Some people get into a relationship within weeks, others within months, and the rare few, within years.

It’s about the dynamics of your relationship.

Don’t compare your relationship to those of your closest friends, family members or colleagues, in terms of how soon those relationships became official.

To be on the safe side, it is good to get passed 3 months before considering this a relationship.

Give it this much time at least, as it provides the space for you to get to know each other better.

A popular trap that a lot of people fall into is in moving too quickly.

They meet someone and get so excited, they decide to get into a committed relationship within days or a couple weeks.

The person is stuck in the honeymoon period of the relationship where everything seems to be so amazing and unfortunately, they act on this excitement.

This is where the dopamine in your brain is so strong, it influences behavior.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that causes euphoria and ecstasy.

When you are in the heat of the moment, your dopamine levels are very high.

These high levels impair your judgment.

This is why it matters to give the dating process considerable time before getting into a relationship.

The people who jump right into relationships after a few days or weeks of getting to know someone have the shortest-lived relationships.

Once their excitement level comes back down to normal, the arguments set in and their relationship is as good as dead.

When you are figuring out a length of time, be patient and follow a natural path.

As long as you two are communicating and dating consistently, there is a natural intersection where the relationship transitions into a committed one.

One day, you look at each other with a nod or smile.

You mutually know that you are in a relationship and no words had to be said.

Invest the time and effort to know this person thoroughly.

Observe them when they are at their worst or weakest.

They need to see you when you are like this too.

When someone has seen you at your least attractive in person and behavior, their continued communication is your indication that they accept who you are, faults notwithstanding.

Obviously, to arrive here requires some time.

Get passed 3 months or more before considering being in an exclusive relationship with this person.

The honeymoon period of dating is at its highest within the first 3 months.

Get past this period first.

Once you get over this period where your dopamine levels are very high, your ability to rationally assess the relationship and its worthiness for exclusivity is much improved.