The first and most important relationship you'll ever have throughout life is your relationship with yourself. How you feel about and care for your mind, body, and spirit sets the stage for all relationships outside yourself — with your partner, family, friends, and co-workers.

Relationship readiness is a key factor in whether or not a relationship is likely to last. A 2019 study found that when people feel ready for a relationship, that relationship is 25% less likely to end. We asked experts to clue us into the signs, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that reveal someone loves themselves enough to sustain a relationship.

Here are 25 signs you're ready for a relationship:

1. You know what you want in a like-minded partner

When you possess the uplifting energy of self-love and acceptance, it's easy to magnetically attract a like-minded partner who not only loves themselves, but is emotionally available, interested without being selfish, and ready for a happy, healthy, and whole love.

2. You complete yourself

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You know you're ready for a relationship when you don't need someone else to "complete" you — you are a whole person on your own, looking for another complete person. You don't need a relationship to feel happy and worthy.

Instead, you want a relationship to share your love, and, importantly, loving yourself and sharing your love is more important than having control over getting love. When you want a relationship to deepen your growth rather than to fill your emptiness, you're ready.

3. You won’t settle for conditional love

As humans, we are ready for love when we realize we deserve to receive unconditional love from a partner. Of course, you're mature enough to know that this isn't to say that you can mistreat your partner and purposefully abuse them by taking advantage of their love. Likewise, you are ready to give love without strings attached.

4. You realize there's nothing "wrong" with you

You realize there is nothing wrong with you, you're not broken, and you don't need to be fixed. The secret to love is found in self-acceptance and in shining the light of love on those dark places inside us.

5. You don't seek constant distractions

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You're not afraid to be alone — and in silence, even. You like spending time alone and don't need the television to be on or the phone to be glued to your head. You can be with just yourself and feel content and at peace.

6. You're not waiting for someone else to save you

One is ready to manifest healthy, lasting love when one can altogether abandon the wish that another can "save" or "heal" them. The ability to be there for oneself and unconditionally and abundantly provide self-love are markers that one is fully ready for intimacy. This state of being open to both giving and receiving love in a pure, authentic way is unburdened by notions of healing wounds through external and superficial means.

7. You honor who you are, and where you are

When you understand and honor who you are, where you are, and how you're doing your best with what you have, and why that is a powerful truth to discover and fully embrace.

8. You've tossed your checklist

People are ready for love when they don't have a rigid set of expectations and a laundry list of must-haves and deal-breakers. They simply want to find someone compatible to love and share their life with.

9. You're okay with being single

If you can truthfully say, "I am okay with or without a relationship," then you're ready for one! You're okay being single — not resigned or defeated, but in a comfortable and fulfilled sense. It's more about possessing a deep knowledge of who you are, your purpose, and the understanding that, while you desire love, you won't allow yourself to be miserable based on your relationship status.

10. You've called off the search

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The adage is true: the person who is most ready for love is the one who has stopped actively pursuing it. Instead, they have concentrated on developing their skills, passions, and happiness. After all, someone who's confident, grounded, and enjoys a variety of interests is extremely alluring to a potential partner.

11. You want a relationship, but you don't need one

Someone is ready for love when they want it but don't need it. That's the absolute best place to be: wanting a relationship, believing it would be great, but not needing it for your happiness. Being truly happy without it is often the fastest way to make it a reality.

12. You naturally show off your smile

Notice the next time you see your reflection. No matter what you're wearing or if you're having a good hair day (or not), do you happen to catch a glimpse of yourself smiling?

When you catch yourself smiling more than making excuses or passing judgment, you know you accept yourself unconditionally and are ready to do the same for another. Not to mention how attractive a smile is to everyone around you — especially a potential romantic interest.

13. You own your energy

You know you're a vibrational match for your real-deal beloved when you move through your day invigorated by your energy and enthusiasm, regardless of whether you have a partner. You're sourcing it from within. Yes, they will be irresistibly attracted to your beauty, fragrance, and nectar — but you're the magnificent blossom.

14. You're over your last relationship, once and for all

Any remnants of anger and resentment are gone, and you've forgiven not only your ex but also yourself. To be angry at yourself is a clear sign that you're not ready to move forward.

You will know that you're ready to put yourself out there and date again when you can think about your ex with neutrality, compassion, and understanding — especially if you barely think of them at all, and instead find yourself thinking, "I'm ready to move on with my life."

15. You're willing to take the risk it might not work out

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A person who is ready for true intimacy is aware of the risks and uncertainty that come with falling in love. They know that the relationship will grow and evolve into something extraordinary ... or it won't. Either way, this person understands they will be better for it since the love and support they have for themselves will always be there, no matter who else comes and goes.

16. You openly feel compassion and empathy

Once a person can see beyond their desires and needs to do what it takes to make their partner happy, they are well on their way to going from "me" to "we."

17. You're confident in who you are as an individual

Self-confidence is the key to knowing you're ready for love (it's also the most potent aphrodisiac!). Having high self-esteem helps individuals adapt to and succeed in a variety of life domains, research from 2022 confirms.

When you take pride in yourself and are clear about your own self-worth, that is when you'll be able to attract someone who respects and encourages you, creating the environment needed for a healthy relationship.

18. You no longer harbor feelings of emptiness and rejection

If you're looking for your partner to fill an emptiness within yourself, you will always remain unsatisfied. True love is all about accepting both your partner and yourself wholeheartedly. Dating is about finding your complementary match, not your other half.

19. You're open-minded

You know you're ready when you can go off your dating script and discover a romantic interest as though you were visiting an exotic country for the first time. Throw away what you know and get excited to explore, let yourself be in the moment, and open up to the joys and challenges a new relationship brings.

20. You're not afraid of vulnerability

One sign that proves you're ready for love is when you show courage. When you're open to taking an emotional risk, including accepting personal responsibility, love is in your future. It shows you're willing to put in the emotional work to establish a deep connection with someone else and allow them the opportunity to be vulnerable, too.

21. You're ready to build memories instead of walls

Someone is ready for love when they incorporate their match into their life after a few dates, rather than compartmentalizing dating activities and other aspects of their social lives and time with friends and family. Building memories by making plans that involve your partner shows true long-term potential.

22. You can assert your needs

Another sign a person is ready for a healthy relationship is when they take a stand for what they want in a relationship — without being attached to the other person's response. You're open and honest about your needs and desires, rather than only accommodating your partner's.

23. You accept change and are ready to grow

We've established that you're ready for love when you accept yourself for who you are, right now, today — but you must also be committed to exploring the yet undiscovered growth and potential that lay ahead for you — individually and in a relationship. Self-growth is a journey, not a destination.

24. You know your turn-ons

When you know what turns you on, what pleases you, and you aren't afraid to go after it and ask for it unapologetically, it's a good sign you're ready to share your heart with someone else. The key to this is acknowledging that you're deserving of pleasure, whether you're with someone or not, and recognizing that all types of sensual pleasure — the foods you eat, the smells around you, a cool shower on a hot day — are the fuel that keeps you vibrant and full of life.

25. You're comfortable in your skin

Embracing yourself — inside and out — regardless of what you're wearing, what kind of day you're having, or who you happen to be with, including the time you spend alone, is a sign you’re officially ready to embrace another fully.

The YourTango Experts team includes licensed therapists, dating and life coaches, matchmakers, and more professionals committed to offering you the tools and guidance for a happier and more rewarding life.