How can I be more girlfriend material?

There is a major difference between dating and being in a relationship. Society has placed such dramatics on each that it's almost impossible to identify and recognize the difference. For years, the process has been to date a person before moving forward with a relationship. Some decisions and determinations need to be reached before you want to categorize a person as a mate.

There are no rules that apply to how long you should date before calling someone your girlfriend or boyfriend. You may have personal rules that you apply to your life regarding this, but the rules of others are invalid in your life. What makes a person decide that they want to move beyond just dating and into a relationship? Several factors impact this decision. It's important to recognize a few things about the other person before taking that leap and it is important to understand what the girlfriend or boyfriend material meaning is. 

Dating Vs. Relationship

Wondering If You Should Make It Official?

As mentioned, there is a vast difference between dating someone and being in a relationship with them. One of the most important factors is that each person knows the status of the relationship to avoid hurt or confusion. Are you just dating and getting to know each other? Is it an exclusive relationship? Are the feelings and expectations mutual? These are important questions that should be addressed and answered to define what exists between two people that are seeing each other.

Dating involves a few aspects that are less restrictive than being in a committed relationship. The term dating can be easily misconstrued. As a teenager, you may have gotten permission to go out on a date with someone you liked. After they answer yes, and you explode with excitement, you moved on to prepare for the date. It may have been a trip to the movies, a concert, or out to dinner. Whatever the date entailed, once it was over, you returned home for the night. Afterward, there are several ways that things could have gone. You may have never gone out on a date with this person again, or you may have gone out a couple more times.

Regardless of what happens, one truth remains, it was a date and nothing more unless you both establish it. When dating, it's possible to date multiple people without concern, as long as it's understood among all parties. If you're not in a committed relationship and desire to see numerous people, you have that right. It's sometimes the only way to find a person that you have something more with.

The dating process allows you to identify the things you want in a mate and a relationship. Once you've experienced various feelings, activities, and conversations, it's easier to identify what you seek in a relationship. Dating can be described as the source of transportation that helps you reach your destination, the relationship. Sometimes while traveling, you may have to make several stops, change flights, and maybe rent a car to reach your final destination. The point is that you eventually arrive with the help of all those sources of transportation.

Are You Ready For A Relationship

You may be dating someone that you're physically attracted to and enjoy spending time around. This often happens when dating. However, a relationship requires more than a few good dates and physical attraction. It requires honesty, effort, and open communication. How are you in those areas? It may be difficult to answer that question if you've never been in a relationship. Unfortunately, some people don't realize that they're not ready for a relationship until they start one.

Here are a few signs to help you know if you're ready for a relationship.

1. You Are Willing To Your Space

Relationships require you to give a certain amount of your emotional and sometimes physical space to your partner. You will need to make yourself available to their emotional needs as well as your own. It means that you are willing to change some of your normal routines to accommodate the relationship or your mate. Sometimes, you may be required to do things differently than you've done in the past to appease your mate. Your space is no longer just yours because you're your life with another person.

1. You Put Their Needs Ahead Of Your Own

Selflessness is a primary requirement of maintaining a relationship. If you find that you're constantly thinking of your mate's needs, it's a good sign. You care about their wants, needs, and concerns. You make an effort to see that their needs are met and that they are emotionally and physically okay. Once you reach this point in the dating cycle, you're ready to commit to a relationship.

1. You're A Good Listener

You may often hear that communication is important in a relationship. This doesn't only apply to be able to open up to your mate. You must also be able to listen and hear what they are telling you. Many relationships fail because one or both people are horrible at listening. Do you understand the importance of communication and listening? If so, you may be ready for a relationship.

1. You Are Emotionally Engaged With Someone

When dating, there could be something more to it if the physical and emotional compatibility is there. It is easy for some people to date a person because they are physically attracted to them. However, if you've developed feelings and grown emotionally attached to a person, you may want to move forward with something more than just a date here and there. Emotions are a language that helps people understand what they feel for others. When you begin to care what the other person thinks about you and how they make your life more complete, your emotions have surfaced.

1. You Lose Interest In Everyone Else

At one point, dating a few people was easy for you. It may have even been exciting. But now, it's not the same. You can't imagine spending quality time with anyone other than this one person. Your daily thoughts begin and end with them. It may not be love, but it's a clear sign that you want the opportunity to take things to the next level.

Is She Girlfriend Material?

Once you've identified the signs and feel that you are ready to be in a relationship, it can be a wonderful feeling. However, it's important to know that the woman you're pursuing is girlfriend-type material. Relationships are not designed to be one-sided. Your emotions and readiness don't always align with those of the person you're dating.

Knowing if she is girlfriend type material before you start a relationship can prevent many obstacles and heartbreak. This is why it's important to understand the difference between dating and relationships. You can date a person for years but may not be able to maintain a relationship with them for longer than a month. Why not? People have different needs and seek to love others differently. Make sure that your feelings and intentions are aligned before jumping into a relationship. Most importantly, make sure she's the right person for you.

Here are a few signs that the person you're dating is girlfriend-type material.

1. You haven't noticed any self-destructive actions or behavior. Most likely, you want a girlfriend who cares for herself and those around her. IF your actions and concerns for yourself and those around you are similar to or aligned with hers, that's a positive. If she is responsible and takes care of herself emotionally, physically, and mentally, she may be a great person to start a relationship with. Ensure that she doesn't seek dangerous or harmful aids such as cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol to help her cope with life's challenges.
2. She's planning for her future. Almost everyone wakes up with hopes or intentions of doing the same tomorrow, but that's not preparing for your future. When a girl sets goals and makes plans for a bright future, it positively benefits the relationship. If she's properly managing her 401k, planning for advancements in her career, and taking care of her health, she has high hopes for tomorrow. It is easier to maintain a relationship with someone that wants the best out of life. This is the type of person that will help you acquire the same and is girlfriend material.
3. She is independent. It's cute to be a little needy in certain aspects of a relationship, but a woman that is independent and confident about getting what she wants is an attractive option as a girlfriend. She's not too clingy and doesn't require that you spend every spare minute you have with her. She understands the importance of maintaining other healthy relationships and often encourages you to do so. You may offer to change her oil or get her car washed, and she sometimes accepts, but you don't have to worry about her letting these things go undone because her independence won't allow her to do that.
4. She has a solid relationship with her father. Some men are not attracted to daddy's girls because they always need to measure up to dad. This is not necessarily true in all cases. A woman who has maintained a healthy and happy relationship with her dad will usually have a sincere appreciation for a man's role in a relationship. She's likely been exposed to it through her dad's relationship with his significant other or her. She knows how she should be loved and respected because she's received it from her dad. On the upside, she's aware of the love that she's supposed to offer because she's been giving that quality of love to her dad for years.
5. She values the moment. If she appreciates the moment and doesn't push for something more too fast, she's girlfriend material. It's hard to encounter a woman that wants to live in the moment and doesn't expect grand promises about the future. If she can spend time getting to know you and falling for you, it's a positive thing and gives hope for a solid future. She's not pushing you to commit to something more before you're ready because she's grateful for what you're giving her each day.

1. She accepts you for who you are.This is a big one. Too often, people enter relationships with the hopes of changing the other person. Change can be good if it helps a person improve other areas of their life, such as career, health, or stability. However, when a woman accepts you with all your natural flaws, it's a plus. Your humor appeals to her, and your odd sarcasm is also attractive. These are little things that make you who you are, and people shouldn't try to change them. Once you meet the woman that accepts non-character flaws and loves you for you, she's a catch that you may want not want to let go of.
2. She brings out the best in you.You have gone from sometimes sad to always happy, and you know exactly why. It's because she brings out the best in you. Some women have a knack for helping men feel great about themselves, which is important in a relationship. If she's making you a better person inside and out, she is girlfriend material.
3. She has a natural essence that you desire. It's one thing to be attracted to her physical appearance, the shape of her body, or her smell. Once that attraction extends beyond the physical and reaches her inner beauty, she's got you hook, line and sinker. A woman who possesses a natural essence of beauty, charm, and poise is attractive on many levels and is pleasant. She's also an ideal girlfriend material.
4. She encourages you. Criticism is one thing, but consistent criticism isn't healthy in a relationship. A woman is girlfriend material if she offers constructive criticism but also encourages you along the way. She makes an effort to lift you up and not bring you down, which means she has your best interest in mind.

Wondering If You Should Make It Official?

Summary

Commitment requires a great deal of self-awareness and selflessness. You must be aware of your flaws and attributes. You should be open to accepting your mate for who they are before going into a relationship with them. Keep in mind that a person may not be an ideal girlfriend for you but could be perfect for someone else. If you're constantly dealing with failed relationships, you may consider counseling to help you address any underlying issues that may exist.

It is important to seek the traits you desire in a woman and not those set forth by society. Allowing society to dictate your happiness or what you should expect in a girlfriend sets you up for failure before it starts. Commit yourself to only enter into a relationship with a person if she fulfills your mental, emotional, and physical needs. But also, be certain that you can offer that same fulfillment to her. If she's girlfriend material, you can create a healthy relationship together, as long as you do your part.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

How can I show my girlfriend the material?

Though each man likely has a different take on what is considered ‘girlfriend material,’ there are some characteristics that many men agree on. An article interviewing men on this topic revealed that most want to find a girl who is caring, understanding, self-aware, and passionate. They stated that a woman whose girlfriend material possesses intelligence, a good sense of humor, and kindness.

They noted that a girlfriend material is generally less focused on drama or negativity and is aligned with their life values and goals. Many men want to find a girl who is emotionally mature and ready for a long-term partnership. For that reason, they may perceive that a party girl who prioritizes drinking with her friends every weekend is not a woman who’s girlfriend material.

What are the qualities of a girlfriend?

Qualities of a good girlfriend include loyalty, trustworthiness, caring, support, appreciation, and willingness to compromise. Men are likely to find a girl desirable as a long-term partner if she is passionate and independent. A good girlfriend is committed to the relationship and pursues her own individual hobbies and interests. Many men report looking for an emotionally mature woman and ready for a serious relationship rather than a party girl who lives full of drama.

However, every person is different in what they look for in a relationship. Therefore there is no definitive definition of a good girlfriend.

What things make a girlfriend happy?

There are many ways you might show your girlfriend how much you care about her. You could directly tell her that you appreciate her or write her a note that expresses how much you value her presence in your life. Another idea would be to present your girlfriend with a thoughtful gift that shows you were thinking about her. Complimenting her, sending a cute message saying that you can’t wait until the next time you get to see her, and showing interest in what she is passionate about are all simple ways to make your girlfriend feel loved and cared for.

What is relationship material?

Relationship material refers to being in a place that is conducive to a healthy, lasting partnership. Someone who is relationship material is likely to be self-assured, reliable, emotionally mature, and committed to growth and making a positive impact.

Why do guys hide their girlfriends?

Guys may choose to keep their relationship secret for numerous reasons. On the one hand, he might want to continue to appear available to other women and keep his options open, which is problematic. He may feel as though the relationship is unlikely to last or is unsure where he stands. There also may be the fear of judgment from friends or family members, particularly if the girl he is dating has an undesirable reputation.

How can I improve myself as a girlfriend?

What does it mean to be girlfriend material?

How do you know she is girlfriend material?

How do you know if a guy sees you as girlfriend material?