Have you finally found a girl you really click with, and are thinking about your future together?
Do you like the sound of your last name at the end of her name?
Today we’re going to be delving into how to tell if you’re truly ready for marriage, and whether the girl you’re with is really The One.
Because as has been shown in surveys, a guy’s decision to marry is usually based around half on finding the right woman, and half on feeling like he is ready to settle down.
So even when you do feel like you’ve met the perfect woman for you, it’s important to make sure you are 100% ready for the commitment of marriage before you think about proposing.
Marriage is an amazing step in your life but it also requires total commitment, love and trust between partners in order to last the distance.
So if you’re thinking you ARE ready for marriage, or just want to find out the things to be sure of before getting married, check out the signs below.
Signs you are headed into wedded bliss:
1. You feel ready to settle down
While the thought of being with one girl for life used to send you into a wild panic, the idea of sharing your life with your current girlfriend doesn’t feel too bad at all. In fact, it makes you feel pretty warm and fuzzy inside.
You’ve gone through the stage in your life where fun, freedom and playing the field was the main focus.
But casual flings, wild parties, and spontaneous roadtrips in your mate’s van have all lost a bit of their shine. You yearn for a deep-down connection with someone and a more stable lifestyle.
At this stage you’re probably also thinking about other major goals you want to achieve in life – such as becoming a father, owning a house, and building your career.
The thought of spending the rest of your life with your girlfriend is something you happily anticipate, rather than something which fills you with dread.
If this isn’t you, you probably aren’t yet ready for marriage, or the girl you are with may not be the one for you. Never let anyone pressure you into marriage if you’re not ready.
2. You see marriage as a good thing
In order to be ready to make the commitment of marriage, you need to feel positively about marriage in general. There’s no point entering into something you already feel is doomed to fail.
Do you believe in marriage and think that it can last? Do you look positively at the marriages of other people in your life?
If you still see marriage as being a great thing, in the face of throwbacks like ugly divorce statistics, then a happily married future is ahead of you.
3. You know her flaws and still want to be with her
You’ve been with your girl for long enough to realize that she is actually an imperfect human just like the rest of us.
But strangely, although habits of past girlfriends may have got on your nerves to the point where you couldn’t live with them anymore, your girl’s bad habits don’t seem to bother you.
In fact, you tend to look on them with fondness and amusement. This is a clear sign that you have well and truly entered the realm of true love.
4. You are comfortable making future plans with her
Marriage is a life-long commitment. Therefore, it requires you to start thinking long-term about your goals and desires. And of course, it requires that your girl is in your visions for the future.
In your current relationship, are you comfortable making plans with your girl for one, two, or five years down the track?
Have you talked seriously about what you both want for the future? For instance, whether or not you both want children, where your career paths are headed, and where you want to be living?
Are your life dreams compatible? Can you see her being the mother of your children?
If so, marriage should come as a natural progression in your relationship – you’re already halfway there.
5. Life is better together than apart
While a few years back you may have seen being in a relationship as holding you back from life’s adventures, you no longer desire to be out there on your own. In fact, you have a lot more fun WITH your girlfriend than without.
You find yourself wanting to share every new life experience with her.
It’s not that you NEED her to always be by your side, but you find yourself really WANTING her there. A beautiful sunset, or an exciting new place, is just not the same when she’s not experiencing it with you.
And when she goes away, you find your mind wondering what she’s up to every few minutes of the day, and wishing you could be there with her.
6. You have a sense of stability in your life
Do you feel pretty comfortable with where you’re at right now? Is your life on track? Are you working towards your goals?
It’s hard to make a commitment like marriage if the rest of your life is in turmoil.
If you aren’t feeling secure financially, or don’t yet have your career on track, it’s perfectly understandable that you may not feel ready for marriage until these are no longer a worry for you.
Because going into marriage when your life is still undergoing a lot of changes can add a lot of pressure to your relationship.
It’s pretty important you and your girlfriend both know where you’re going and have compatible life goals before you think about marriage.
After all, that’s why they call it ‘settling down’, isn’t it?
7. You consider her a part of your family, and yourself a part of hers
You’ve got to know each other’s families so well they’re like your own, and are on a nickname-basis with each other’s friends.
Your family loves her, and the idea of her having your last name makes you feel all warm and gooey inside.
Although I understand that this isn’t always the case in every family, your parents and siblings usually have your best interests at heart, and if they think that she is perfect for you, then she probably is.
8. You’ve got that gut feeling
When you’re with your girl or are thinking about her, you just know that she’s The One. You’ve never had any doubts about your love for her – it just feels right.
No other woman has ever made you feel quite like this, and you can’t imagine your life without her.
If you have gone through all of the signs in this post thinking ‘yes, this is exactly where I’m at’, then all I can suggest from here is that you may want to go and pay your local jewellers a visit 🙂
Good luck, and long may it last.
Brooke Ryan
Author,
MeetYourSweet.com