You've been dating your boyfriend for a few years now and things are going great. You know how to communicate, you always have fun together, and your future goals seem to align perfectly. If this scenario sounds true to your relationship you may be left wondering: why hasn't he proposed yet?
A perfect ring for your engagement
It can be incredibly frustrating when you're ready to spend the rest of your life with your boyfriend but he hasn't popped the question. If you're like 90 percent of women out there, you're probably wondering if there are any tips and tricks to subtly nudge your man in the right direction.
Some guys are ready and willing to walk down the aisle, but they just aren't motivated enough to ask the big question. In this article we are giving you 6 tips to get your man to propose.
Make Your Relationship Goals Known
Studies about online dating show that couples are more likely to find meaningful, serious relationships if they used the word "love" in their profile.
Similarly, if you want to get a ring on it, you need to be obvious about it. Let your man know about your desire to get married from the start. The first time you ever have the "where do you see yourself in five years?" conversation, even if you've only been dating a couple of weeks, respond honestly and tell him that you'd like to be married and settled down by then.
This approach works because it sets a precedent. Your man now knows from an early stage in your relationship that you're dating with a view to getting married. This may be a blunt way to get your end goal into his subconscious, but it is also one of the more effective psychological tricks to get your man to propose.
Hint About Rings
There would be nothing worse than finally getting the proposal of your dreams only to end up with the engagement ring of your nightmares.
If he follows you on social media, make a new photo album, Pinterest board, or Instagram story (that only he can see - just don't let him know that!) called "Things I adore" or "Things I want one day" and start filling it with various things for your wedding day like a photo of your dream honeymoon location, a cute house with a white-picket fence, and most important - your dream engagement ring.
Not only is this a great hint to him that you're open to getting married, but giving gentle hints about what sort of ring you want can help relieve any of the stress he might be feeling about getting down on one knee.
Socialize with Married Friends
Some singles have the mistaken impression that married couples are miserable. That once you exchange your vows, your sex life becomes a boring haze of routine and you are suddenly obsessed with having kids. But this is not usually the case. Many married couples travel the world together, are successful business people, and have no plans of spamming their Instagram accounts with pictures of baby onesies.
Start hanging out with your married friends to give your man a better idea of what married life is actually like. The more you surround yourselves with happily married couples, the more open your boyfriend will be to the idea of settling down.
Don't Bring it Up
This reverse psychology is a true life-saver.
Just like women, men do not like to be controlled or manipulated into making decisions. Many husbands admit that one of the biggest factors in proposing to their wives (aside from love and the desire to be together for the long haul) was a lack of badgering on the subject.
So one great way to get your man to propose is not to bring it up at all. Not only will this give him the freedom to make his own decision about marrying you, but it will also make him wonder why you aren't bringing it up. This may cause him to question your commitment to the relationship and thus try harder to win your affections.
Exert Your Independence
One psychological trick to make your boyfriend propose is to pull back - just a little!
When you first started dating, you were probably very active socially. You hung out together as a couple, but you also used to go out for a night on the town with your girlfriends.
Grab a little bit of nostalgia and start going out with your friends without your boyfriend at your side.
This is by no means giving you permission to act like your spouse doesn't matter or to be cruel or dismissive of their needs. But a little independence can definitely cause your spouse to desire more time with you. And what better way to spend quality time together than by joining together for life?
Make it Easy for Him
If you really want your boyfriend to propose, one of the biggest things you can do is be a good spouse to him. Be loving. Take care of him and show him how good you are at nurturing. Cook and clean. Be responsible. Show him he doesn't have to take care of you - he just has to love you back.
Having good communication skills is another way you can show your spouse you are a good partner. Regular communication helps you develop a deeper relationship and teaches you how to resolve conflict fairly and with respect.
Remember that a marriage does not work unless both partners are willing participants. You should never try and trick or force your spouse to marry you. Instead, maintain open communication and be honest about where you see your relationship going.
Author Bio:
Rachael Pace is a noted writer currently associated with Marriage.com. She provides inspiration, support, and empowerment in the form of her motivational articles and essays. Rachael enjoys studying about today's evolving forms of loving partnerships and is passionate about writing on all types of romantic connections. She believes that everyone should make room for love in their lives and encourages couples to work on overcoming their challenges together.
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