Being in love is hard – otherwise they wouldn’t write so many songs about the trials and tribulations of relationships, right? Navigating romantic waters can be tricky at best: how do you know if a boy likes you? What if you don’t like him back? And what are your friends – or even worse, your parents – going to say? Here are five tips to help you make the most of your dating life.
Trust me! Trust is the foundation of any relationship. It can also be hard to come by, and even harder to keep. Dating and relationships are fun – and they’re supposed to be! But they also take work. Trust doesn’t just magically develop overnight. It needs to be cultivated, which means that it will take some time to grow. Don’t be afraid to spend the time – if he’s the right guy, he’ll be worth it. Remember that his actions will show you what kind of a person he is, and how trustworthy – or not – he is as well. Watch to make sure that he keeps his word and that he does what he says he will. Does he act differently around his friends than he does when it’s just the two of you? How have his relationships with other girls turned out? You should be able to answer these questions before you can begin to trust him completely.
Express yourself! Being assertive is a good thing! You should be able to speak your mind to your boyfriend instead of allowing him to treat you like a doormat. Of course, you should be speaking respectfully to everyone, including him, but you shouldn’t always be putting him and his wants and desires ahead of your own. Relationships are also about compromise.
Communication is key! Keeping that in mind, you need to be able to tell him what you’re feeling, especially if your feelings are hurt. Use “I” statements – as in, “I feel hurt because …” or “When you say that, I feel this way.” Remember, your boyfriend isn’t a mind reader. Sometimes he might not even know that his behavior is impacting you in a negative way, and the only way he’ll ever know is if you tell him! Don’t attack him – talk to him the way you’d like him to talk to you.
Jealous much? It’s okay to feel jealous – everyone does from time to time. But it’s not okay to let your jealous feelings cloud your judgment. (At the same time, don’t let him walk all over you. If he’s a little too friendly with your best friend, let him know how his over-attention makes you feel.)
Bring him home! Bringing your boyfriend home to meet mom and dad is a surefire way of testing the strength of your relationship. A good boyfriend isn’t afraid to put himself into situations that may make him uncomfortable. If he really loves you, he’ll do it for you.
Keeping these tips in mind will help you understand how to make a relationship last with the right boy for you!
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