When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you don’t play games with them. You don’t make them guess what is running through your mind. You act authentic. You spill your heart. You make sure they know exactly how you feel about them so they don’t get confused and run the other way before you have the chance to test your chemistry.

When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you don’t make them wait to hear from you. You don’t leave them on read on purpose in order to look mysterious. You don’t lie about having plans to make it seem like you have a busy, thriving life. You don’t put up road blocks to stop yourselves from forming a deeper bond.

When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you don’t hurt their feelings in order to play some twisted version of hard to get. You don’t keep them awake at night, wondering if you’re ever going to feel the same way about them. You compliment them. You initiate conversations with them. You ask to spend time with them. You make sure they know how much you value them since day one.

When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you don’t let the relationship seem one-sided. You don’t let their feelings seem one-sided. You put effort into flirting with them, into having conversations with them, into spending more and more time with them. You do your best to make them feel special, to make them feel like a top priority.

When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you would never dream of hurting them with mixed signals. You would never want them to doubt themselves, to feel bad about themselves, especially not because of something you said or failed to say.

When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you don’t try to make them jealous. You don’t compare them to your exes or brag about all the other people who are interested in dating you. You don’t make them feel like they have to compete for your attention, like you might lose interest at any minute because your options are endless.

When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you don’t make them jump through hoops. You don’t make them fight for your attention. You don’t make the dating process any more complicated than it needs to be.

When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you give them the same transparency and respect you’re going to give them once they officially become your partner. You wear your heart on your sleeve, even though it makes you feel vulnerable. You express your deepest emotions, even though it means you’re taking a bit of a risk.

When you’re serious about starting a relationship with someone, you don’t waste your time playing games with them. You would rather use that time to build a strong relationship with them. You would rather get to know them better. You would rather start your love story as soon as possible.