Dating is rough. It's so hard to know exactly how the man you're talking to actually feels about you or if he feels anything at all. What do his texts mean? Is it bad if you haven't talked in a few days?

The truth is that every relationship is different. No one can determine exactly what's going on in your relationship, because you're the only one experiencing it. You know your own thoughts, and you've spent hours trying to figure out his, so you need to know what to look for instead of picking flower petals saying, "He loves me, he loves me not."

Here are 12 ways you can tell if he's in love with you:

1. He looks at you differently

Your heart melts every time he looks at you, because it's a different look than anyone has given you before. You can almost see in his eyes his love and care he has for you.

2. He wants to meet your family

He wouldn't want to meet your family if he didn't intend to stay in your life. When he wants to meet them, you can be sure he's ready to take your relationship a step further and develop friendships with the people who mean most to you.

3. He does everything in his power to make you happy

Your happiness is his top priority, whether he knows it or not. He would do anything just to see your smile, and he's always waiting with a listening ear after a rough day.

4. He's always there for you

You know if you needed something, he would be there ASAP no matter what. He would drop anything just to help you out, and he's someone you can really count on because he cares about you more than you realize.

5. He spends time with you

He would much rather spend time with you than his guy friends, and sometimes he even cancels plans with them if you're available. He wants to spend every waking moment with you because he genuinely cares about you.

6. He gives gentle touches

If you're at the beginning stages of your relationship, you probably haven't progressed to hand holding or kissing yet. But you've probably felt a gentle touch on the shoulder or a sweet hug, and this is his way of showing affection without letting his feelings out too much.

7. He wants you to meet his loved ones

When he invites you to meet his family and friends, you know he's in it for the long run. He wouldn't introduce you to the most important people in his life if he didn't see a future with you.

8. He includes you in his future plans

When he talks about what he wants to do with his life, he says things like "we," "us" and "you and I." He makes sure to include you in his plans because he wants you in his future.

9. He notices the simple things

He notices if you did your hair a little differently or he'll give you his jacket when you're cold (and you don't even have to ask). He's very aware of you, which makes him more observant of the small things you do that he loves.

10. He thinks about you throughout the day

You know he's thinking about you when you get random text messages throughout the day, tags you in a funny meme or straight up tells you he's thinking about you. No matter how he tells you, you're an important part of his day.

11. He's interested in your life

When he asks you about your day, he listens intently to your response because he genuinely wants to know. He loves to hear about what's going on in your life because he wants to be involved in it.

12. He's proud of you

He's always talking about your latest project or your incredible qualities because he's so proud of you, and he wants everyone to know just how incredible you are.

If your sweetheart does any of these 12 things, it's probably safe to assume you're on your way to a happy, long-lasting relationship.