When someone likes you but "shouldn't," look for conflicting signals: intense focus and small touches when alone (leaning in, lingering eye contact, finding excuses to be near) mixed with distance, awkwardness, or treating you like anyone else in public, as they're often fighting their feelings or the situation's constraints. They might initiate contact but then get quiet, ask deep questions but avoid dating, or seem confused, showing they want to connect but are holding back due to external factors like being in a relationship or status differences.
But it does provide some rough guidelines as to how soon may be too soon to make long-term commitments and how long may be too long to stick with a relationship. Each of the three numbers—three, six, and nine—stands for the month that a different common stage of a relationship tends to end.
Red flags in a guy include controlling behaviors, disrespect (for you, your time, boundaries), lack of empathy or accountability, poor communication (like the silent treatment), excessive jealousy, dishonesty/manipulation (gaslighting), and any form of abuse or disrespect toward service staff, often patterns like love bombing, substance issues, or making all exes "crazy". These signs signal potential toxicity, immaturity, or a lack of respect and emotional stability, making healthy partnership difficult.
Here are 10 clear signs of unspoken attraction:
The strongest indicator of attraction is often considered sustained, meaningful eye contact, especially when combined with other cues like leaning in or pupil dilation, as it signals interest and intimacy, but the most reliable confirmation is always direct communication like verbal consent or expressing interest. Other key indicators include positive body language (leaning in, mirroring), increased physical closeness, frequent smiling, and a strong desire to learn about the other person, with biological factors like scent also playing a role.
The "seductive eye trick," often called the Triangle Method, involves a subtle shift of gaze between one eye, then the lips, and finally the other eye, creating a visual triangle to signal romantic or sexual interest without words. This technique builds intimacy and chemistry by suggesting desire and focus, making the other person feel seen and captivating them in a playful, non-verbal way, according to relationship experts and viral social media trends.
The 777 rule in relationships is a framework for intentional connection: go on a date every 7 days, take a night away every 7 weeks, and plan a longer getaway every 7 months, ensuring consistent, quality, uninterrupted time to build intimacy, reduce stress, and prevent drifting apart. It's a proactive way to prioritize your partner and keep romance alive by scheduling regular milestones for focused connection, though timings can be adjusted to fit a couple's lifestyle.
Certain red flags in dating could mean the person you're interested in is a player.
Warning signs for a toxic person
📖 According to relationship psychologists, just 10 minutes of fully present, uninterrupted conversation a day can significantly improve emotional intimacy between partners, friends — even colleagues. It's called the 10-Minute Talk Rule.
survived the dreaded two-year mark (i.e. the most common time period when couples break up), then you're destined to be together forever… right? Unfortunately, the two-year mark isn't the only relationship test to pass, nor do you get to relax before the seven-year itch.
February may be the month of love, but it takes more than chocolates, flowers and dinner dates to make a relationship work. A strong and healthy relationship is built on the three C's: Communication, Compromise and Commitment.
How To Make Him Think About You All The Time
Quality time: If they consistently spend quality time with you, initiate conversations, and prioritize your company, it could suggest more than friendship. Flirting: Playful teasing, giving compliments, and using flirty tones in conversations are often signs of romantic interest.
Eleven subtle signs other people like you
Signs of a Player: 12 Red Flags to Spot Players in 2025
If a guy likes you, he is likely to introduce you to his family and friends because he might want to build something special with you. On the other hand, if he's playing you, he may be reluctant to let people know about you because his intentions for you are not genuine.
The taxonomy is based on a character theory. This character theory consists of four characters: Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers (often mapped onto the four suits of the standard playing card deck; Diamonds, Spades, Hearts, and Clubs, in that order).
Now there's a general rule that's supposed to answer this question for us. The age-gap equation, of course: half your age, then add seven to work out if someone is too young for you to date; take seven off your age, then double it to work out if someone is too old for you to date.
You know you're falling in love when your someone begins to take up major real estate in your thoughts. You might find yourself rehashing your conversations in the middle of work, thinking about your next date days in advance, or even envisioning your future together.
The 80/20 rule is the theory that you only need to be satisfied with about 80% of your relationship. Apply the 80/20 rule to your love life by spending 20% of your time on your own meeting your own needs.
twopart approach to eye contact It involves a brief focused initial gaze followed by a slightly averted yet still engaged gaze that maintains connection Think of it as a dynamic.
Dilated pupils - telltale signs of love
They're controlled by the brain's autonomic nervous system. Your pupils naturally expand in dim light and shrink in bright light. But they also dilate in response to strong emotions like attraction and love.