20 Signs You're Ready for the Next Step In Your Relationship

Pay attention to these essential factors to determine whether your relationship is ready to take the next steps.

Cyra Sanchez
November 19, 2024
7 min read

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Change can be hard to deal with, especially when you’re the one who wants to start changing things. So before you ask your partner to take the following steps in your relationship, you want to ensure you’re both ready for it. Please read about the top 20 signs you’re ready to take the following steps in your relationship and why they’re essential to every growing couple.

1. Great emotional intimacy

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Emotions play a vital role in every relationship, so if you and your partner have great emotional intimacy, you can understand each other more deeply. With that, you’ll have fewer arguments and more chances to build connections. This is a vital sign that your relationship has already found stability and you can safely take things to the next level.

2. You no longer keep secrets

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Honesty goes a long way in any bond, especially for couples. When you no longer need to hide parts of yourself from your partner, your relationship has reached the next level. It means you fully trust each other and are comfortable enough to show every side of yourself to your partner, even if it includes exposing your vulnerabilities.

3. Your values are aligned

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Couples with similar beliefs and values are less likely to disagree. With this, you can freely express your thoughts without fear of being judged or starting arguments. This quality is enough to deepen your trust, allowing you to quickly take the next step in your relationship.

4. You’re both willing to communicate

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Communication is the bridge that connects you to your partner. So, if you’re both willing to build that bridge and keep its foundations strong, your relationship can easily reach the next level. That’s because you can openly discuss each other’s thoughts and concerns.

5. You’re equally independent

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Depending too much on each other could lead to conflict, including feelings of suffocation in your relationship. That’s why being equally independent plays a crucial role for couples. When you no longer rely too much on each other, you can enjoy your individuality while keeping your relationship strong.

6. You’re comfortable talking about the future

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You know your relationship is ready for the next level when you can talk about the future. This may happen naturally in your conversations, showing that you both think of staying together for good. Couples who aren’t sure about each other may hesitate to discuss the future.

7. You feel safe in your relationship

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Do you feel safe in your relationship? Thinking completely about your partner or feeling like you’re home in their presence is a good sign to move your relationship forward. It shows how deeply connected you are, enough to make you both feel secure.

8. You’ve built each other’s trust

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Trust issues will hold your relationship back, but your bond will become more robust if you have fully built each other’s trust. That’s because there will be fewer misunderstandings between you.

9. You can handle conflict properly

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There will always be conflict in any relationship, but it’s not about conflict — it’s about what you do about it as a team. If none of you tries to dismiss conflict, avoid difficult conversations, or place the blame on one person, then you’re both efficient in handling your relationship troubles. This means you care about each other enough to work together through conflict.

10. You uplift each other

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For couples to move forward, they shouldn’t hold their partners back from growing. So, if you and your partner can uplift each other, you’ll feel like a proper team that supports each other to succeed. When you inspire your partner to become a better person, you know your relationship is headed in the right direction.

11. You’re ready to make sacrifices

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As your relationship grows, you’re bound to face challenges along the way. This prompts you the question, “Are you willing to make sacrifices for your partner?” If you can answer “yes” without hesitation, it shows you’re both seriously committed to each other; with that, you’ll be there for each other during hard times to support your partner.

12. You’re no longer interested in dating others

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The deeper your feelings grow, the less interest you’ll have in dating others. This shows you’re ready to commit to your partner and become faithful to each other. Once you reach this stage, your relationship can move forward without worrying about possible cases of infidelity.

13. You fulfill each other’s needs

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It’s hard to move forward when your relationship is missing something, such as being able to fulfill each other’s needs. This means one or both of you may feel unsatisfied, possibly due to poor communication, lack of quality time, trust issues, and more. If you can confidently say that you’re both satisfied with each other, then that’s the only time you can safely try to take the following steps.

14. You’re both comfortable with your intimacy

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Intimacy comes in many forms, one of which is physical intimacy. Every couple should have a certain level of physical intimacy, but not everyone needs to follow the same standards. If you or your partner feel satisfied with your relationship’s physical intimacy, you can start discussing taking things to the next level.

15. You’re fully committed to each other

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Being fully committed to each other means you’re both ready to make things official. There will be no more interest in dating others, no more hookups, or chatting with past flings. Everything will be a fresh start for both you and your partner. This level of commitment shows you’re deeply into each other. With your full commitment, you can easily take the next steps for your relationship.

16. You support each other

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Couples work like a team, so you need to be there for each other before taking the next steps in your relationship. Supporting each other means you’ll be there, regardless of whether you win or lose. It’s all about the willingness to show up.

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Couples with shared goals will make it easier for each other to take the following steps. That’s because you’re both heading down the same road, willing to face obstacles together, and you’ll be there for each other to achieve your goals. While the journey may not be perfect, just like in any relationship, the struggles will be all worth it when you reach your dream destination as a couple.

18. You’ve healed from your past

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You can’t walk into the future while carrying heavy baggage from your past; the same principle applies to your relationship. The only time you can take the next steps is when you’ve both let go of your past, allowing you to live freely in the present and the future.

19. You have healthy boundaries

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Establishing boundaries is essential before taking the next steps in your relationship. If you and your partner have discussed your boundaries, you’ll find out whether you both understand each other. Healthy boundaries will keep your relationship respectful and more robust; that’s why you can’t move forward without setting those rules first.

20. Your friends or family have met your partner

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If your loved ones have already met your partner, you deeply trust each other. After all, why would you introduce someone you’re unsure of to your inner circle or family? If everything seems to be going well and your partner has no issues connecting with your loved ones, you can safely start taking the following steps together.