I have been lucky enough to spend the last year and few months dating my best friend. He makes me smile on my hardest days and he cheers me on in whatever I do. I have found my person and I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 signs I saw when I realized he was the one.

1. You can be completely yourself around them.

The type of relationship that you want to be in has a judgment-free zone. The person that is made for you will not pick apart your flaws, but they’ll embrace all of your quirks. After all, that’s what makes you YOU! And they love the real you.

2. They make you happy.

This probably seems like a “duh” thing, but let’s be real. All of us have dated someone that kinda made us happy, kinda made us not so happy. I’m not saying there won’t be issues in your relationship, but when you can have a disagreement and then be laughing together an hour later - that’s when you’ve found them.

3. They treat you with respect.

This is probably another “duh” moment, but when you have that respect, you’ll get what I mean. This person respects you enough to communicate honestly and openly. They respect you enough to build you up, not tear you down. They respect you enough to let you know when you’re wrong, but they’ll do it in a loving way. Basically, everything that this person does is with you in mind, because they love and care about you, but they also respect you. And because they respect you, they will be mindful of how their decisions affect you.

4. They are excited about your success.

Who doesn’t love to have someone super excited with them about their goals and accomplishments? Your person will be your biggest fan! After all, your success makes you happy, and when you’re happy, they’re happy.

5. They get real with you when they need to.

While it may not be our favorite thing to admit, sometimes we are wrong. We mess up, we can hurt people’s feelings, and when we do mess up, our S.O. is the first one to let us know, but in a loving way. Your person is going to know your “love language”, therefore they are going to know the best way to communicate with you. Sometimes someone has to tell us when we’re being the worst, and I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer that person to be someone that loves me.

6. You don’t always have to be doing something to have fun.

You are completely fine with just hanging out. Being with that person is enough for you.

7. You can’t imagine being with anyone else.

Your person fills every part of your life that you need them to and then some. They are your better half and you cannot imagine sharing all of your life experiences with anyone but them.

8. You make each other want to be better people.

9. You would do anything for them and they would do the same.

When you’ve found your person, no task is too great. And neither of you ever expect anything in return. It’s just a given that you are there for each other 100% of the time.

10. You love them more and more every single day.

Yes, it sounds SOOO corny, but trust me, it’s so true. When you’ve found the one, your life will never be the same. You never know how much you can love someone until you’ve found them, and you often wonder how you’ve gone this long without them.