All too often, saying you're "comfortable" in your relationship comes with a negative connotation, as if you just admitted you're in a sexless, boring, totally-down-to-pee-with-the-door-open partnership. But getting past the butterflies and into the "we" phase doesn't mean any less excitement—in fact, it can be pretty darn awesome. If you've ever been in a long-term relationship, you'll be able to relate to this list of things that tend to happen.
1. An extra five pounds is nothing to sweat. A relationship isn't an excuse to let ourselves go, but when a single doughnut-heavy breakfast is enough to soften once rock-hard abs, it's nice to know you can indulge once in a while. Because while abs are certainly important to many people, nothing bonds two people like the mutual understanding that a doughnut binge can and will go down at brunch today.
2. Going makeup-free feels freeing, not freak-out inducing. Long-term relationships are good for your skin! Getting dolled up is fun, don't get us wrong, but once you're ready to come to bed bare-faced (vs. spending a sweat-inducing 45 minutes in the bathroom touching up your makeup like you used to) that's when you know you're secure in your relationship and don't have to "try" at every moment to be a more perfect version of you.
3. He volunteers to pick up tampons. And you're no longer embarrassed to snag more lube when you make your monthly pharmacy run. You're taking care of each other's needs, no matter what they are.
4. You order whatever the heck you want on date night. Salad? Not anymore. One milk shake and fries, please!
5. Going Dutch feels good. You've let go of the guy-always-pays pressure of newbie relationships, or maybe you simple feel comfortable picking up the tab here and there because you're in this together.
6. You can say how you feel without it turning into a fight. You don't actually love that he leaves the toilet seat up—and sharing a few choice words the next time you fall in doesn't lead to a blow-up, drag-out, relationship-ending argument. He just laughs and says he'll try to remember.
7. You still get it on when you're sick. At the beginning of your relationship, a single sneeze was enough to have you hiding out of sight from one another. Now, slathering VapoRub on his chest strangely tends to lead to sex.
8. When you sleep over, you actually sleep. Both the all-night sexcapades and the nervous tossing and turning have officially ended.
9. You know his coffee order. And if you head to the bathroom before the waitress comes, you'll return to find he's already ordered yours.
10. You can show off your silly side. Whether your hips involuntarily shake every time Beyoncé pops onto your playlist, or you have a habit of cracking inappropriate jokes, you no longer have to hide the things that make you odd or otherwise goofy.
11. You like having sex with the lights on. Your comfortable relationship has given you the sexual confidence you need to get down in broad daylight.
12. Your wardrobe has doubled because you're wearing his clothes. When you're out of clean underwear, you reach for his boxers. Cold? It's his oversize zip-up sweater you slip on. And when he spots you in his ultra-comfortable T-shirt, he thinks you look sexier than you do in anything else.
13. You share a Netflix account. Giving him access to your Netflix queue is the new giving him a key to your place.
