forecast for how he will respond when you ask him if he wants to be in a relationship.

“I’ve meant to ask,” as you grab his hand from across the table. “How do you feel about us?” “O-o-oh,” exclaims your date as he leans back in his chair. “Thank God, you mentioned it. I’ve meant to talk to you as well.” “Really?” You smile. The two of you are in sync. “I’ve enjoyed going out with you." Your date says as he pushes his chair back and stands up. Your heart swells. He's going to sweep you off your feet and kiss you in front of everyone before declaring you his girlfriend. OMG, is he going to ask you to marry him already?! Is your makeup okay? Hopefully, his kiss doesn't smudge your lipstick. “The last several months have been fun," says your date before he frowns and shoves his hands in his pockets. "But I think the other girl I’ve been seeing is the one. I hope you don't mind, but I really need to find her and tell her I want an exclusive relationship.” Your swollen heart explodes into dust at your feet. That’s probably the PG-13 version of what would happen. It would probably be a lot messier than that. You need to have an accurate impression of where your relationship stands if you’re wanting something more serious.

1. Reliable/Dependable: Your date is reliable and dependable which is necessary for a relationship. If he says he’s going to do something, be somewhere, or call you, he follows through. The only time he breaks plans or fails to follow through is due to an emergency. Even then, he finds a way to let you know what is going on so that you aren’t worried about his safety. He doesn’t flake on you. 2. Break Plans: If your date's friends tell him about an upcoming event but the two of you have already made plans together, he doesn’t ask you to change your plans to fit his friends in. He misses the event with his friends or asks them to change their plans to fit his previous schedule. Putting you first is a good sign for a relationship.

3. Friends and Family: You’ve either met your date's family or his friends or both. He has gone out of his way to introduce you to the other people that are important to him and it was more than a “hi” and “bye” conversation. They showed interest in getting to know you as a person. This is a good sign for a future relationship. If they weren’t expecting you to be around again, they wouldn’t have wasted their time talking about anything more than the weather. He might be huge into public displays of affection, but he's kissed you in front of friends or family. 4. Events: Your date has invited you to attend something that he truly enjoys doing. A sporting event. A concert. Guys night. Camping. Fishing. Skiing. Whatever he enjoys, he wants you to also experience the activity and have fun. If you had never been before, he took the time to explain what was going on so that you weren’t lost. And he didn’t take off to do his own thing; leaving you stranded by the snack counter. This type of concern is important for a relationship. 5. Family/Friends Pressure: When your date's family or friends bring up his future with you being in a relationship, he doesn’t freak out and go into a tirade about how you two are only friends. He may not have said, “Yep, we’re a couple and we're going to be together forever,” but he also didn’t tell them to mind their own business, or appear to take offense to the idea. 6. Your Friends: Your date has willingly met your friends and has gotten to know them. He has even expressed that he likes how you interact with them. He may not be friends with them but approves of your choice in friends which is important for a strong relationship.

7. Insecurities: Your date is comfortable telling you what he is insecure about. Most men, at least in superficial relationships, don’t want others to know their weaknesses. If your guy is willing to tell you what he worries about or what he feels is his biggest weakness (not a feigned weakness to make himself look good), then he trusts you with who he really is and is preparing for an exclusive relationship. 8. Controversial Topics: If your date is able to talk with you about religion, global issues, politics, etc. and these conversations are not one-sided or contentious, then you are more than a brief fling. He values your opinions and wants to share his with you-important signs of a relationship. 9. Open about Finances: Like politics and religion, most people were taught not to discuss their financial situation with outsiders. If your date is open about how much money he owns, how he spends his money, his credit score, how he spends his money, and how he saves money, he is sharing a very personal part of himself with you. Being open about money is important in a relationship. 10. Know Each Other’s Baggage: Your date has told you about his past relationships. You know about the times he behaved like a jerk with a girl. What he’s not proud of doing in a relationship. The girl that broke his heart by cheating on him when he was in high school. The lines he used to get the girls. What he thinks of his boss. You’ve told him about the relationships you regret or the guys you dated and had no intention of seeing again. Both of you are okay with each other's past relationships and haven’t run for the door yet. Accepting each other's baggage is necessary for a relationship.

11. Plans: Your date has no problem making plans with you that are months down the road. It’s fall now, but he’s already purchased concert tickets for the two of you for a concert in February. He plans on this relationship to last. 12. Messages aren’t Mixed: Your date isn’t going from hot to cold and back again. He’s consistent in his contact with you which is a positive sign for a relationship. There aren’t periods of time where he disappears for a couple of days, a week, or a couple of weeks. He’s doesn’t go from 10 texts a day to none for the next week. He isn’t talking about seeing other girls or re-living the glory days of all night parties and random girls. 13. Passwords: Your date shares his passwords with you. You know the password to his phone. He even asks you to check his phone messages when he’s busy. You know the password to his Netflix account, so you can pick out something to watch while you’re waiting for him to get ready. Sharing passwords is a sign of an exclusive relationship. 14. Keys: Your date didn’t stop at passwords; you also have keys to his place. You can use them at any time. If he’s going to be late from work, he’s told you to go ahead and use the key to get in and make yourself at home. When you call him to make sure it’s okay, he says, “There’s no need to call. I meant it when I said to use the keys to get in.” 15. Relationship: The two of you have discussed the concepts of being in a relationship, engagement, marriage, and children. When you discussed it, your date expressed that he doesn’t want to spend years as a bachelor and is interested in a long-term relationship in the future. He has made it clear that he plans to settle down with the time is right. He likes playing with his nieces and nephews and would like kids of his own someday.

16. Priority: Your date has made you a priority. While he continues to value his time: at work, with family, and with his friends; he has carved out time specifically for you. Again, this time is consistent and frequent. When he has free time, he would rather be with you than anyone else. A strong sign that he's ready for a relationship. 17. Listens to You: Your date doesn’t blow off your concerns if you tell him you had a bad day. He listens and expresses his concern about your feelings and helps you come up with ideas on how to improve the situation. If you mention something that you talked about a couple of weeks prior, he remembers the conversation and the details of what you talked about. He’s paying attention to you which is indicative of a relationship. 18. Phone: Your date isn’t continuously on his phone: checking messages, texting, calling someone else, or posting information on social media. He isn’t using his phone to watch YouTube or play games to avoid having a conversation with you. 19. Other Girls: When you’re out together, your date isn’t staring at all the ladies in the room. He doesn’t even peak out of the corner of his eye when a good-looking woman walks into the club. If another woman tries to ask him to dance or out on a date, he politely refuses and explains that he’s out with you. Turning down other options is another sign that he's ready for a relationship with you. 20. Requests: If you ask your date to do something, tell him something you don’t like that he does, or mention doing something new or different together, he is open to the idea. He doesn’t take offense to constructive comments. He doesn’t pout or get angry. In turn, he is comfortable telling you things that he would like to be different between the two of you and you don’t feel like he’s insulting you or trying to change you. A strong relationship is open to improvement by both parties.

Are you already in a relationship? If your date is exhibiting most of these signs, you should feel confident in his answer when you ask if he wants to be in an exclusive relationship. If he’s doing all the signs, you’re already in an exclusive relationship even though nothing has been said yet. He’s already referring to you as his girlfriend when talking to his boss, friends, and family.