{"id":18324,"date":"2019-03-04T14:00:59","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T22:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/datemixstaging.wpengine.com\/?p=18324"},"modified":"2022-12-20T05:33:25","modified_gmt":"2022-12-20T13:33:25","slug":"serious-relationship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/relationship-advice\/serious-relationship\/","title":{"rendered":"Serious Relationship vs Just Dating: What’s the Real Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

So many of us have been in that totally confusing \u2018what are we?\u2019 limbo, between just dating, and being in a real relationship. <\/span>And is it any wonder why? Dating is messy these days. Far more complicated than it’s ever been. Since dating apps have made it easier to meet new people and see what’s out there, there are a lot of people who prefer to keep their options open instead of committing to one person.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how do you know where you are with someone?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest differences between dating and a serious relationship is people in a relationship are mutually committed to one another, and have agreed that they are in a partnership. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it’s more than that. Here are a few key differences between being in a serious relationship vs. dating:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve had ‘the talk’.
\n<\/b>This might sound obvious, but so many of us avoid coming right out and talking about what we are in a relationship. We don\u2019t want to be the one to bring it up, so we wait for the other person to, meanwhile, they\u2019re waiting for us to do the exact same thing. If you’re ready for the DTR, also known as the Define the Relationship talk<\/a>, then have it!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this sounds too easy, that\u2019s because it is. <\/span>Dating is great. It\u2019s fun, it\u2019s exciting, and it\u2019s new. But it’s not uncommon for both people to be on different pages pages at the beginning. <\/span>So if you don\u2019t know where you stand and you want to, find your inner courage, and have the conversation like adults. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be afraid of hearing something you don\u2019t want to hear, but that\u2019s better than continuing in limbo. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neither of you are actively looking for anyone else.
<\/b>Everyone starts off dating lots of different people, and sometimes you end up meeting someone that you find yourself wanting to see more and more of, to the point where everyone else seems to fall by the wayside. This is a sign that you\u2019re nearing the\u00a0exclusive relationship ta<\/a>lk<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another sign is if you find you no longer want to message new people, and you\u2019re no longer checking dating sites. If this is you, you\u2019re probably close to relationship territory, but like we said, you need to know you\u2019re both on the same page.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re not sure\u2014ask!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You show each other the real, unedited you.
\n<\/b>If you feel you\u2019re able to be your authentic self around each other, and don’t have to edit parts of yourself out of fear of not being accepted, it means you\u2019re comfortable with this person, which usually happens after the initial dating period. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you meet up right after hitting the gym, or you share something personal with this person, or you feel confident enough for them to see you when you’re sick. <\/span>This is because you\u2019re confident enough in yourself to be yourself, and you\u2019re confident this person will accept you for it. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve met each other\u2019s family and close friends.
\n<\/b>Most people avoid introducing close friends and family to people they\u2019re dating, until it starts getting serious and you think this person\u2019s going to be around long term. And that makes sense, because you don\u2019t want to be introducing someone new to them every week, right?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you’ve met some of each other\u2019s friends or family, it\u2019s a sign that this is moving past just dating and becoming a real relationship. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re both committed to each other.
\n<\/b>Do you see yourself with this person in the future? <\/span>Are you fully committed to them, and not looking around at anyone else? <\/span>Are you making future plans with them? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re both on the same page and committed to being together, then you\u2019re in a serious relationship\u2014so hurry up already and make it official!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communication is key.
\n<\/b>The only reason why people are confused about their relationship status is because we are TERRIBLE at communicating, and tend to avoid it all costs. This is a vicious cycle because the more we avoid it, the worse we become at it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do yourself a favor, and continue to talk to the person you\u2019re dating. Check in if you feel you don\u2019t know where you stand, because you deserve to. Anyone who cares about you and is worth being in a relationship with will want you to feel comfortable and secure, and won\u2019t try and keep you dangling as one of many options. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Check in if you don\u2019t know where you stand, because you deserve to. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":141,"featured_media":18441,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[884,891],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dating-advice","category-relationship-advice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSerious Relationship vs Just Dating: What's the Real Difference<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One of the biggest differences between dating and a serious relationship is people in a relationship are mutually committed to one another.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/relationship-advice\/serious-relationship\/\" 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