8 Ways to Know if Your Relationship is Serious ...

1. You Meet the Family

Welcoming someone into your private life is a huge deal. If someone wants to introduce you to their family that shows how important you are to them. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean you are about to start a family of your own or rings are getting put on fingers; it just means your boyfriend is ready to include you in more of his life. Also think of how good it feels if he's proud enough of you to show you off. Try reciprocating the feeling by letting him in to your family life too. This is definitely one of the ways to know if your relationship is serious.

2. Go on a Trip

Going on a trip is a major step into the serious relationship mode. Whether its for a two night or a week's vacation, the fact you planned something to do together shows major commitment. Being together in that setting is extremely vulnerable and takes your comfortability with each other to another level. The only thing I suggest is to let the guy bring this topic up. Sometimes he may not want to or isn't ready to go there. You don't want to push something on him he isn't willing to do, but if it's on your mind, go ahead and give him a subtle hint.

3. He Says I Love You

Girls, this is a clear sign your relationship is getting serious. When "I love you" is involved, things are definitely stepped up to another level. There's more trust, and security develops. Sometimes not everyone is on the same time page when falling in love. If your man says it to you first and you aren't there, don't worry too much about it. A guy can take it better then a girl can. This is one of the reasons I suggest holding back "I love you" until your man tells you first. Also, a guy doesn't want to feel pressure or hurt you, so more than likely they would just say it back to make you happy and feel secure.

4. Gives You a Lot of Affection

Where a guy kisses you on your body says a lot. Body language is crucial in reading how a guy feels about you. I love when my boyfriend kisses my forehead or wraps his arms around me from behind. Just knowing he wants to touch me is comforting. If your man is creating distance from you and pulling away, know your relationship isn't heading into the serious category. If he is being passionate and affectionate in ways that aren't just in the bedroom, know you are becoming serious for him.

5. Makes You a Priority

We all know life gets busy and we wish there were more hours in a day. But for those of us who don't have a lot of free time, if it's spent with your man that's a good sign to know you are serious about the relationship. If you have a boyfriend who works a lot and he makes sure he puts effort into seeing you on one of his days off, take that as a sign you are a priority. We all have errands and things to accomplish when we can, but if your boyfriend plans a special date or gives you a heads up on when he's off and tells you he "wants to see you" take that as he is thinking about you. He wants to let you know that you come first.

6. Get a Pet Together

There are a lot of pros and cons about getting a pet together when in a relationship. The obvious con is if you break up you are gonna have to either share time over the pet, or one of you is gonna lose out on a very special friend. The pro is talking about getting a pet together shows that you two are truly committed to each other in that moment. A pet symbolizes the typical serious relationship, so if your boyfriend surprises you with a puppy, keep in mind where his head's at.

7. Included in Friends' Events

Anyone can be somebody's plus one, but when your boyfriends' friends start wanting to double date, or include you in parties or events, its a sign you are moving into a serious relationship. If you and your boyfriend have been together for a while and he wants to keep you separate from his friends, it's time to question things. As girls, a lot of us take this as he is ashamed of us. In all honesty he just may not be that serious about you. If you want to show your boyfriend you want things to be more serious, start taking him to different events with you. Having your friends wanting to meet your boyfriend and including them in activities is a nice ego boost for you, and for him.

8. Moving in Together

We all know how clear a sign your relationship is serious is if you're moving in together. The fact you have entered into that vulnerability and comfortability factor at the same time is a major step in a relationship. I only recommend moving in with someone if you plan on being with them for the long haul. It is a really difficult situation to walk away from if you break up. It makes it even harder to break up too.

After reading all these tips I hope you got some clarity on where you stand with your man. Maybe you weren't showing him how much you really cared about your relationship, or maybe things aren't as intense as you thought they were. Either way, keep these signs in mind when wanting to take your relationship to that next level. Give the control to your man, that way you don't have to worry about scaring him off too soon.