Let's Talk Commitment (Page 7)

Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor: Lillian Castro

Updated:

They say the first step is the hardest. But that’s not always true in the world of dating. Asking someone on a first date can often feel less daunting than asking for exclusivity.

Our articles focus on the transition from casual dating to exclusive relationships, so daters can transition with confidence. Read about what it takes to form long-term partnerships, strengthen bonds, and date for marriage.

Experts explore and discuss signs of readiness in you and your partner and how to handle the fears that can come with getting serious. Need to know how to discuss labels or plan for the future? We cover that too.

Our advice will help you find all you need to build a foundation that truly lasts, including conflict resolution, boundaries, and intimacy. Learn more from our experts about establishing rock-solid relationships, building trust, and doing the emotional work needed for a real commitment.

324 Results

What Our Experts Say:

181.
Did She Give You an Ultimatum?
David Wygant

David Wygant

I caught the cover of People Magazine the other day. It seems like Kim Kardashian is shedding the weight and giving Kanye “the ultimatum.” I don't really follow what's going on, but apparently she moved out. Now she wants him back, but she’s given him some type of ultimatum about anger management. It seems like every single day you read about some celebrity woman, her boyfriend and the ultimatum she gave him. How...

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182.
8 Ways to Tell She’s the Marrying Kind
Randy Mitchell

Randy Mitchell

The tides are changing when it comes to women getting married. No longer are the traditions of June Cleaver, Carol Brady and other housewives with children thought of as the norm. What was once considered the ideal lifestyle and dream of girls growing up everywhere has now become more of an option rather than an individual mandate. But for men still looking for one who’ll say, “I do,” hope is still alive and well....

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183.
Unmarried Cohabitating Couples are Less Committed Than Married Couples
C. Price

C. Price

Do you live with your partner, or are you planning on moving in together soon? You may want to take a new study into account first. Research conducted by the Rand Corporation suggests couples who move in together may have less long-term confidence in their relationship and their overall commitment to it. Typically, cohabitating has been seen as that next step, the natural progression of a healthy bond between two...

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184.
What to Do When She Doesn’t Want to Marry You
April Braswell

April Braswell

Many men in their 50s, 60s, and older were raised to be old-school gentlemen. They were taught that once you are partnering up romantically with a lady, you ought to ask her to marry you. You might cohabit for a while together first, but getting married is in your sights. Some might feel this is a bit old-fashioned in this day and age, that marriage is only if you are planning to have children together, so what’s...

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185.
3 Questions to Ask When He Won’t Commit
Susie & Otto Collins

Susie & Otto Collins

Is it automatically the end of your relationship when your partner won’t make a commitment? This nagging question fills your mind if you’re with a guy who doesn’t seem as serious about your relationship as you are. The tricky thing about commitment is it varies depending on how long you've been together, and it means different things to different people. This can cause a lot of confusion and tension. You don’t...

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186.
10 Best Relationship Blogs
C. Price

C. Price

After months or years of dating, it's the best feeling in the world when you finally meet a new person you can have a relationship with. Our 10 Best Relationship Blogs are riding that high with you by sharing their stories of triumph, true love and more! Science of Relationships BEST OF Bragging...

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187.
Why Men Don’t Want Girlfriends
Jordan Harbinger

Jordan Harbinger

Why are men so shy about relationships? This is a question many women have asked themselves many times in their lives. Still, shaking your fists at the heavens and asking why isn’t going to get you any kind of an answer. Here are a few reasons why men have commitment phobia. 1. Girlfriends can be clingy. Many men love being independent. We like having someone to come home to, but we don’t like to feel like we owe...

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188.
I’m Developing Feelings for Him. Should We Define What We Have Together?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I am an 18-year-old female. A little over a month ago, a 24-year-old acquaintance friended me on Facebook. One evening he kissed me on the cheek and another he kissed me on the lips. Eventually I started to kiss him back. I am developing more feelings for him as I'm getting to know him, but I am unsure how he feels about the situation. Is it OK for us to continue our physical relationship?...

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189.
I’m Starting to Think of Him as More Than a Rebound. Do I Tell Him How I Feel?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I've been dating this guy who started off as a rebound, but now that we've known each other for six months, I am officially over my ex and am starting to think about him as more than a rebound. I was fine with the super casual relationship before (side note: trusted him enough to not use protection), but now that I've actually started to like him, I'm not OK with the situation anymore. No...

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190.
Would You Date Outside Your Race or Religion?
Randy Mitchell

Randy Mitchell

There's a funny thing about love: It doesn’t discriminate. And when it comes to having heart pounding chemistry, key things in common and a long-lasting mutual attraction, we love who we love and nature always take its course. Interreligious, intercultural and interracial dating has become much more accepted among society, no matter which partner comes from which socioeconomic/ethnic group. No longer are the...

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191.
We Are Giving the Relationship Another Try. How Long Until We Rebuild It?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I had been dating a guy since January. We clicked immediately and fell in love. He told me he saw a future together. I told him I felt the same. I also showed him how I felt with affection. He left for three weeks with his friends in Las Vegas, visiting family and business meetings. We texted each other when he was away. When he got back, he broke up with me. I told him how I felt about us. He...

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192.
I’m Looking for a Husband. Is it Bad to Have Casual Sex in the Meantime?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I am a 36-year-old single woman. I am eagerly looking for a husband and am having a challenging time of it. In the meantime, is it a bad idea to engage in casual sex with men I am physically attracted to? For instance, I have a "friend" I have been "booty calling" with for five years. Do you think this is negatively impacting my chances of finding my long-term/forever guy? -Catherine...

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193.
If Chris Evans Can Stay Single, So Can You
Randy Mitchell

Randy Mitchell

You’re an attractive, fun-loving guy and crave your freedom. You’ve been this way all your life. During your adulthood, you dated literally dozens of women, attended many bachelor parties, witnessed lots of teary-eyed weddings, been called upon to be a best man and even hooked up with several bridesmaids during and after the ceremonies. You’ve felt the emotions behind the whole courtship/marriage thing and endured...

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194.
I’m Going Back to My Home Country, But I Like This Girl. How Do I Tell Her?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I am an international student and I met a girl in this country. In one month, I have to go back to my home country. The problem is I really like the girl I met here. I think she feels the same but I am not sure. I kissed her on a drunk night. As far as I remember, she said, “I like you too, but I don't want a relationship because you are going back.” In one week, I am going with her on a holiday...

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195.
4 Ways to Create a Proposal She Will Brag About
Marvin Velazquez

Marvin Velazquez

Like it or not, the elaborate proposals that appear on social media are here to stay. Engaged women (and men too) love to share the romantic details of their marriage proposal, and many are now extra flashy and grand. The standards for proposals have been raised. You can either do something she will love to brag about (he proposed in a hot air balloon), or you can do something she will be embarrassed to mention (he...

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196.
Real-Life Peter Pans: Dating Men Versus Boys
Sherri Murphy & Shena Schmidt

Sherri Murphy & Shena Schmidt

The universal rule in matchmaking that should be applied to dating is there is no universal rule -- no one-size-fits-all imperative that is relevant to each unique individual. Everyone inside or outside of a reliable dating service should be given their fair shot, but it takes a methodical, organic unveiling in due time to really understand the person you are dating. Sometimes a dating profile on a...

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197.
I’m in Love with a Man Who Doesn’t Want a Relationship. What Do I Do?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I've fallen in love with a man that does not want to be in a relationship. We separated for a while, but lately I started to ask him out. We went out once and had a great time. We were intimate. Then I saw a pic of an ex-lover in his truck. I called him on it and he went back to the "I don't want to have to answer to anyone" routine. I thought if I took things VERY slow and gave him lots of...

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198.
We’ve Been Dating Two Months. Is it Too Soon to Tell Her I Love Her?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I have (officially) been dating a girl for two months now, but I've been best friends with her for about 14 years. Is it too soon to tell her I love her? -Trevan (Kentucky) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Sweet Trevan, my heart leapt when I read your question. I'm so happy for you guys. You did everything right. You began with a solid friendship. Of course you love her! You always did. If...

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199.
Pet Names Senior Couples Should Never Use Once They Become Exclusive
April Braswell

April Braswell

One of the challenges with senior singles dating is not only is the dating scene different than when you were in your 20s, the nomenclature has also changed. When you paired up back in high school and college, you referred to each other as your “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” to your family and friends. But now that you’re a midlife single segueing into an exclusive romantic relationship, are you sure you want to call...

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200.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Finally Divorce! Lessons from the Couple
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

With the announcement that reality TV hottie Kim Kardashian and NBA star Kris Humphries have finally been declared legally divorced and pregnant Kim can safely have her baby out of wedlock, we can all breath a sigh of relief. But if you're looking for lessons in the "romance and demise" of this celebrity couple, the pitfalls all lie in the numbers: Six. Six is the number of months the star power couple dated before...

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201.
People Who Believe TV Romances Are Less Likely to Commit to Relationships
C. Price

C. Price

Can watching TV love stories affect a real-life romantic relationship? A study coming out of Albion College suggests it can. The study, which was published in Mass Communication and Society, found the more an individual believes TV portrayals of romance, the less likely they were to be committed to their relationships. Researchers recruited more than 390 married couples and asked them how satisfied they felt with...

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202.
Traveling and Leaving Your Lover Behind
Jonathan Welford

Jonathan Welford

In my role as a relationship coach, dovetailing goals and plans of two individuals sometimes has its challenges. Recently I encountered one couple who were at different stages in their lives. The situation was one half of the couple. We’ll call one Bill. He was established in his career, was up for a new promotion and was completing further professional qualifications. The other, we’ll call him Leo, had ambitions...

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203.
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

There’s a reason why Facebook put “It’s Complicated’ as a relationship status. Relationships are darn complicated! Not so long ago, marriage was a great option for women. It gave women a provider and a safe nest to raise kids. It also provided laundry, cooking, child-related labor and all the busy work of traditional gender roles. In 1950, nearly three-quarters of Americans were married, and now that number...

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204.
He’s Not Ready for a Relationship. Will He Ever Change?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: This guy and I have been talking for about three years. We have never been in a relationship but have been intimate on several occasions. I recently wanted to pursue a relationship. He got mad at me and told me he's not ready. He stopped talking to me for three weeks. I told him as long as our friendship can last, a relationship is not important. Do you think he will ever change? Should I wait...

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205.
He Says I Pressure Him to Live Together and Have Kids. What Do You Think?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: My name is Marie and I am 40. I have been with a guy for nearly two years. I want to live with him and have kids, but he said I keep pressuring him. According to him, things will happen naturally. What do you think? Marie (London) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Dear Marie, I’m not going to tell you what you want to hear. But I am going to tell you what you need to hear. This man has no...

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206.
I’m Catholic and He’s Jehovah’s Witness. Will It Ever Work?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I come from a Catholic family and was recently in a relationship with someone who came from a Jehovah's Witnesses family. Even though neither of us is practicing our faiths, he wants to give it another try with the possibility of marriage. Will it ever work? -Mandy (Canada) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Dear Mandy, I think what you’re actually saying is the two of you are interested in...

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207.
10 Best Marriage Blogs
C. Price

C. Price

Marriage is the end goal for a lot of daters out there, especially those men and women who are tired of playing the field and going on unsuccessful date after unsuccessful date. Our 10 Best Marriage Blogs offer the best tips for the marriage-minded individuals. Say goodbye to your single days! Happy Wives...

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208.
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

In today’s dating culture, it’s not easy to find a guy who’s ready to settle down - the kind who calls you up for more than a booty call. The good news is there are sure signs of a guy who’s ready to commit, and it’s not to hard to decipher him from a bunch of other dudes looking to get the milk for free. Here are 10 signs you should keep him on your radar if you’re interested in a long-term relationship: 1. His...

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209.
He is Still Active on the Dating Site. Should This Bother Me?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I've been seeing this guy for about three months now. We met online and just recently decided to not see other people. We really enjoy each other and starting to introduce our families. He is still active on the dating website we met off of. He admitted to having casual conversations still from time to time. I'm not a jealous or insecure person, but this has kind of hit me wrong. Should this...

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210.
When Lesbian Dating Turns Into a Mini Marriage
Mary Gorham Malia

Mary Gorham Malia

If you've done any dating at all as a lesbian, you've probably done the mini marriage. What's a mini marriage? It's when you wake up one day and realize you're living like you're married but you're not married. I'm talking about a relationship that started out with a date or two and some really hot sex right away. You went out on Friday night for the first time and you didn't go home until early Monday morning...

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Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor-in-Chief

Amber Brooks is the Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. As an English major at the University of Florida, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about a variety of subjects. Now with over 1,800 lifestyle articles to her name, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com. She has been quoted by the Washington Times, Cosmopolitan, The New York Post, and AskMen, among others.

See Amber's full bio »

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