Waiting for Engagement

Suggestions on How to Think and What to Do While You Wait For Him

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Engagement ring - Jeff Beidler
Engagement ring - Jeff Beidler
Waiting for a marriage proposal can be more exciting and positive than first thought. Have more patience by focusing the energy on self improvement instead of stress.

Waiting for a marriage proposal can be time-consuming, stressful and nerve-racking. Just because you are ready for the relationship to move to the next level, doesn’t mean your boyfriend is ready or that it will happen in your time frame. Instead of aggravating your boyfriend with annoying questions and overly emotional behavior, follow these suggestions and tips from those who have had experience waiting, to help cope with the waiting period.

Make sure you know yourself. During the dating period is a good time to reevaluate who you are. Some things about you could have changed since you were a single woman. Now, some time has been devoted to making a serious relationship work smoothly. Make sure your needs are being met. Now is the time to resolve your own issues or problems. Read books, attend seminars and talk to other women, who’ve been in the similar situations. There are many websites that contain good information and articles on self-help and self-growth, helping to evaluate who you are, and how you can improve. Messages boards and blogs are good places to post messages on frustration and anxiety about waiting. Talk with other women before bombarding your boyfriend with your worries and anxiety. Make sure to talk to him but don't obsess.

Men and women think differently. Sometimes it’s hard for women to realize that men think differently. The words he says may be your indicator of what he thinks or feels. Listen to what your boyfriend says. Don’t write it off thinking he doesn’t feel the same. If he says just be patient awhile longer, he might actually mean that! Perhaps he has a surprise planned, and he can’t say anything or it would ruin the surprise. Women don’t always understand the pressure men are in to make the proposal perfect. Maybe there are things he wants to do first in order to make your life better during and after the engagement. Sometimes men have steps they need to make first, themselves.

Enjoy yourself now. You don’t have to wait for your future dreams to come true to be happy. Do things for yourself, now. Go shopping just for yourself, get your hair cut, lose weight, tone up, or just think positively. Take some time to do something you love. Look around your home to see what areas you can focus on for improving or take on a new project. Perhaps this positive change, and some extra self esteem will be just what your boyfriend is looking for. He will see you content, and realize he can’t live his life without you.

Aurae, Pacific University

Aurae Beidler - A professional writer is an amateur who never gave up.

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Comments

Jan 8, 2010 9:53 PM
Guest :
I thnk this article is just what I needed. I find myself being pushy and overbearing and my boyfriend gets frustrated and pulls away. I know he is in love with me and when I am calm and stress-free, he is so attentive. My guy is constantly telling me to relax and let things happen, that they will in time, and that he is in love with me. I agree when the author says to find other interests and not obsess. I think men react better when they know that their women trust and believe in them. It's been almost three years and I will develop a better attitude. I also agree when the author says confidence is key. When your man sees you happy and content with your life, it makes him feel more secure, so that he doesn't feel like he has to "fix" everything. I hope that this article and my comments are helpful.
Feb 18, 2010 6:35 PM
Guest :
I have been waiting 8 years, i am to the point of obsessing. I cant give him a deadline because he is the only one i want to marry but im so sick of waiting, it is causing depression. I found my prince and i want my fairytale wedding now. he shoud know by now. He gets mad at me when i mention it, but i have gone months with out mentioning it and its like he forgets. It is so important to me
Feb 25, 2010 5:01 PM
Guest :
I am right there with you. I have been with m guy for 7 years and he tells me to be patient, but how can I stay patient. He has been with me 7 years...he knows who I am. I just dont understand what it is he is waiting for????
Apr 14, 2010 9:17 PM
Guest :
We have been together for 8 years and I love him, always have. I feel like I have not brought up marriage in 9 months or so (one of maybe 3 times in our entire relationship) and yet in the last 3 months he is not the same. He keeps talking about things way in the future, like events for my nephew or when we do home improvements, but I feel like that is just a lie right now. He is not the type to lie to me like that but he is also the type that if something is really bothering him he wants to deal with it alone and not talk about it too much. This is starting to drive me bonkers. I do not know where to begin and am starting to take things too personally. I am at a total loss. I love him and want to be here but do not want to be here only because it is easier and more comfortable for him....what to do, what to do.
May 3, 2010 8:14 AM
Guest :
I am so happy to have found this page. I am hoping to receive some advice about my unique situation. I am 26 and my boyfriend is 27. We have been dating since we were in college, age 20 (6-7years ^_^). We have had some ups and downs, religious differences, cultural differences, many periods of long distance (internationally and domestic). We have overcome all of our odds except for marriage. I have always wanted to be married but he hasn't. I believe I was raised with that notion. I would have easily moved forward at the age of 23. I am happy I didn't because I had time to know him better. The more I learn about him the more I love him. I am sure he feels the same way. We have learned more about communication and growth during these years.

About 3 years ago, after he graduated university I decided it was time to start discussing marriage. He willingly joined the conversation. He started to contribute positive feelings towards the subject. I was elated! I hadn't had a response from him in that way before. I expected a proposal within a year. After that didn't happen I felt it was because of his career situation. I decided to remain happy in our state and push forward.

When the following year approached I began to wonder what's next. We moved in the same state after a period of long distance. Everything was starting to look great at the time. We hadn't had any arguments and had learned to communicate on a mature level. I believe it was the first time we really understood each others goals.So I was expecting the ring that year! He made several comments jokingly about me being his wife, rings on my finger, blah blah! But nothing!!! I remained sane still. For him moving in together was such a large step. He didn't want to go for marriage. When asked about the topic, he replied that he wasn't sure. I was in shock!!! Not sure!! I thought we were really working towards it.

I put my foot down and demanded an answer within 3 months!! I told him that I had given my life, time, patience and love to him.

I was surprised when we started to show improvement again. I didn't want to get my hopes up because I had experienced this feeling many times before. I felt that his conversations towards marriage we becoming serious again.

I currently live in a foreign country with my boyfriend. We have been here for a little over a year. I have family that would have to pay a high priced ticket to come to a marriage. I was so happy to find that my mother and my father would like to fly here 6 months from now. I thought it would be the perfect time to marry. The weather will be wonderful! My job has a week vacation! We have been together for almost 7 years! We know each other very well and are in love! Yay!! :( He still doesn't think its the right time for marriage. " He told me that he is sure of his feelings now more than ever. Really wants to move forward. Has never felt like this in his life. Wants to do everything when the time is right."

Am I wrong for wanting to start our future sooner??? I feel like we've had so much time together! 7 years! We're not engaged yet! I hate to be one of those girls, but all of my friends are now happily married to people they have known for only 7month or 1 year. My family is so ready!

My man is talking about 1 year to 1 1/2 years from now!!! Come on already!!!
Jan 22, 2011 2:06 PM
Guest :
I just discovered this article - one year after the latest comment. Could you let me know if your situation has changed since your last comment?
Feb 19, 2011 7:46 PM
Guest :
Ha. Back in 2005, my bf of almost 5 years kept saying it would be "any day now" -- considering that for about 3 of those years we'd been dating long distance, I was more than ready to start our real lives together. Well, a month after we went to one of his high school friend's wedding (where he brought up, without any prodding from me, that we'd "be next") -- well, a month after that, he was breaking up with me to date and sleep with someone he worked with. I was blown out of the water. We got back together about a month later (after he finished with the coworker girl), and have been together since then, but I always wonder if it has been worth it. My sense of self worth was crushed then, and I've never been the same. Making matters worse, about two years later he bought an engagement ring (which I think he bought because his sister was encouraging him to seal the deal with me), and on our planned vacation to Arizona, he told me he had bought me a ring but would not be proposing because he didn't really love me! I cried and cried (and have terrible feelings about AZ ever since). He regretted this, and two months after this, proposed -- but two weeks later, took the ring back when he went on a business trip to Europe (which we fought about, since he had promised me he would not go on this trip, since going to Europe was a long-held dream of mine, and he kept canceling out on going with me and even spoiled my chances to go with someone else). Anyway, what a mess. Feb. 2011 and we're still together, but not engaged (or at least I don't feel it), and I resent every girl who really gets engaged. Other peoples' weddings are awful for me. To think, all I ever wanted was a heartfelt proposal and a simple wedding with just family members. Now my grandparents (whom I adored) are all dead and there is really no one left to celebrate with me, even if I did ever get married. Am sad a lot.
Jun 2, 2011 4:38 PM
Guest :
Very good article. While reading all these comments, I just have such a hard time with the fact that men think so differently from women! They have no idea how important a proposal is to us, and how much we want to begin our lives together. I am a Christian woman so living together is out of the question. I want to be married.

My BF and I have been together 2 years. He is also Christian. We talk about marriage a lot, he has brought it up many times. I know that 2 years is not the same as 7 or 8, but to me it is long enough. We are also not young any more - both in our 50's - and I am eager to start the 'rest of my life' with this man. I knew he was the one within a month of dating!

My suggestion to other women is to give a dead line and stick to it! If you have been with him a long time (to me 5 years is pushing it!) and you have made your feelings known, tell him he must be ready to marry you or you will be moving on. You also can't force a man to marry you, so if he is not the one, move on. No-one is getting any younger!

I will be having a conversation with my BF if he does not propose by our 3rd year, although with our conversations I am certain (well, almost - who knows what or how they think) he will by then.

Wish me luck - good article!
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