6 tips to cross the crush line.

Ahh… spring. The time of year when birds start to chirp, trees start to bloom and hormones start to rage. Could romance be around the corner for you? Possibly — but only if you handle your current crush with grace. Or at least sanity.

1. Show some restraint. Don’t proclaim your love the moment the feeling pops into your head unless you’re getting some pretty strong signals from your latest squeeze. We’ve seen enough sitcoms to know that you can be left hanging with an uncomfortable “thank you.” It’s almost impossible to know the right time to say the big words, but a good idea is to wait until you’re seeing each other exclusively and you’ve started talking about some sort of future… even if it’s simply a trip you’re planning together.

2. Keep it real. But what about a crush that isn’t sending any signals? If your would-be honey acts ambivalent and your love still grows, try to be realistic. Be patient and allow yourselves some time, but if coldness is the order of the day, you have to walk before you get stuck in some melodramatic scene. You can not make anybody fall for you or even commit to you. You wouldn’t even want to. A recipe for insecurity does not have to include you as one of the ingredients.

3. Stay calm. If you’re pleased with how the relationship is progressing, don’t become a parrot, repeating everything your crush says to your friends. Brian, a waiter in an upscale restaurant, made this mistake. He nearly drove his coworkers mad. One friend commented that Brian no longer had any discernable opinions of his own once crush-mode commenced.

4. Make time for yourself. You may not feel like doing it, but remember to spend some time apart from your flame. A steady diet of the same person will render you boring and too dependent. Remember your friends, family and favorite (solitary) pastimes. Yes, it’s hard, but you’ll be happy you didn’t give everything up.

5. Reinvent yourselves.As you become more comfortable in a new pairing, don’t forget to keep things interesting between you two. As a crush settles down into a relationship, dates and concerts can quickly turn into “wanna watch TV and fool around tonight?” Continue to make dates, plan surprises or start new activities together. A couple who truly enjoys each other falls more deeply in love when they share something more than mind-numbing TV and sex.

6. Seal the deal. Nothing moves a crush to the next phase like a short trip. You both get to find out if you can stand each other for a few days straight. Toni and her crush decided to start small with a weekend getaway, and they had a blast. Toni realized that they really were in sync and became even more committed. This is important information to have if you are thinking of giving your heart away. Just remember to be flexible, have fun and pack your sense of humor.