It may not be the best analogy, but men are like butterflies. They fly from one flower to another, and when they have gathered all the fragrance and sweetness, they lose interest and move on to the next attractive flower they see. Many girls know this little fact and cannot rest easy about their paranoia that one day their men’s butterflies would just float away. Here’s how to make your guy stay forever.

Believe in the song. Works.

“Do not go to change, to try to please me …” He says to himself. And the boys have confirmed that it is true. One fatal mistake girls make is drastically changing a part of themselves in an effort to please their man. These changes are sometimes too overwhelming, that a man is forced to back down. If you’re going to change, do it in little ways and hint at it first, to make sure your guy agrees with that.

You’re not perfect, so don’t tease him for his flaws.

While you may be so caught up in your own little world and would hate if your man isn’t perfect, remember that a good relationship is built on both the compatibility and the uniqueness of each couple. If there are certain things you can’t stand about your man, tell him subtly and humorously, while making sure he gets the point. Or if you think you deserve a moment to sit down and talk, have one; If you resist change, first understand your problems. It is probably not as important as you think it is.

Control those emotions, woman.

Men are meant to be practical and women emotional, but it is this truth that drives men crazy and drives them out the door. Jealousy is one of the products of this culprit known as emotions. And when women get jealous, it’s not nice at all. Showing your man the jealous monster in you is enough to give him nightmares and walk away. If you feel like something is not right, confront it, without making it seem like a confrontation. And for crying out loud, don’t turn on the water supply.

Out of your way.

Guys may not say much, but they appreciate the little things you do, given the shape of the world, where they court and women just feel pretty. Cooking for him can be an everyday thing, but cooking his favorite, even when you’ve had a rough day at work, is telling him how much you appreciate being with him. Or choose him over your friends even though you’ve planned a girls’ night out several weeks ago, because he’s depressed, his dog died. You are not spoiling him, when balance is taken into account at all times.

Do not be put off.

And this is the balance we are referring to. While you may feel like the best girlfriend in the world and would like to make a career taking care of your great baby boyfriend, you must also recover and remember that you have a life apart from your relationship. Maintain connections with friends and family, and always make time for yourself. Guys lose interest, no matter how much you give them, when they see that you’ve gotten carried away and are no longer that sexy sex kitten that you once were.

Whatever you do, honesty will always be the only policy.

It is the life and blood of any healthy relationship, and here we are talking forever. Mutual honesty is important to keep your bond alive. Encourage open communication between you and your guy, and subtly teach him to tell you anything, anything, when he needs it. This way, they won’t have an excuse to run away with someone else when it’s so easy for them to talk to you.

Face the fact: it will always be a boy.

Don’t try to change the things your guy loves: Super Bowl Sundays with the boys, lazing around in front of the TV on weekends, his obsession with character figures and expensive toys, and his fascination with Playboy magazines. This was him before and when you met him, and there’s no point trying to change that, unless you have a good reason.

If it doesn’t hurt the relationship, leave it at that. He doesn’t bother to tell you that you take too much time in the shower, or that your obsession with expensive makeup is through the roof, so why bother him about his Star Wars addiction? It’s these things that make them unique, and if they plan to be together forever, they will have to accept these things from each other, because they are also the same things that make them amazing together.