1. You never have “textual anxiety” — the creeping suspicion that the person you’re texting with is playing games with you. Even if they don’t LOVE texting they don’t keep you hanging for hours and hours when all they need to do is confirm a time to meet, or say they’re busy at the moment, or type a simple response to your last message.

2. He makes you feel the best you have ever felt. This isn’t unrealistic romantic comedy happiness — it’s just your same everyday life, but better. Because he’s in it.

3. You’re proud to bring him around your family and friends instead of avoiding it or being nervous he’s going to embarrass you. This is partially because he knows how to introduce himself and act around people he’s trying to make a good impression on, but also because you have an adult relationship so your calls to your loved ones are about all the good things about him instead of briefing them on the fights you’re having or how unhappy it is to be with someone who doesn’t want a real relationship.

4. When he says he’ll be there, he’s there. There’s no drama or doubt about it.

5. When a friend breaks up with her boyfriend and sobs that she’ll never find someone better you can actually help her through it confidently. You can’t believe you used to be the same way — mourning dudes who were sooooo not worth it. Now the things you put up with seem ridiculous, there’s no way you’d deal with that now, and you don’t have to.

6. You aren’t cynical about men. You have proof they can be great right next to you.

7. You know what he likes about you because he tells you. He doesn’t do it because he wants a favor (or sex), he just cares about you and wants to communicate that to you.

8. Nagging doesn’t happen. You have no reason or desire to do it. You trust him to do what needs to be done, because he usually does it.

9. He always looks out for you in every situation. Whether it’s putting his hand on the small of your back to guide you to your seat at a restaurant, or warming your car up for you when it’s cold or voicing frustration about the people who treat you badly — he genuinely wants what is best for you and he goes out of his way to help you get it.

10. He’s not afraid of commitment, but he’s not rushing into it either. He’s rational about it and you know you’ll do what makes sense together, neither one acting out of fear.

11. You know for a fact he doesn’t share your bedroom secrets with his friends. His life is not a locker room.

12. He doesn’t talk about his exes but on the rare occasion he does it’s neither vicious nor overly-complimentary.

13. You know that he has your back when you’re not at your best. Everyone makes mistakes and we all have high and low points in our lives, and it’s truly a relief to find someone you know won’t leave you when the low parts happen.

14. He makes you feel like a woman.

15. The most shocking thing about your relationship is how simple it feels. It feels like it was always supposed to be this way and you realize all the petty insecurities and immature personality flaws of your past relationships caused a bunch of unnecessary drama you no longer have to deal with. Thank god.