Knowing if the time is right to take your relationship to the next level can be tricky. Missing the right timing for taking things to the next level can have negative consequences for your relationship. Moving too fast could scare your partner into thinking that you want things to become too serious too soon.

When you and your partner think you might be ready, look out for the following things to be present…

3 Signs It’s Time To Take Your Relationship to The Next Level

Making a special connection to someone that you feel could make a good romantic partner feels amazing. The initial spark of attraction is strong and your hormones are telling you to take things to the next level. But this is a big decision that could impact the rest of your relationship. How do you know if it’s the right time?

There are many firsts in a relationship and when you are wondering if you should take things to the next level, it could mean the first time you and your partner:

  • Kiss
  • Make love
  • Move in together
  • Meet each other’s family members
  • Talk about important things like having children
  • Discuss getting engaged

You don’t have to agonize over making a decision about whether to take things to the next level in your romance. You just need to make sure that both of you are on the same page in your relationship.

Here are 3 signs that this is a good time to make a move.

Understanding yourself and your own relationship history is a good step to making sure that you are ready to take your current romantic relationship to the next level. How did you learn to act in a relationship from your earliest experiences with one; your parents?

As a teenager, your communication between parents and yourself can be either positive and supportive or negative and rejecting. The way that you interact with parents is likely to influence how you interact with romantic partners later in life.

Penn State University researchers say that early life also affects your adult relationships in how you handle conflicts as well as how you experience love from family. The divorce of your parents can also shape how you see commitment in your own relationships. Awareness of your parents’ relationship good or bad habits is helpful to recognize your own tendencies in relationships.

1. You can tell that you and your partner trust each other

You have established a bond of trust. Most likely, you know something about your partner that was special for them to open up to you about and you have done the same thing for your partner.

You have shared experiences together. You communicate emotions well and express your needs to your partner, who in turn provides what you need. When you know that someone cares for your needs, you know that you can trust in them. When you feel comfortable disclosing personal information to them and they do to you, you know you can trust each other.

2. You and your partner communicate your needs well

From the arranged marriages of the 1800’s, dating has changed rather rapidly. It’s no wonder that single people who are in relationships get confused about how fast to move when they really care for another person. Asking your partner to ‘go steady’ used to be one of the steps in taking your romance to the next level.

Researchers have connected the level of your personalized communication to the strength of your relationship. As a relationship progresses, more personal details are shared and you build a bond of intimacy. Improving your communication skills with your partner is a good sign that it’s an appropriate time to take your relationship to the next level.

Researchers also found that the labels we give our relationships like ‘friend,’ ‘lover,’ or ‘fiance‚’ are important to how our relationships develop over time. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of the ‘friend-zone’ designation when you were hoping for more, you can understand how labels can affect relationships.

3. You are not afraid to talk to your partner about this decision

Other than making the first move and giving your partner a kiss, most other relationship-next-level decisions might actually need to include your partner in the decision-making process. If you are considering advancing your relationship, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask your partner to tell you if they think it’s time to move things along.

Related article: 10 Things To Never Stop Doing For Your Partner

Tell them how important mutual communication, understanding, and trust are to you and tell them that you’ve been thinking about taking things to the next level. Listen to your partner and also look for the non-verbal body language clues that tell you if their words match their feelings.