Signs He’s Actually Worth Dating (And Not Going To Be An Instant Regret)
Dating takes a lot of work: it takes a lot of energy to put yourself out there, go on date after date, and try to meet someone new. The worst feeling is when you start to see someone, but you're not sure if they're worth the time and effort or if they're just going to run out on you.
Here are signs that he's actually worth dating.
He Doesn't Leave You On Read
He never leaves you wondering why he's ignoring you: in general, he's consistent with his communication with you and will let you know why he might have a long lag in his response time on certain occasions.
He Makes You Feel Comfortable
You don't feel like you have to be on your toes with him or act perfectly around him. He's nonjudgmental in your presence and you feel completely comfortable being yourself around him.
He Follows Through On What He Says
If he says he's going to take you on a date, he actually steps up to plan one. If he says he'll show up for an event, he doesn't randomly flake.
He's Excited To Really Get To Know You
He doesn't want to keep things surface-level: he's genuinely interested in your life, your passions, and your goals. He actually asks you to elaborate rather than trying to talk over you.
He Speaks Respectfully About Past Girlfriends
It's one thing to have had a bad experience with an ex, but if he goes out of his way to demean his past girlfriends, that's a red flag. In contrast, if he can look at past relationships as lessons and still remain respectful of his exes, he might be a keeper.
He's Willing To Compromise
He wants to work things out with you so that you both come out of things feeling content. He's interested in your relationship being a partnership, not just in things going the way he planned them.
He Wants You To Meet His Friends
He keeps bringing up his friends, and he cannot wait to introduce you to them. He wants them to get to know you as an important part of his life, meaning he intends to keep you in it.
He Shares His Feelings
Rather than bottling up how he's feeling about your relationship or other extraneous things, he's open about his emotions with you. He wants to make sure you're on the same page.
He Tries To Get To Know Your Friends
When you bring him out, he doesn't hang on your arm like a weight, but he actually moves about the room and talks to your friends and tries to get to know them.
He Gets Excited About Your Successes
Whenever you have a win in life, such as a promotion, he is just as excited as you are. Compared to some people who view their partner's success as competition, he is just happy to see you thrive.
He Introduces You Clearly
When introducing you to someone he runs into on the street, he doesn't simply call you a friend: he explicitly calls you a girlfriend or something clearly denoting a romantic relationship.
Spending Time With Him Feels Easy
While there's nothing wrong with doing adventurous and exciting activities with a partner, you don't need external excitement to have fun with him: you could lie on the couch for hours and have a good time.
He Apologizes When You're Hurt (And Means It)
He doesn't use half-hearted apologies like, "I'm sorry you feel that way." Instead, he makes you feel heard when you're upset and he sincerely apologizes for his behaviors that hurt you in the first place.
He Tries To Enjoy Your Hobbies Too
Maybe you love hiking and he doesn't, but he gives it a shot anyway. Rather than always forcing you to do activities he enjoys and is comfortable with, he's willing to try things you like too.
He Doesn't Just Hit You Up For Booty Calls
Does he only text you after 11 p.m. on weekends? If so, he's not the one. A guy who's really worth your time and effort will make dates during daylight and won't just use you for adult sleepovers.
He Treats You As An Equal
Not only does he treat you with the same respect that he'd expect for himself, but he also makes sure to pull his weight in the relationship: he doesn't need to use you as an emotional crutch.
You Have Similar Values
When it comes down to it, he could be a great guy on paper, but for a relationship to work in the long term, you have to share similar life values.
His Eyes Light Up When He Sees You
He genuinely just loves to spend time with you, and being with you is one of the better parts of his day. He quite simply meets your excited energy with his own.
He Makes His Intentions Clear
He's clear about what he wants and doesn't leave you feeling confused. He doesn't say things like, "We're just having fun." He tells you whether he's looking for something serious from the start and doesn't try to mislead you.
He's Willing To Be Vulnerable With You
Just as you're ready to be vulnerable and open up your heart to him, he's willing to do the same. In any relationship, there is potential to get hurt, but if he's willing to try anyway, that's a pretty good sign.
His Gifts Are Thoughtful
When he does get you gifts, they aren't just generic things he thinks any woman would like—random teddy bears and flowers—instead, he gets you things that suit your tastes and interests.
He's Kind To Everyone
It's one thing for a guy to be nice to you, but it's very telling to his overall character when he's kind to people he has nothing to gain something from (for example, sales workers and servers).
He Values Your Time
He thinks about when you're busy, schedules dates at times that work for both of you, and he doesn't just show up assuming that you will make time for him.
He Wants You To Meet His Parents
Meeting the parents, for most people, is a huge deal, so if he wants to introduce you to his parents, he's very likely to be serious about your relationship progressing.
His Priorities Are Similar To Yours
Everyone in this world has different things that they prioritize—work, family, friends, health, leisure, fitness, etc. However, it's always a good sign when you two share similar priorities in life.
He Mentions Doing Things Together In The Future
It can be as simple as asking if you want to go to a concert a month or two from now or as complex as planning a trip together—it shows that he's thinking about a future with you.
He Has A Diverse Group Of Friends
It's a pretty green flag when a guy has friends of different backgrounds, sizes, and personalities because it shows that he's open to others' opinions and respects people from all walks of life.
He's Motivated And/Or Optimistic
Dating someone who is consistently negative or unmotivated, even if they're a good person, can very quickly drag you down. If he puts effort into his work, health, hobbies, or anything he's particularly passionate about, it's a good sign.
He's Responsible
He takes care of himself and holds himself accountable. It's important for anyone to be responsible in many ways—to others, with time, with finances—and it's especially important in someone you date.
You're Into Him
A man could be perfect on paper and check every box, but if you have no real feelings for him or any sense of attraction to him, it's not going to work out. Listen to your gut feeling before diving in.
