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Talk to your partner about their feelings. It’s important to understand where they are in their own emotions so that you both can make the most informed decision. Are they ready to make the relationship more exclusive? Does he or she still want to keep to casual dating? Find out.
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Expect to put more time and energy into your relationship. Once you make the move to committed status, it’s safe to say you will need to focus more of your attention on your partner, being there to support them in their endeavors while also working together to keep the relationship growing.
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Understand the need to make sacrifices. Even the best relationships aren’t perfect, but when two people are willing to look at themselves and see what they could do to improve their own contribution to the relationship, magic can happen.
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Let it happen naturally. Trying to force a shift from dating to a more serious relationship will always do more harm than good, and if you pressure someone you will actually only end up driving them away. If your partner is initially resistant, drop it for a few weeks and revisit it at another time.
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Be friends first! Something people often overlook on the quest for a relationship is the importance of truly knowing and understanding someone. If you’re friends with someone–truly friends–then it’s easier to make the switch to a dedicated relationship.
