Congratulations. Your relationship has lasted six months. Give yourself a pound player. Before you put the champagne on ice and pop the cork though, you should engage in a round of relationship reconnaissance. Time for another audit, Lawrence? You could say that.

Believe me, my heart is filled with joy at your accomplishment. Dating can be a nightmare, so the fact that you have made it past six months is a positive thing. The important point to realize is that now is not the time to be complacent. You have reached a symbolic landmark in the realm of relationships. In essence, it is the first major milestone you have both attained as a couple.

Trust me when I say that change is on the way. It could be bad or good, but it is inevitable that the fundamental nature of the relationship will transform once you enter the second half of your first year together.
Another Level?
I like to equate the six-month mark with a fork in the road. You now have a choice to make -- it may be a subconscious one, but it is still a choice. One path will lead to deeper commitment. The other will look the same as before -- an extended sentence of casual dating or a ticket back to the single life.

Even if everything is perfect, the decisions you make now could make or break the relationship. You have both reached the traditional point of no return. Sorry to make it sound foreboding but after six months, you had better come strong or not at all.
Decisions, Decisions
Stop right now and think. Are you happy with your girlfriend? Now is the time to decide. True -- you had your fun for six months, but good times have to make way for the bad at some point. This is when you no longer want to be with someone you have no future with. You can pretend for six months to be the perfect couple, fool with destiny and tamper with fate. Imagine keeping up the charade for a year. Or two. Or five. Does the word "hell" come to mind?

Take my advice -- if there is a doubt in your mind about the relationship, address it now while you are still capable of remembering life without her. As you fall deeper into the relationship routine, the task will become more difficult with each passing day.

Signs your relationship is a winner..


Signs You Should Continue
One can never apply a formula to a relationship but in general, every couple experiences a honeymoon period whose nadir coincides with the six-month mark. It is natural to begin hot and heavy -- the primary feature we find attractive at first is the physical.

When we start a new relationship, there is a certain level of anxiety to overcome. There is no comfort zone in the first few months, as couples begin to adjust to each other and deal with new habits and moods. The passion is intense and while a good relationship should maintain it for as long as the couple remains together, it will wane -- or change rather -- with time.

Nothing can duplicate the excitement of the physical exchange you shared in the first six months. Too many couples take this as a sign of the apocalypse. Relax. Change is good. If the relationship survives the honeymoon period unscathed, you can rejoice. This is the first sign that you should move on and complete your first year together.
Your Call
Other telltale signs to watch out for include your phone call frequency. Do you both make the effort to call every day? If the answer is an apathetic "no," you may not have found the love of your life. A solid relationship after six months should include a phone call at the end of the day. This is not dependent or obsessive behavior -- trust me.

When a relationship is solid and destined for greatness, you wake up in the morning thinking about her and fall asleep at night with her on your mind. Sound familiar? Then you can look forward to six more months of bliss.
Tell Me About Your Day
What kind of conversations have you been having with your girlfriend of late? Forget the first two months -- the small talk during this period is restricted to lighter fare. Rare is the occasion when we subject our partner to the problems that transpire throughout an average day. We shield them because we are afraid of being a burden.

As the relationship closes in on six months however, the tendency is to trust your instinct to share. The reaction displayed on both sides is crucial. Do you care to hear about the minutiae of her job? Is it boring when she drones on about problems at home with family members? The answer you give will determine whether you are a candidate for commitment with your current mate beyond six months.

Signs you should wish her good riddance...


The Beginning Of The End?
Signs that the relationship is on the decline vary from the blatant to the obscure. For example, there is no need to inform you that if your girlfriend has a slew of annoying habits after six months, the situation will not improve. In a similar vein, if you discover that every date is degenerating into a conflict over petty matters, the relationship is not worth the investment -- even if the sex is superb and plentiful.

By six months, you should be at the point where you no longer fantasize about other women -- in her presence. Beware of the wandering eye syndrome. Sow your oats -- but not within the confines of a relationship. If you feel the need to pimp, dump the girlfriend. Until you can deliver on the monogamy front, she deserves better. And you will never be happy with her while your thoughts are elsewhere. Roam if you want to -- nobody should be chained down to a relationship.

Have you and your girlfriend made any plans for the future? Even as a fun exercise in bed after sex -- do you talk about the long-term direction of the relationship? Perhaps the most important sign that the first six months were a product of ephemeral passion is the lack of discussion about the next six months. If your vision of the future does not include your girlfriend, the relationship is in question.

A final tip for men approaching the vaunted milestone. Without overemphasizing the occasion, plan a special night out with your girlfriend. Make a reservation at a good restaurant, take her to a show and spend the night out. Take stock of your interaction throughout the evening and refer to the sections of the above article in your mind. Which category do you fall into? Are you destined for six more months or is it time to crash and burn?