Is your relationship going anywhere?

As a romance grows and the weeks turn into months, couples usually start to make plans together. Whether it's concert tickets for a few weeks away, or your first summer holiday together, making plans together is a sure signal that you're getting ready to commit. If, however, a few months have passed and you're still living in the moment and not looking beyond the present, it could well be that one or both of you isn't interested in getting serious.

Sure, it's nice to be told that you have a beautiful smile, gorgeous eyes and soft, silky hair - those kind of compliments are always welcome. But as a relationship develops, your partner will also make admiring comments about your personality - your intelligence, your humour, your compassion and your principles. The spiritual union of two people always begins by deep mutual admiration, so if you think that your partner is beginning to 'get you', then you're on your way to your relationship becoming a serious thing.

Hanging out, having fun and laughing are key parts of a relationship. If you and your partner can relax together, make jokes and really share moments of joy and good humour then it could be the start of a bond that will deepen into something special. Some say that laughter is the shortest distance between two people - it means having a common communication code. That's certainly an excellent omen for a lasting courtship.

Kissing can be wild, crazy, passionate - and it can be tender, cuddly and affectionate. Both kinds are very, very nice - but it's the tender affectionate kind that signals romance and commitment, rather than simple sexual attraction. If your partner kisses and hugs you spontaneously, with no apparent cause or reason other than to show you love, then you could well be onto a winner.

Now, we're not talking about rushing things and discussing love, kids and marriage when you've only been together a short time - that's often a good way to crush the delicate flower of a blooming romance. However, if you've been together four or five months and your partner is still completely evading some issues, you might just have a problem on your hands.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that the eyes are the windows to the soul. If you can and your partner can look deep into each other's eyes and hold each other's gaze - no secrets - then it's a good signal that you're ready to commit to one another.

A serious relationship is based, in large part, on companionship and mutual support. If you've been dating your new partner for a while and they come to you with a problem or concern, or ask you for advice, then that indicates that you're becoming important to them and they value your opinion.

If your new partner arrives at your date with some small or big surprise, it indicates that they've been thinking of you. A person in love is in your head to be loved all day, and not only at times when you're together.Bear in mind that, as a relationship matures, it's little gestures like this that keep the love alive and prevent either of you feeling that you're being taken for granted.

A person who is happy in their new relationship wants to show their partner off to the world. The decision to introduce each other to friends or family may take a few weeks or maybe months, and it's advisable to take the time to get to know each other well first. However, if you've been together several months and your partner still isn't keen on you meeting their friends or family, then it might be that they're not taking the relationship seriously or they have something to hide.

A person who is happy in their new relationship wants to show their partner off to the world. The decision to introduce each other to friends or family may take a few weeks or maybe months, and it's advisable to take the time to get to know each other well first. However, if you've been together several months and your partner still isn't keen on you meeting their friends or family, then it might be that they're not taking the relationship seriously or they have something to hide.

One of the loveliest things about being in a caring relationship is having someone with whom to share your day-to-day news, gossip and gripes. If you can listen patiently as they talk about the troubles they've been having a rival at work - and they're happy to hear you moan about the stuff that's been bothering you too - then you're on your way to a committed and supportive relationship.