The 90-day trial period, often known as the honeymoon phase, is marked with dating wonder. This is when the sight of his name on caller ID gives you butterflies, when lavish nights out or cozy nights in seem equally desirable, and when you doodle his name in a heart bubble circa 4th grade. Then one day, you wake up and it has been three months — which, for some reason, often means it’s time to sink or swim. Before you decide whether Mr. McDreamy has staying power beyond the initial ooey gooey phase, ask yourself these 6 questions.
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How intimately do you know him?
In the beginning, you should have spent as much as time as possible getting to know your guy. If conversations haven’t plunged beyond, “Can you pass me my pants, please?” or “I’ll have pepperoni on my half,” your relationship potential is not good. In the initial months, you’re most likely to show interest both physically and emotionally, so with this question, evaluate what you have uncovered about your guy.
Rate your relationship:
Rank how well you know your guy on a scale of 1 to 5:
5 = You know his most embarrassing moment; 1 = You don’t even know his middle name.
How much do you have in common?
While opposites certainly can attract, you want some similarities for the long haul — particularly in the values department. So think about whether you’re on the same page when it comes to morals and standards,what you like to do for fun, how you de-stress and so on. While you don’t need to date your carbon copy, having some commonalities is key for longevity.
Rate your relationship:
Rank how similar you and your guy are on a scale of 1 to 5:
5 = You are two of a kind; 1 = You are polar opposites.
Does your dog like him?
Dogs have better intuition than people and rarely seem to be wrong about a match made in heaven. So, if you have a dog, pay attention to how your pup behaves around your man.
Rate your relationship:
Rank how much your dog digs your dude on a scale of 1 to 5:
5 = Your dog is your man’s BFF; 1 = The scent your man leaves behind sends your dog into a howl-fest.
(If you don’t have a dog, give yourself a free 5 points, unless he is a dog hater; in that case, give yourself zero points.)
how is your time between dates?
The way you view your guy and how you interact with him when you are not seeing him can tell a lot about your potential future and whether it will continue to sizzle… or fizzle.
Rate your relationship:
Rank your feelings about your guy during in-between-date time on a scale of 1 to 5:
5 = You are chomping at the bit to see him again, and conversations in between are positive; 1 = You avoid his calls.
Have you met each other’s friends?
Opening the door to your treasure trove of valuable friends is a clear indicator that your Mr. Someone is Mr. Someone Special, and the relationship might have potential. That holds true for a guy, as well.
Rate your relationship:
Score yourself on a scale of 1 to 5:!
Zero = There have been no friend introductions; 2 = You’ve met a few of each other’s friends (roommates don’t count!); 5 = You’ve met a lot of each other’s friends.
(Give yourself a bonus point if you’ve met each other’s family members but not if one or both of you live at home).
Are you your best self?
Relationships with potential bring out your very best self. Think about who you are in this relationship vs who you are outside of it. Are you rising to your best self? Is this relationship helping to make you a better you?
Rate your relationship:
Rank how you feel in this relationship on a scale of 1 to 5:
5 = You feel your best; 1 = You feel depleted.
Now total your score. Keepers are in the 20 to 30 range. And tell us: Did the relationship pass the test?
More dating advice
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