For women that direction is usually marriage. However, if there aren't any real signs of love, you could be stalled for years. The impetus for men to marry or commit is nearly always romantic love. They were romantics long before women agreed that love was the best reason to give their heart away. A study of college men showed that 80 percent said they would not marry someone unless they were in love.
Real love takes time to develop.
A Change of Heart. You just realized you have been fooling yourself. Your relationship is based on nothing more than familiarity and comfort. You were content to have a partner who fit your immediate but not your long-term needs. Then you took a job in another city, made new friends, or went through a life-altering experience.