LOVE: More comfortable seeing 2 men with guns than hold hands

MEME: Your journey has molded you for the greater good

MEME: As you evolve, you'll make people uncomfortable

MEME: Team spiritual is not about one person

MEME: Sometimes you must shatter in order to

MEME: The search for reality is the most dangerous

MEME: You cannot blend in when you're meant to shine

WISDOM: My only regret, not telling people to fuck off

MEME: The excellence of the soul is understanding,

WISDOM: If easily offended, fuck off

WISDOM: Be happy, honest, wild, silly... be you !

WISDOM: Don't feel guilty living life your way

QUOTE; I am who I am, your approval not needed

QUOTE: Everything is bullshit, you knew that

QUOTE; Whatever makes you weird is an asset

PIC - BROTHERHOOD OF MAN

Maybe one day the brotherhood of man will eventually manifest between the Israelis, the Palestinians, all people in the war ravaged Middle East and elsewhere across this beautiful planet. In truth, we are one people, one race, the human race. Love thy neighbour as thyself, simple. When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the Earth will know peace. 

WISDOM: 12 Qualities of an enlightened person

I’ve been on a spiritual path most of my life, and in my experience I’ve seen how people are transformed through spiritual practices. Here is a list of qualities that most of them attain. This is not a comprehensive list, but I think it contains some of their most prominent qualities.

Keep in mind that there are varying degrees of enlightenment. That is, everyone is at a different point in his spiritual development, and some may be more enlightened than others. Also, these qualities can be possessed by both men and women. Enlightenment is not exclusive to either sex.

1. Happiness

The enlightened person is happy and joyful. He has a cheerful disposition most of the time, and is willing to share that joy with others. He is always optimistic that all challenges have a resolution. Even though the resolution may not be the most desirable, he is confident that he is capable of being at peace with it.

2. Peaceful and Serene

The enlightened person is peaceful and serene, because he is free of fear and other unwholesome emotions. He can see that the human condition reaches beyond this physical existence, so he no longer has a fear of the unknown. He is free of worry because he understands that freedom from suffering comes from within, and not from material possessions.

3. Loving, Kind, and Compassionate

The enlightened person is loving, kind, and compassionate for two main reasons: 1) he genuinely cares about other people, regardless of whether they care about him, and 2) he knows that other people provide him with the spiritual nourishment he needs to grow, therefore, he remains spiritually open to everyone.

4. Not Self-Centered

The enlightened person is not self-centered, because he has lost the sense of a separate self. He can see the interconnected nature of our existence. To him, this is a reality, and not just a concept. He realizes that all physical manifestations (humans, animals, plants, etc.) depend on each other for their survival.

5. Emotionally Stable

The enlightened person is emotionally stable because he no longer has an ego that needs validation for its existence. He is not hurt because there is no ego to hurt. He does not get angry because he is understanding and compassionate toward those who are not as far along the spiritual path.

6. Patient and Understanding

The enlightened person is patient and understanding because he appreciates how our ignorance creates our own suffering. He understands the challenge of becoming enlightened, so he doesn’t condemn people for their missteps.

7. Humble

The enlightened person is humble. Since he knows his place in the universe, he doesn’t need validation from others. Therefore, he has nothing to prove to anyone, including himself. His humble nature allows him to be kind and gentle, and be open to everyone he encounters.

8. Insightful and Open-Minded

The enlightened person is insightful and open-minded. He is able to see the world with great clarity, without attachment to preconceived ideas about people, places, and things. This enables him to observe the world without jumping to conclusions. Belief and intuition are replaced with clarity of vision and understanding.

9. Inner Strength

The enlightened person has great inner strength. He has learned healthy ways of connecting with the sources of mindfulness energy—through healthy interactions with people, and within. He no longer has a need for the power struggles that most of us engage in.

10. Leadership

The enlightened person is a leader. Having awakened to the point of understanding the nature of suffering, he realizes his duty to help other people find freedom from suffering. He leads by example, rather than control. People follow him because of who he is and what he stands for. They want to be more like him.

11. Mindful of His Health

The enlightened person is mindful of his health—physical, mental, and emotional. He knows that his mind, body, and spirit must be in harmony in order to maintain his spiritual condition. He has developed an understanding of physical and mental health, and doesn’t blindly depend on others for his health. He is mindful of the nutrients and substances he puts into his body.

12. Committed to his Spiritual Practice

The enlightened person never forgets how he achieved enlightenment. He is also aware that it takes continuous effort to remain that way. It takes a great deal of mindfulness energy to help others along their path, so he’s aware that he needs to replenish his spiritual strength on a daily basis. Otherwise, he’ll lose his effectiveness as a spiritual messenger.

Overall, the enlightened person is mindful of himself, and the world around him. Furthermore, he is curious and willing to continue learning. He is aware that even though he can see with great clarity, developing an understanding of the true nature of our existence takes time to observe and investigate.

This is not a comprehensive list of the qualities of an enlightened person. But I think these are the most prominent. My purpose for examining these qualities is to give us a compass to guide us in our spiritual journey—a vision of the path that lies ahead.

From this list, it seems clear that enlightened people live rich and fulfilling lives. Those who achieve any measure of enlightenment do so through some form of daily meditation practice, a willingness to let go of old views, and a commitment to helping others find peace. It takes work and dedication, but it is well worth it.

Best wishes on your spiritual journey!

source -  Adapted from “Mindfulness Meditation Made Simple: Your Guide to Finding True Inner Peace.”

http://www.mindfulnessmeditationinstitute.org/2012/07/12-qualities-of-an-enlightened-person/

MEME: Shout dirty to me

PIC: Cat - when you ask what's wrong, she looks at you

MEME: Being ashamed of your past is insane

ART: I am not looking to escape my darkness - cool

MEME: The warrior is the protector and guardian

MEME: Love is all about ignoring each others flaws

MEME: I'll have the Fukishima radiated salmon

LOVE: 24 Red flags not to ignore

Full breakdown - https://www.self.com/story/relationship-red-flags-never-ignore

1. They can't stop telling you how perfect you are.

2. Their sex drive is much higher or lower than yours.

3. They push your physical boundaries in "innocent" ways.

4. They rush a new relationship forward too quickly.

5. They try to drive a wedge between you and your family and friends.

6. They roll their eyes at you a lot.

7. They describe all their exes as "crazy." 

8. They call you names in arguments

9. They have no work ethic.

10. They're cruel to their parents.

11. Their attitude changes on a dime.

12. They're on a different sleep schedule than you are.

13. They're secretive about little things.

14. They cheated on their last partner...with you.

15. They demand your phone, email and social media passwords.

16. They guilt trip you every chance they get.

17. They have different financial values than you and refuse to do anything about it.

18. They make you feel stupid.

19. They make fun of you during sex.

20. They refuse to make your relationship public.

21. They need constant reassurance.

22. They have a different idea than you of what it means to be faithful.

23. They hold you to a double standard.

24. They're incapable of apologizing.

QUOTE: Meta-cognition - the Art of thinking

"The act of thinking about how we think is called metacognition. Metacognition is useful for developing self-awareness, critiquing ourselves, and improving ourselves. It’s like seeing yourself from an outside perspective, but just being more objective."

 

source -psych facts

WISDOM: Smiling doesn't mean you're happy

"Smiling doesn’t always mean you’re happy and crying doesn’t always mean you are weak. 

Sometimes, we smile because it’s what holds us together when we have nothing left and cry because it’s only way to become strong again."

 

Source - psych facts

WISDOM: Temporality is lonely.

Whether i’m the one who sinks the ship or I’m the one who jumps off before it’s too late, I’ve come to realize and slowly accept the fact that I’m the type of person who is temporary. Even family proves that notion. I’m not meant to stick around, and no one is meant to stick around in my life. I’ve fucked up, and been fucked over. The people I thought nothing could go wrong with, it goes wrong, because of my own doing or because life just works that way.

I talked to a medium today (because I’m desperate for something to just lift this weight on my heart). She says that people can consider me an angel in their lives. I’m there when people need me. They come to me, sad or angry, broken or hurt, lost or confused. I help them find their direction and give them the support they need, when they need it. Then people leave me. She said it’s because I’m strong enough to stand alone when others can’t do it. I’ve always sort of believed that before seeing her. People always ask me for advice. I can help other people. Maybe because I can’t help myself with my own problems, because it’s never a solution-based problem. It’s a “fight until you die” issue.

The downside, she said, is that I feel close and it hurts to lose them. I’ve lost a lot of people because they walked away slowly, and I accepted that fate didn’t intend to keep us in contact. There are a lot of friends I considered so close to me that I no longer talk to; the “we’ll catch up soon”s slowly became “we’re both so busy!” - and the day just never came that we talked. There are also a few people I’ve wronged, and I’m still dealing with the guilt of losing.

I’m temporary. People naturally only want to be around me when I’m happy and everything is fine. Which it’s been far from this past month. My days went from happiness and security to feeling lost, and just trying to get through the day without wanting to kill myself. I tried once. The thought hasn’t left me since I backed out of my decision to end my life.

What’s the point of going through life when everyone that you become familiar and find happiness with are temporary? You can be happy with yourself, but you can drown in your solitude as well. You can only learn so much in the silence. You can only spend so much time alone before you want someone to just witness that you’re alive. When people look to you for comfort but say you’re too much and pile guilt on top of everything else you’re feeling, it’s a sad thing.

I suppose that the only thing I want is just the chance to apologize, even if it’s just that - an apology just to get it off of my chest. To clear my conscience because I have the clarity to do so now. If I were to believe in miracles, I would also hope that I could restore that feeling of security that I once had, so I could feel like I’m not temporary again. To have that person who reminds me that I’m not a fuck-up like I believe I am (now more than before). To have the people who I can turn to when I’m the one who needs a distraction from life.

Temporality is lonely.

Source - http://andough.tumblr.com/post/116536224836/temporary

LOVE: When you meet someone who tries hardest

"When you meet someone who tries their hardest to stick by you regardless of how difficult you are, keep them. Keep them at all costs because finding someone who cares enough to look past your flaws isn’t something that happens every day."

— Midnight Thoughts

LOVE: Soul mates - not the ones who make you happy

"Soul mates aren’t the ones who make you happiest, no. They’re instead the ones who make you feel the most. Burning edges and scars and stars. Old pains and pangs, captivation and beauty. Strain and shadows and worry and yearning. Sweetness and madness and dreamlike surrender. They hurl you into the abyss. They taste like hope."

— Victoria Erickson

LOVE: I don't want easy or problem free

"But I don’t want easy or problem free. I want someone with a difficult past and scars on their heart. I want to go on an adventure and discover who you are. 

I want to hear my phone ringing at three in the morning and pick it up to the whisper of your voice telling me what you think the meaning of life is. I want a love that is as beautiful as a sunrise and as painful as a sunset."

— I want you

LOVE: Only once in your life (Marley epic)

"Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. 

When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. 

You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. 

Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. 

You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. 

You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life."

— Bob Marley 

WISDOM: I am that person

I’m the person who always tried to make someone happy and give them a reason to live. I’m the person who willingly, and sometimes foolishly, sacrifices his own happiness for the sake of other people.
I’m someone who does the right thing even when it hurts. Someone who can look back at it all and realize what and how things went wrong. 
I’m the person who can give logical advice because I’ve been through hell and back and survived.
I also know now that I’m the person who speaks advice and words to people to comfort them. I know what to say and how to say it. 

I’m the person who says the things worth saying, because I wish they could be spoken to me. 
I’m there for people the way that I have rarely had people there for me. I’m willing to run a mile for someone to walk a step for me. 
I’m the person who can be surrounded by a lot of people and still feel alone, but other times can make solitude a wonderful thing. I’m the over-thinker; the person who struggles with anxiety and depression, but maintains poise most of the time.

I know who I am. Sometimes it’s a great thing, and I wear my skin proud. Other times, I want to curl up into a ball, hide, and try to convince myself that I hate everyone and everything. The in-between is the “who the fuck am I, what am I doing, what is this wtffff” part of my life.

Sometimes I’m the person who feels demanding and selfish. I believe I deserve happiness and that I’m an incredible being. Other times, I’m the person on the opposite; I feel ashamed and I want nothing more than to disappear and fade away. The person that tells themselves repeatedly that they’ve reaped what they’ve sown, and don’t deserve happiness.

I’m a person who goes through life slowly learning things, occasionally hitting a bump where the self-realization heightens. In a short period, I’m the person who learns what people take a lifetime to understand. 

Source - http://andough.tumblr.com/post/115262564641/i-am

LOVE: Extracts from 30+ different authors

Anyone who takes the time to be kind is beautiful. — Richelle E. Goodrich

I don’t think there’s anything sadder than when two people are meant to be together and something intervenes. — Walter Bishop

In order to know virtue, we must first acquaint ourselves with vice. — Marquis de Sade.

To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves . — Federico García Lorca, 

I have stared into the light and you are all my shadows.

— Mike Carey, from Lucifer Vol. 5: Inferno (Vertigo, 2004)

You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free. — Thich Nhat Hanh

I wanna love you more than madly. wrap these legs, around your words. Until your speech is straddled deep, gladly. Swim the currents of your vibrations. Be separate and one. With the same meditation. With the same meditation. This is poetry. — Akua Naru - “Poetry, How Does It Feel”

long to see you in the morning light. I long to hold you in the night. — Bob Dylan, Lay Lady Lay

All my life, my heart has yearned for a thing I cannot name. — Andre Breton.

I want to love you wildly. I don’t want words, but inarticulate cries, meaningless, from the bottom of my most primitive being, that flow from my belly like honey.A piercing joy, that leaves me empty,conquered, silenced. — Anaïs Nin

Something unstilled, unstillable is within me; it wants to be voiced. A craving for love is within me; it speaks the language of love. — Friedrich Nietzsche 

Go for the person who makes you smile with all your heart and soul. The person whom you can’t wait to see or talk to. This is the person whom you’re meant to be with. The person that you know in your heart is right for you. — Unknown

Then I realize what it is. It’s him. Something about him makes me feel like I am about to fall. Or turn to liquid. Or burst into flames. — Veronica Roth

Look in the mirror and tell yourself out loud that you’re proud of yourself. We’ve all been through many different things and we are still standing today. Say it.. “I’m proud of myself.” It feels amazing. I told you. You don’t love someone because of their looks or their clothes or their car. You love them because they sing a song only your heart can understand. — L.J. Smith

 Over time, loneliness gets inside you and doesn’t go away. — Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Angel’s Game

But to come home each night and be so deeply understood would be the greatest gift of my life. — Clementine von Radics 

I felt in my heart two contradictory feelings: the horror of life and the ecstasy of life. — Charles Baudelaire

I was always hungry for love. Just once, I wanted to know what it was like to get my fill of it – to be fed so much love I couldn’t take any more. Just once. — Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

People in pain don’t always see things as clearly as they should. — Tuck, The Best of Me

They say true love only comes around once and you have to hold out and be strong until then. I have been waiting. I have been searching. I am a man under the moon, walking the streets of earth until dawn. There’s got to be someone for me. It’s not too much to ask. Just someone to be with. Someone to love. Someone to give everything to. Someone.
— Henry Rollins

You will always be too much of something for someone: too big, too loud, too soft, too edgy. If you round out your edges you lose your edge. Apologize for mistakes. Apologize for intentionally hurting someone - profusely. But don’t apologize for being who you are.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.— Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Yes, I guess you could say I am a loner but I feel more lonely in a crowed room with boring people than I feel on my own. — Henry Rollins

Until you make peace with who you are, you’ll never be content with what you have. 

- Doris Mortman

Those eyes that can make me feel so safe in one little look — Wattpad

Open your fucking eyes. I’m crazy about you. — S.R // Excerpts from the book I’ll never write

The strong are those who can be happy despite everything.

If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. — Mary Pickford

You can keep as quiet as you like, but one of these days somebody is going to find you. — Haruki Murakami

Someday you’ll find the right person, and you’ll learn to have a lot more confidence in yourself. That’s what I think. So don’t settle for anything less. In this world, there are things you can only do alone, and things you can only do with somebody else. It’s important to combine the two in just the right amount. — Haruki Murakami

We live in a disposable world. But you are not disposable. You are a unique individual. Who you are and what you do matters. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. — Unknown

Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, ‘Where have I gone wrong’. Then a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.’ — Charlie Brown

You are loved just for being who you are, just for existing. You don’t have to do anything to earn it. Your shortcomings, your lack of self-esteem, physical perfection, or social and economic success - none of that matters. No one can take this love away from you, and it will always be here. — Ram Dass

That’s the thing about pain. It demands to be felt. — John Green, A Fault in Out Stars

The good times and the bad times both will pass. It will pass. It will get easier. But the fact that it will get easier does not mean that it doesn’t hurt now. And when people try to minimize your pain they are doing you a disservice. And when you try to minimize your own pain you’re doing yourself a disservice. Don’t do that. The truth is that it hurts because it’s real. It hurts because it mattered. And that’s an important thing to acknowledge to yourself. But that doesn’t mean that it won’t end, that it won’t get better. Because it will.— John Green

Having a low opinion of yourself is not ‘modesty.’ It’s self-destruction. [Likewise], holding your uniqueness in high regard is not ‘egotism.’ — Bobbe Sommer

You don’t measure love in time. You measure love in transformation. Sometimes the longest connections yield very little growth, while the briefest of encounters change everything. The heart doesn’t wear a watch - it’s timeless. It doesn’t care how long you know someone. It doesn’t care if you had a 40 year anniversary if there is no juice in the connection. What the heart cares about is resonance. Resonance that opens it, resonance that enlivens it, resonance that calls it home. And when it finds it, the transformation begins… — Jeff Brown

I don’t have the prettiest face for you to see, or the skinniest waist for you to hold, but I do have the biggest heart to love you with. — John Green, A Fault in Out Stars

One of the worst forms of pain Is seeing your loved one crumple.And there’s nothing you can do to ease their pain — Anas rose

 I am where I am because you have loved me. - unknown

LOVE: Everything is about taking chances

Everything’s about taking chances and falling down, getting back up. life doesn’t slow down for anyone. people will say who cares if you hurts you and it’s true because throughout it all, it will only make you stronger. when you were little your parents wanted to protect you and make sure you didn’t break a bone. but now you have to protect yourself, your heart. and that’s one thing that’s not physically breakable. 

It can hurt mentally, maybe physically, but you can’t break your heart, you can only get hurt. everyone’s going to tell you to get over it. why? because when you do it’s the best feeling. you don’t cry at night or in the shower wondering where it went wrong. you don’t hide away from people, you do what you like to do. getting hurt doesn’t mean it’s permanent. it’s temporary pain. it might take; days, weeks, months, years even. but each day you’ll wake up smiling more and more each day. and it’s such a beautiful thing to find peace in simplicity. 

When you find yourself again out of all the damage you can’t help but embrace it. but the thing about life is that it ends sometimes and from the moment we are born, we are meant to die.

I don’t mean like when you take your first breath you choke but from when you’re 1 day old till you 92 years old you’re bound to die. in the real world there aren’t any vampires, beasts, werewolves. life is meant to be lived to its fullest. lose and gain friends. lose and gain relationships. but never lose yourself in all of it. the point of life is to die happy doing the things you wanted to do. tell your crush you like them, tell your friend you don’t like the way they treat you. go to your crush, tell them you like them, kiss them even. life’s all about taking risks. 

We’re meant to be something. our lives should mean something. so do something about it. ever bullied? stand up for yourself, fight back. your friendships are falling apart? try to fix them or find new ones. he or she cheated on you? find someone who will love you unconditionally. instead of hiding on the side-walk, run in the road. 

Instead of not believing in yourself, go do whatever it is you say you can’t do. take risks. follow your dream. do you. don’t let anyone tell you not to. live your life the way you want to remember it. live it happily.

— don’t ever lose yourself

Source - fix me please

LOVE: When your in love that person is the lighthouse

One of my philosophy professors lectured wildly about love once, yelling: “When you’re in love with someone, that person is the lighthouse of your universe.” (I scrawled it inside Science and Poetry in pencil—lighthouse of your universe—as if I would ever forget that phrase.) He was a delightful caricature of his position. I could swear he literally tore his hair out while howling at us. 

He went on, “Nothing means as much without that person.” One of the men in the class repeated, incredulous, half-laughing, “So you’re saying you can’t enjoy, like, a vacation, without someone if you’re really in love with them?” “Of course not.” the professor replied. “Not completely. You recognize beauty, but beauty means less if they don’t witness it with you. Beauty is less. 

You see something sublime and your first thought is that they should be there with you. It’s not as good without them. They illuminate. They make everything more.

— Nightmare Brunette

LOVE: Wisdom of loving yourself

Loving yourself takes two things, love and a self. Love is the easy part. If your self is difficult to love then you start with loving things that are not you. Think of people and things that you love. Think of times and places that you love, think of foods and activities that you love. If you can think of even one thing that you love and focus intently on that one thing and how it makes you feel then you can fill yourself with love. When you fill yourself with love, you have effectively loved yourself, but that is not enough.

To love yourself you have to imagine that you are lovable. To demonstrate that you are lovable, think of some thing or somebody that has loved you. Everybody has grown up with some love in their life. Without love we wither away and die. When you think of a person or pet who loves you, think about what that love is and how that love feels. Breathe in and out with how others love you. Once again you are filled with love, and you have loved yourself, but that is also not enough.

Understanding that you love and are loved and being able to fill yourself with love will help you connect with the love in your life.  To focus that love on yourself, you take a good look at yourself. If you are not feeling lovable, then you are suffering. look into your suffering and see how much you would like that suffering to stop. That feeling of wanting suffering to stop is compassion. When you feel compassion for yourself you are loving yourself. You feel clearly that you are deserving of love and peace and freedom from suffering. When you feel compassion for yourself you have loved yourself, but that is not enough.

Once you have demonstrated to yourself that you can love yourself, then you must practice loving yourself all the time. Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings about yourself. Recognize when you are thinking bad things about yourself and see that when you think those things you are suffering. Conversely, if you notice you are suffering, see if you are thinking bad things about yourself. Then clear your mind, fill yourself with love and compassion and start again. You may do this 10 or 10,000 times, but it is still not enough. When you practice loving others, being loved by others, and loving yourself, and you realize that what and where you are is enough, that is enough. Then, keep practicing.

Source - psych facts

LOVE: 23 signs that he is into you

#1. He makes a lot of eye contact.

Looking at people when you talk to them is not just a sign of respect. Rather, it’s also a sign of interest. Does he look your way across a crowded room? If that’s the case, he is probably curious about you and wants to observe the things you do.

#2. He smiles when he talks to you.

According to history, smiling was a way to show strangers that you are not a threat. Today, we smile to attract others and appear likeable. Think of the people that we tend to smile for. This includes people that are close and familiar to us.

#3. He remembers the small details of your conversations.

Does he remember the names of your childhood pets? Your siblings and friends? That time when you went to summer camp in 6th grade? When he listens and remember the things you say, he is making an effort to get to know you better.

#4. He messages you out of the blue.

Does he send you spontaneous text messages throughout the day? This means that he is not afraid to initiate conversation with you and that he is thinking of you. Pay attention to how he composes them. Does he end the message with a smiley face?

#5. He texts you back right away and apologizes when it has taken him a long time to reply.

A good sign! He is excited to hear from you and wants to keep talking. When a guy texts you back right away, it shows that he is interested and that he doesn’t want to leave you hanging. If he replies late and explains why, he is showing consideration for you and your time.

#6. He asks you about your romantic life/history.

When he asks about your love life, he wants to know what type of guys you are interested in and the qualities you are looking for in a significant other. Pay attention if he asks you about other guys. Maybe he is trying to show you that he is a better fit for you than they are.

#7. He makes an effort to get along with your family.

Meeting your family in the early stages of getting to know each other may be intimidating. Especially if you have brothers! Notice that he wants to make a good impression on your family by finding out what he and your family members have in common. He will also show enthusiasm when they share stories about you. If you’re meeting at your house, he may bring something as a gracious guest.

#8. He makes an effort to get along with your friends.

He can remember who your best friends are and how you became friends with them. He knows their unique quirks and the three things they would take to a desert island if they were stranded there. When a guy tries to get to know your friends better, he wants them to think well of him because he knows that they are the ones you’ll talk to about him.

#9. He introduces you to his family, especially his mom.

Pay attention to how he treats his sisters (if he has any) and his mom, because he is likely to treat you the same way. If his family says something like “We have heard so much about you”, then he probably has told them all about you. Don’t be embarrassed though. If anything, he really likes you and is really excited for you to finally meet them.

#9a. He introduces you to his friends.

He is not shy to talk about you in front of his friends and doesn’t mind that they try to embarrass him when you’re around. He wants you to meet his friends to show that he is a friendly, social guy. When he lets you meet his friends, he is welcoming you to see another side of him and be a part of his life.

#10. He includes you in his plans.

He may drop hints saying that he is free on a certain night and ask you if you want to do something together. If you have known each other for a longer time, you may hear “I” statements turn into “we” statements. What are we doing this weekend? 

#11. He compliments you.

He notices your new haircut and says that it look good on you. He says he likes your sense of style, or the way you think. When he compliments you, he is trying to stay on your good side. At the same time, this shows that he is learning to appreciate things about you that he didn’t see before.

#12. He does nice things for you, without being asked.

He plans a surprise party for all your close friends and family on your birthday with all your favorite foods. When you’re having a bad day, he brings you small treats and tries to make you laugh. His thoughtfulness shows that he cares about you. When he does these nice things for you, it’s because he genuinely wants to, not because he is forced to.

#13. He makes an effort to look nice.

He grooms himself well before a date. He dresses nicely when you go out together, wearing crisp shirts and well-fitting jeans. Obviously, he wants to impress by showing you that he can take care of himself. He also doesn’t want you to be ashamed to be seen out in public with him.

#14. He is honest with you.

You can ask him about anything under the sun. He gives you his opinions on everyday matters and tells you about his personal life. At the same time, he is not afraid to discuss his most embarrassing moments, beliefs and aspirations in great detail. If he is open and willing to talk to you about such deep topics, this means that he trusts you and wants to know if your thinking styles and beliefs are compatible with his further down the road.

#15. He finds excuses to be near you.

When both of you are in the company of other people, does he angle his body in your direction or try to sit close to you? When we meet people for the first time, we tend to keep our distance from them. As we get to know them better, we allow them into our personal space. The same goes for people we are interested in. We approach the ones that we are curious about.

#16. He makes time for you, and shows it.

Everyone is busy nowadays but if someone wants to see you, they will make time for you. He has a jam-packed schedule filled with client meetings and paperwork, but manages to call you up regularly. Even when he is busiest, he sends you something to let you know that he is thinking of you.

#17. He will let you take him shopping.

A lot of guys do not enjoy shopping because they say that it takes too much time. For them, it feels more like a chore than a hobby. A guy who lets you take him shopping and asks for your opinion on clothes aims to please. However, it’s not just shopping but an opportunity for him to spend the day with you!

#18. He finds reasons to touch you.

Learn to read his body language. It may be as subtle as an “accidental” hand graze as he brushes past you. Or it can be something more obvious. Does he put his arm around you during a movie?

#19. You are the first person he confides in when something happens.

He breaks the news to you when he finds out that he has gotten a new job, or a bad score on a test. He may seek your advice or simply want to share good news with you.

#20. He listens to you.

He is all ears when you tell him about how your day went. He listens actively and does not interrupt when you tell him about your feelings whether they are negative or positive ones. When you give your opinion about something, he clearly respects it, even if it differs from his own.

#21. He says so.

He can’t wait for you to pick up on all the signals he’s sending you so he asks to talk to you privately. Slowly but surely, he confesses his feelings for you. It’s obvious that he has put a lot of time and thought into this conversation. He tells you explicitly that he is interested and may ask you out.

#22. He seems nervous.

When he starts to have feelings for you either at the start or after a while, you may start noticing that he seems more nervous, anxious or acting strange around you. Perhaps, he’s starting to care a lot more about what you think of him, or the fact that he’s feeling uneasy about his realized feelings. At some point, he may even start avoiding you as he wants to suppress his feelings.

#23. He seems to be acting different or strange.

This point relates to the above. When he begins thinking of you of more than just a friend, he may start acting differently. You may in fact find him to becoming strange. He might start acting nicer, complimenting you more often, or doing nice things for you. The total opposite may happen too where he’s confused of his feelings or don’t want his feelings to become stronger. This leads him to avoiding you or becoming mean to you for no reasons.