How to Get Him to Commit With 3 Simple Rules

If you’re like most women out there who are dating but not yet in a serious relationship, it’s probable that you’re curious about how to get your current guy to commit. Perhaps it seems like it’s headed in that direction, but you want to be sure. Or maybe it’s something new and you want to know if and when it will have a future.

It’s really confusing when a guy acts like he’s very interested in and cares about you, but he makes no steps to commit to you. Ladies, welcome to the club. The truth is that if you want your membership in this club to be temporary, it requires that you don’t just “wait it out,” hope it changes, or avoid the topic.

To get started, make sure you feel pretty darn certain that he feels the same way about being in a relationship with you. If you feel like you can’t wait for him to bring it up first, here are some Dating with Dignity moves you can make right now into the land of committed relationships. Read on to learn how to get him to commit!

1. Take care of yourself first.
When you meet a guy you feel like you want to spend every waking moment with, it’s an amazing feeling: an amazing feeling that you must counter with putting yourself first! Continue to do the things that make you happy, and make sure you keep dating other guys before you’re in an exclusive relationship.

While this can be really difficult, it’s also a great way to remind yourself what it is you’re looking for in a man and that the new amazing guy really isn’t the only fish in the sea. If you’re finding yourself reserving all your free time for one guy, calling him, or breaking plans with friends the second he calls, take a breath. Put yourself first!

If you aren’t in a serious, committed relationship with a man, you’re free to do the things you like when you like, for however long you like. That isn’t to say that once you’re in a relationship you stop doing things you like! It’s just that before you get there, be sure not to get too wrapped up in making someone your universe if you aren’t his. Meet his energy. It’s that simple.

2. Manage your expectations.
Are you, dear Dignity Dater, envisioning yourself walking down the aisle with your new guy…who you’ve been dating for three weeks? Stop right there. It’s imperative you don’t assume too much, especially too soon. You must stay in the moment!

When you have too many expectations for your future relationship with someone new whom you’re dating, you are surely setting yourself up for disappointment. If you spend hours fantasizing about his proposal or the wedding and find yourself doodling the names of your imagined first born daughter, STOP it now. Take a deep breath whenever you notice this happening and ask yourself, “What’s true NOW?”

Even if you have to reality check yourself a zillion times a day, making sure you’re interested in HIM versus interested in the possibility of who HE is as your future husband can be a game-changing shift in mindset. When you get disappointed about something that he doesn’t even know you’re thinking about, and you begin “leaking” hints about what it is you want, it can actually push a man away. So be in the moment, be your authentic self, and have a good time collecting data about him, his values, and yourself.

3. Don’t give him all the “girlfriend privileges” before he’s calling you his girlfriend.
This includes sleepovers (whether you have sex or not) and having sex. The reason you have to be careful not to give a guy you’re dating “girlfriend privileges” before you’re in a committed relationship is because he’s going to think to himself, “Why should I be in a committed relationship if I can get all the things I want while still being single?!”

There’s nothing worse than a man who gets girlfriend privileges without having to take boyfriend responsibility. Chew on that one for a while and make a conscious choice about how you want to proceed.

If you need to reference the old school phrase “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?” well then, reference away. When it comes to committing to women, men report that it absolutely has to be the right woman at the right time. But if you can help him realize why he would want to commit to you by associating the utmost pleasure and positive feelings with a relationship, you’ll be headed in the right direction.

For more advice about your new relationship, or if you’re ready for a relationship, be sure to take the D-Factor and find out exactly (1) what your non-negotiables are, (2) how to set boundaries without being perceived as pushy (or a pushover), and (3) how to set a relationship pace that you’re both comfortable with.

[Image credit: Neel Kaal Photography]