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What Men Really Want

By Dating Expert Marni Battista for GalTime.com

What are men looking for in a relationship?
What are men looking for in a relationship?

It's easy to misinterpret what men really want. Whether it's what they want from a woman, or from a relationship, the movies, media and our girlfriends give us mixed messages that leave Dignity Daters confused, frustrated and possibly even making tragic dating mistakes that leave them stuck in their romantic rut.

Today we'll dispel some common myths in the "Dating with Dignity Guide to What Men Really Want: Three Myths and Three Truths to Stop Wondering Today!"

Myth: Men want a quiet, demure woman who is amenable to their needs.

Truth: Men really want a happy, confident, communicative woman who is loving and kind.

We sometimes mistakenly think that a man wants us to agree with everything he says. NOT TRUE, Dignity Daters. What's more, contrary to popular belief, men also cannot simply read your mind or guess what you truly want based on your "umphhs, silence, cold shoulder, eye-roll, or door slam."

Males and females communicate differently. So when you're in a relationship with a Boyfriend Material man, he's going to require that you engage in open conversations about your relationship in which you both express your needs and make sure they get met. He'll also want you to be authentic and true to yourself as you express your honest opinion.

A man is really looking for a happy woman who is confident in articulating her needs in a powerful yet feminine way. Positive energy and happy vibes make for a happy relationship.

What's more, make sure you're loving toward your man. Rub his shoulders. Bring him back a coffee when you stop by Starbucks. Leave a kind note. Make him dinner. These kind, nurturing acts don't mean you are "spoiling him" or even that he will expect it always. Remember, men love a woman who loves loving her man!

Related: What Do Men Really Want In a Wife?

Myth: Men don't need a woman to compliment them or tell them they're awesome.

Truth: A relationship-ready man values the opinion and thoughts of his partner.

As a result, he absolutely needs you to acknowledge his accomplishments. In fact, men absolutely crave your praise. They want to be told that they're being manly when they change a light bulb or fix your plumbing. They want your respect most of all, and your true authentic respect is going to make him feel great.

If he's committed to you, he wants you to be a part of his decision-making process and trusts your viewpoint. Men really want to feel strong and useful, so just make sure to let him know you appreciate him.

Related: How to Support Your Man: 4 Tips

Myth: It's all about sex.

Truth: Men care about how you make them feel.

Do you make him feel good? Fantastic. As a woman it's easy to feel like a man only wants to sleep with you. But this isn't the only thing that a man is looking for from a woman. A quality casual man, maybe. But a relationship-ready guy? Definitely not.

It's important that he wants to sleep with you of course, because that just means he's attracted to you! But the other piece of the relationship puzzle is how good you make him feel when he's around you. Does he feel exponentially better with you than without you? Awesome.

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