Here are some signs that your man is in love with you and in it for the long haul:

1. He fully respects you.
Real respect is a profound thing. It is a base upon which you can build a stable relationship with a genuine understanding of each other and your values. There’s also a version that is more shallow, where only certain parts of you are appreciated, or where that “respect” can be turned on when it is useful.


You want to be with a man who knows you inside and out. One who wants to protect everything it is that makes you who you are. Instead of trying to change your opinions or bend your boundaries, he will celebrate all aspects of your personality. When he does, you know he holds you in high esteem.

This kind of quiet but powerful respect can have a wonderfully positive effect on your whole life.


2. You fully trust him.
Trust is a crazily treasured commodity because it is something that has to be built. You can look at someone and instantly think they are attractive, or even immediately take a liking to them. But you can never automatically trust somebody.

Earning trust is a vital component in building any other part of the relationship. Without it, everything is shaky and ready to collapse.

Having honest faith in a guy doesn’t just mean you believe he isn’t going to cheat on or lie to you. It means you’re confident that he will be there when you need him. It means you feel safe in opening up to him, in sharing your deepest fears and insecurities. He’s not going to throw a confession back at you in an argument, or tell someone out of spite.

You know that, at the end of the day, he’s got your back.


This hard-earned quality can only be created out of hard work and passion. If you have a truly trusting relationship with your man, you can be sure he has fully invested in you.


3. He loves a lot about you.
Everybody has their own quirks, ones they may not even realize are weird. Sometimes when you spend a good deal of time with someone, they notice these and point them out to you. If this is done in a snarky way, chances are you are not well-matched.

But when a guy takes the time to notice the things that make you “you,” and they make him like you even more, then you really have something special.

We naturally see everything from our own perspective, even our own selves. He may even see you more clearly than you see yourself. He sees your strengths, your potential, and all the wonderful things that make you who you are. Now it’s not all a shiny bed of roses, he also sees your flaws. But when a man loves you, he doesn’t use those flaws against you or make you feel ashamed. He embraces them as being a part of who you are.



4. He shows loving actions.
Telling somebody something is never as effective as showing them the same thing. This is certainly true regarding love. Would you rather be told “I love you,” or be made to feel it? Men are typically very action oriented. Our actions really tell the full story.


Some guys have a hard time expressing how they feel in a conversation. Fortunately, there are other ways he can make his feelings known to you. Take note of where you rank in his priorities. When he walks in the door, does he acknowledge you before doing anything else?

Is he attentive to how you’re feeling at any given moment? Does he show affection regularly, even with something as simple as a squeeze of your fingers? There are a million little ways to show tenderness and affection.

Look for these more unique and actionable ways that he may be showing you he loves you.


5. You’re his partner in crime.
He is not your boss or a dictator. He is your partner, your equal, and he treats you as such. Your opinion is just as valid as his, and he lets you know that. This doesn’t mean that you guys are never going to disagree. It just means that when you do, it will be a discussion between two equals. Neither of you will consider yourself the superior being or patronize the other.

Having a partner to bounce ideas off of and go on adventures with is a real gift. Healthy communication where both parties feel heard and well-regarded makes for a quality relationship. If you’re at this phase of a relationship, know that your man values you in the same way you do him.


6. You are a part of him.
Occasionally, couples get mocked by their friends for transforming into a “we.” For example – “we” are going to the grocery store, or “we” like onion rings. While it can be entertaining to point out the mild codependency between two people, there’s something really sweet about two people fusing together and flourishing as a pair.


It takes a wildly healthy and well-functioning relationship for two people to be able to happily spend copious amounts of time with each other. Undoubtedly there will be bumps in the road and challenges to overcome, but being able to face them confidently together makes them less intimidating.

When your presence has been weaved throughout every part of his life, he won’t want you going anywhere. If he can’t imagine life without you, it means you’re ingrained into the essence of who he is. This is not a passing fancy. It’s a heavy commitment that should be appreciated.

And what happens next?
You live happily ever after?

Love is overrated.

Damian - 'do you believe in love?'
Bruce - 'I believe in cancer'
Damian - 'what, they're both some kind of disease?'
Bruce - 'something like that'