7 Things That Prove You've Definitely Found The One

When you were growing up, dear ol’ mom and dad were there to pick you up when you were down. Then you met your bestie and she was the person you relied on for just about everything. So when the person you’re dating steps into that support role, you know it’s the real deal. You call or text him before anyone else when you need a little pep talk. She knows the best way to help when you’ve had a bad day is to cook you up some chocolate chip pancakes. Getting through the good times is easy, it’s those hard times that call for some extra special help from someone who just feels like home.

There’s nothing better than feeling like you matter to someone that doesn’t have to care about you. So when she picks up your those granola bars you love or when he remembers that thing you love in bed, it’s a sign that you’re high on their list of priorities. But going the extra step to care about your family and friends? Well, that gets MAJOR points in our book. If your partner can remember your little brother’s favorite band or sends your mom a text (unprompted) on her birthday, that’s a sure sign that he or she has been listening and taking notes on what’s important to YOU.

And we don’t just mean having to record a football game on TV because your grandma invited you over for brunch while his team’s playing. We’re talking about the completely selfless sacrifices…the kind that Coach and Tami Taylor make for each other in “Friday Night Lights.” Like when your partner offers to move cities for you when you land a dream job in another zip code. That’s a big step, and definitely a sign that your SO is ready to commit to the relationship for the long-term. What’s even more of a sign is when you’re more than happy to do the same in return.

It’s important that whoever you commit to spending forever with understands you for who you are…for better AND for worse. Without makeup, without a forced smile, without pretending, without needing to always be “on.” If your partner is marriage material, they’ll get that you have good days, bad days, and days where you are just NOT in the mood. You feel like you can completely be yourself whenever they’re around, and they STILL tell you how amazing you are.

That promotion you just got at work? Yup, he’s telling everyone about it. That hard-to-get-reservation she somehow scored? She’s definitely told everyone already. A partner that’s marriage material isn’t afraid to talk you up to anyone who will listen — family, friends, the old woman who lives down the hall, the checkout guy at the grocery store. They can’t resist telling everyone you know about how amazingly amazing you are.

Conflict is an inevitable part of any coupling, but how you handle the difficult moments can really show whether or not you’re meant to be together forever. Knowing how to fight fair and how to use those conflict-resolution skills correctly can have a serious impact on the long-term success of your partnership. So it’s a really good sign if your partner doesn’t back down from having the hard conversations, but rather embraces the argument and puts in the effort to really work through a problem when it arises.

He likes to have impromptu dance parties with you. She comes up with the best Saturday morning adventures for you to take around the city. Road trips home for Thanksgiving are infinitely more fun, boozy brunching is even more satisfying, and the world is just all around a better place with this person by your side…plus, you can’t imagine having more fun with anyone else. Someone who is willing to go through the ups and downs of life with a smile on his/her face is definitely a keeper. You don’t want a partner who takes things seriously ALL the time or focuses on the negative; you want someone who knows how to shake off a bad day, a long week, or a challenging flight and just find a way to have a good time because they’ll always make every day better.