It takes more than a few kisses, some hugs, some compliments, and some nice boy behavior.
It’s more than being a decent human being while wearing the title of boyfriend. Being a good boyfriend is more than not cutting her off when she speaks, more than not staring at another girl’s butt as she walks by. It is more than not cheating emotionally or physically. And it is very uncomplicated really.
Being a good boyfriend is loving her for who she is.
It is knowing her good and her bad and taking them together. It is supporting her and receiving her support. It is spending time just because. It is is checking in because you can. It is being honest with her about where you are and who you are. It is standing by her. It is letting her know that she can have expectations for you. It is the gentle reminders that you love her for her.
Being a good boyfriend is understanding her.
Her doubts, her questions, her hopes, her dreams, and her process. It is paying attention because she always has your attention. It is letting her know how much she means to you. It is hearing it from her perspective.
Being a good boyfriend is respecting and cherishing her.
It is believing her when she says “no” and respecting that even if you really wanted a “yes”. It is waiting for the green light. It is celebrating her today. It is cherishing her in all the little ways that she desires to be cherished. It is paying attention.
Being a good boyfriend is not having a desire to cheat because you’ve already won her.
It is being with a girl you care for and are proud of. A relationship that you do not want to jeopardize. It is not wanting to cheat, not congratulating yourself for having the basic decency of not cheating, it is not wanting to make her feel small or insecure with you. It is giving her your undivided attention.
To share yourself so deep that if she leaves there is no way that you can be unaffected.
It’s scary as hell and it takes guts, but it matters so much. Being a good boyfriend is not easy work, but it is also the easiest thing you have ever done when it’s with the right girl. To have one girl on your mind who loves you like you love her back. To be loyal, to be vulnerable, to let her in. To let her heal you as you heal her back. To be a good boyfriend to her will be worth it everytime she smiles at you, laughs with you, touches you, you’ll know.
That trust that you share, that deep respect and care. That’s what a good boyfriend helps cultivate and protect. 
