I’ve dated my fair share of flaky guys and they’re just not relationship material. I need a guy who will be there when he says he will and who’s happy to be by my side. I’m not needy, but being able to count on you when I do need you is a must — otherwise, I can’t be with you.
- Showing up is the bare minimum. Is that really so much to ask? Well, it shouldn’t be. How am I supposed to have a relationship with a guy who flakes out on every boyfriend duty? If I can’t count on you for the little things, how can I depend on you for the big things? Being a good boyfriend is going to take work but if you really like me, then you won’t mind putting in the time.
- If I can’t depend on you, how can I trust you? Trust is (or should be) the foundation of a relationship. If I can’t depend on you in life, how am I supposed to feel safe with you? Failing to be there for me, breaking a promise, standing me up — all of those disappointments are just like lies, and since honesty is key, we’re screwed.
- This is how mature relationships work. If you’re not ready for the responsibility of partnership, you should probably just stay single. Relationships aren’t always easy — they’re hard work, but if you love me then it should be worth it. I don’t need you to fix everything or have all the answers, I just need you to be there for me. If you can’t even do that, then we’re never going to last.
- It’s a two-way street. I lean on you and you lean back on me. I’m not asking anything of you that I’m not willing to do myself. I actually want to be there for you. When you love and care about someone, being there for them is something you take pride in. I care about your wants, needs, and happiness. You can always depend on me — I just want to be able to say the same about you.
- I need a basic level of commitment. I know commitment sounds scary, but that’s what relationships are all about. It’s not enough to just be my boyfriend, you have to actually try. I need to know that when you promise to pick me up from work or show up for family dinner, you’ll actually follow through. I need a guy who can commit himself fully to a relationship and keep committing every single day.
- I want you to be confident in your love for me. I want a guy who doesn’t have to constantly wonder if he really loves me. I need a man who just knows and doesn’t doubt his love for me. I shouldn’t have to wake up every day and worry that today will be the end of us. If you’re not confident that you love me, then I can never be confident in us, and our “relationship” will never survive that low self-esteem.
- I’m looking for an equal partner. I’m looking for a true teammate and a partner to walk through life with me. I know that sounds serious, but you know what? Love is serious. Relationships are serious. I don’t want casual commitment — that’s an oxymoron. I’m looking for the real deal. I want a true love story. So if you can’t agree to just be there for me and be on my team, then I’m not interested in any part of this so-called “relationship.” It’s just not for me.
- I want more than just sex. I want emotion. I want your shoulder to cry on when times get tough. I want you to be the person I can turn to when I don’t know what else to do. I want you to be my rock. I want a man I can consider family and I can trust to always be by my side. I’m looking for more than just a warm body in my bed. I want true love and if you can’t handle that, I just can’t be with you.
