How do you know when a guy wants you to be his girlfriend? Many men show signs that may indicate they are ready for a relationship with you. Read on to learn more about recognizing when a man wants something more than casual and how working with a therapist can help you develop communication skills.
Where is your relationship going?
It’s natural to want to know where the relationship is going when you’ve been dating a guy-or if what you have would even qualify. Before you ask him outright and risk an awkward or disappointing conversation, look for signs that he wants to make you his girlfriend.
“Given the costs of failed relationships (e.g., personal distress, problems with work, lower well-being for children, lost opportunities to meet other partners), it is important to consider how individuals are approaching these decisions.” – Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy
Signs he wants you to be his girlfriend
If you’re wondering whether the guy you’ve been seeing wants to make it official, check out some of these tips to give you an idea of what he may be thinking about a potential relationship.
He stays close to you when you’re together
When you’re together, if he stays physically close to you and frequently makes non-sexual physical contact, he may be interested in making your connection more official. At the beginning of a relationship, the brain releases the neurochemical oxytocin when close to the object of affection, which causes pleasant feelings and inspires an increased desire to be around them more. Oxytocin stimulates the brain’s reward system in men, sometimes increasing the reaction they experience and making them crave more.
Intimate encounters have feeling behind them
Intimate contact can feel different when there are emotions behind the physical connection. From a simple kiss to sexual contact, if your encounters with him carry a more significant emotional weight lately, it could mean he’s feeling emotions that make him want to take the next step.
He does things for you “just because”
If the man you’ve been seeing frequently does things for you, such as bringing you coffee or helping you change a flat tire, “just because” he wanted to, it could indicate that he is interested in making you his girlfriend. It shows he’s thinking of you and wants to care for your well-being.
Public displays of affection like hand holding
Holding your hand in public means he is comfortable with everyone around you recognizing that you’re together, which could indicate he would like you to be his girlfriend and wants other men to know you’re unavailable.
It feels like a healthy relationship
Sometimes, you can feel when a relationship is good for both partners. If you’ve been seeing a guy and it has gradually grown more serious as you both develop feelings and make adjustments to include each other in your lives, there’s a good chance he wants you to be his girlfriend.
He makes room for you at his place
If the guy you’re seeing makes a space for you to store some of your things at his house because you’ve been staying there more often, it could mean he values having you in his home and wants you to feel comfortable-and wants you to be there more often.
He’s told his friends about you and includes you when socializing
One of the biggest indications that he wants to make you a more permanent fixture in his life is telling his friends about you and including you when he socializes with them. The opinions of his friends likely matter a great deal to him, and introducing you to his friends could mean he wants them to like you before he asks you to be his girlfriend.