9 Signs You’re Ready To Go From Casually Dating To Exclusively Dating

You’ve gone on more than a few dates, have had some late night conversations, and made it through some relationship “firsts.” Now it’s time to evaluate if this thing you think you have has any legs. You’re not exactly at Facebook official levels (because you have to walk before you can run), but you’re ready to talk exclusively about where this thing is going in the (GASP) future. Here are some tell-tale signs that it might be time to lock that shit down:

 

1. You no longer feel comfortable calling him/her just your “friend”.

You hesitate the first time you realize that saying he/she is just a friend is an understatement. Maybe you aren’t exactly ready for the GF/BF label, but you’re a hell of a lot closer to it than you are to any other definition. 

2. You think about that person when someone else hits on you.

You’re out at a bar, doing your things with a small group of friends and the next thing you know you’re being flirted with by a decent looking member of the opposite sex (or same, whatever). The crazy thing is you have absolutely no desire to play along with this game because in the back of your head you’re thinking of getting in your sweats and cuddling up with your new boo — which sounds way better than a drunken make-out session with some random. 

3. Your friends are constantly teasing you

Because it’s becoming increasingly harder to play it off as just a casual hook-up when your face lights up every time they send you a text. Oh and as if the goofy grin wasn’t enough to get all your closest friends ragging on you, the fact that you’ve only mentioned every cool thing about the person you’re dating over the entire length of happy hour is definitely the nail in the coffin. 

4. You’ve become more focused

At work, at the gym, with your family –  it’s like someone pushed a button and all of a sudden you went from pretty self-sufficient and capable to that times ten. Because even without saying anything, you’re becoming motivated by this person you’re dating and want them to see you at your very best. 

5. You genuinely care about the person your seeing feelings and happiness

Just the idea of hurting them actually makes you feel a little nauseous and dizzy on the inside. Yet when they’re happy, you actively want to be part of the reason for that smile on their face. 

6.  You’ve mentioned them to your parents

You try sounding as nonchalant about it is as possible (you know, just incase your mom starts getting too excited about you finally settling down) but after the small talk of what they do for a living, where they’re from, etc you can’t help but let it slip that you’re really digging them and maybe you all should have brunch sometime soon. 

7. You want to know even more about them than you already do 

Not just the small talk questions, the big questions about marriage and family, and past relationships. You want them to trust you enough to open up in a way that casually dating just doesn’t allow and you realize that you want to share with them all of your secrets, fears, and hopes for life as well. 

8. You actually crave them, not just the sex

They’re not just another body worth exploring to you anymore, you actually want their lips and touch specifically. You’re still learning each others bodies, but now when you’re feeling hot and heavy you can’t think of anyone sexier than them.

9. You’re not afraid of the “where is this going” conversation

Because instinctively you both know. It doesn’t feel forced or manipulated, your relationship has organically grown into this place that’s no longer casual and it’s not scary, it’s exciting. You trust them enough to say, “hey, I want to be with you, just you – in fact I want to be an us”, and mean it wholeheartedly.