4 Telling Signs to Know that You're Ready to Get Engaged
2021-01-12

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You've been with your partner for a while now, and you have both decided to take the next step in the relationship to get engaged. It’s a big step forward, so to know if you and your partner are genuinely ready to embark on this new journey together, you should keep a lookout for these universal relationship checkpoints!

1. It doesn't feel scary

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When making big decisions that are significant enough to change your lives, you're bound to feel nervous. It’s normal if your tummy is swarmed with butterflies and you're experiencing jitters, but you shouldn’t feel fear when thinking about life with your partner for the next few decades.  

Imagining your future with your beloved should typically feel natural and even exciting, so if it makes you feel otherwise, perhaps you wish to reconsider and spend more time ruminating on the cause.

2. You can be comfortable with each other

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Once you've decided to tie the knot, know that you're in for the long ride. Since you’ll be spending a significant portion of your life with your partner, you'd want to be able to act freely and be your true self. 

This means being comfortable with your partner in all aspects, whether you’re lazing in your pyjamas, talking about your deepest secrets, or voicing your opinions. You must be comfortable with the idea of being vulnerable in front of the other. Likewise, you'll want your partner to be just as comfortable before they actually do pop the question.

3. You communicate with each other properly

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The secret to the longevity in relationships is simply one thing, and one thing only: excellent communication.

More than just articulating your thoughts and feelings, effective communication is about the willingness to listen to and try to understand your partner as well. This requires patience, empathy, and lots of conscious effort, and has no room for stubbornness and ego. 

If you can communicate, you can work through whatever that comes your way, whether it'd be personal issues, relationship issues, or deciding on that wedding dress! Life comes at you fast, so be sure to practise good communication to ease the process and don’t let misunderstandings, resentments, and pride get in the way.

4. You've worked through your relationship issues

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No matter the type of relationships, rough spots can make and break the bond shared between two people. However, rough spots are common – after all, you and your partner are two very different individuals with your own thoughts, feelings, ideals and more. Clashes are bound to happen!

Rather than preventing conflicts from happening and avoiding them, what you need to do is to simply approach and resolve them in a healthy manner. This means no toxic behaviours such as gaslighting, manipulating, or burying of the issue. The first step to solving such problems is through healthy communication as mentioned above, and once you can come through the other side stronger, you'll know that your significant other is the one.

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Taking the next step in the relationship and deciding to commit entirely (this applies even to couples who prefer not to get married) to one person for the rest of your life is daunting, but it's a natural progression for two individuals in love. 

To save yourself some heartache, be sure to take note of all of the signs above before you step into this decision! Of course, do note that even if the above does not reflect your relationship, it is not a sign to end the relationship – it simply means that more time or work is needed to secure a happy, respectful, and long-lasting marriage!