Every relationship has its ups and downs and that is just a part of life. Every couple also has their very own way of handling the hardships that come with being part of a relationship. If you find yourself feeling troubled on the regular and experiencing more that your normal set of relationship issues, you are more likely to start questioning your boyfriend's love for you. If you've been asking yourself the question 'does my boyfriend really love me?' It may be time for a long awaited reality check.

Truth be told, when it comes to the matters of 'love', men and women are just made differently. I am going to go straight to the point by saying that the first stages of dating consist of the best memories for most couples. The guy is able to put on his best Mr. Charmer and Mr. Chivalry in order to win you over. There may be flowers, gifts and sweet words coming to you in abundance. Then after a few months into the relationship you may find yourself counting down the days until you see him nest or waiting around the phone, hoping it will ring and he would call you. As much as you tried to make the most of your time together, now you find yourself alone thinking about all the beautiful memories you have had together and why he doesn't seem to have as much time for you as he did in the beginning of the relationship, - so you start to ask yourself the question you've been dreading to ask: 'does he really love me?'

Questioning your boyfriend's love for you is absolutely normal. There are girls out there who will tel you to 'join the club, my friend' if you were to ever express this concern to them. A guy can go out of his way when it comes to putting in some extra work in order to woo a girl. After he has won the girl over, it is not that his love for you changes; but the truth of the matter is he starts being more secure and comfortable. Girls do tend to misread these changes and as a result can start to become insecure.

There are times however that the ups and downs in the relationship are not just small bumps on your journey, but these can become serious problems as well. Old grudges, unsaid words, misunderstandings, complaints etc. can really tarnish you both as a couple. Most guys will not declare their love for you from the highest rooftops, however you do not need to keep wondering whether or not a man loves you! There are small gestures that a man will do and say whenever he deeply cares about his woman and wants to let her know he loves her. These small gestures are what every woman craves from their man.

Taking a Trip to 'Together Ville''

If a man is constantly telling you 'I'm busy.', then chances are he does not value you enough to consider making any time for you in his 'busy' schedule. Now I am not implying that a man has to drop all that he is doing to cater to your needs whenever you call or text hi, but he needs to also figure you into his schedule when possible, because after all, how can a man claim to love you yet place you as second priority in his life! No elaborate candlelight dinners required, but he can surely make time to even grab a cup of coffee with you! If a man does not want to spend time with you and refuses to make an effort to spend time with you, he does no love you. It is simple as that.

P.S. The occasional date night romantic dinner doesn't hurt either.

Your Support System

If you are having a really awful day and are feeling at your worst, or you have just hear the best news, who is the first person that you want to call? Your boyfriend right? The way a man responds to the important news in your life speaks volumes towards his love for you. If you are going through a rough patch and your man is not there as part of your strong support system, then it is definitely warranted for you to question his love for you. If your man is unwilling to step outside his comfort zone to care for you and make your relationship work, it is time to stop expecting more from him. But if your boyfriend is caring, sweet and willing to listen to what you have to say, count yourself lucky as he is proving his love for you through these simple gestures.

The Future

In Twilight Eclipse Edward promises Bella saying 'I promise to love you forever - every single day of forever. Will you marry me?' I am very sure that once Edward Cullen said these few words in the movie, most of the girls watching went 'awwwww!' Movies like Twilight can actually distort fantasy and reality, if a girl notices her boyfriend is not behaving in the same way that Edward did to Bella, they can start to feel let down and doubtful. Keep in mind Edward and Bella are both actors in a movie, in reality they are both human beings and even their reality is not as perfect as that of the characters they played in Twilight! Talking about the future with you is a sure sign that your boyfriend sees you in his life for the long run. Men who do not want to be in a long-term relationship will not discuss the future and will constantly place any conversation you try to have about your future together on the back-burner.

Keep the Flame Burning

You might start to question where did the spark go when you notice that in the beginning you could barely keep your hands off one another and now you just go by the occasional peck on the cheek or lips. You may not be making out like hormone crazed teenagers after the first phases of your relationship, but as long as you are both connected in other ways and your boyfriend and you both make an effort to keep your romance alive, that is all that matters. If your boyfriend makes you feel wanted, special and beautiful, and he also acknowledges the little things that you do to him then his love is revealed through his actions.

His Calendar Memory

Do you remember your first date, your first kiss, your anniversary etc. If your man remembers all these dates he is definitely keeping a good record of the important events in your relationship. Your boyfriend does not need to know the specific dates of times like when you first held hands, but if he remembers the dates of the occasions and events that are important to you then he is making an effort to consider you an important person worthy enough of his inner calendar.

There you have it, the 5 ways how you can tell if you boyfriend really loves you. Now this list was not created to make you paranoid or obsessive. It is important to know where your relationship is going so that you make the most of your time and do not waste any time on something that is not worth it. Looking for signs that your boyfriend loves you can also help you to recognize the things you may be taking for granted while in a perfectly good relationship. It is always good to also give your boyfriend the benefit of the doubt before you make any rash assumptions. In the end if you feel that your relationship is not where it is supposed to be and you have tried all you can, then it may be time to take a step in the right direction.