We hear it all the time in dating: “I’m looking for someone emotionally available.” But what does that actually mean? And more importantly—are you emotionally available, or just hoping the other person will be?

Emotional availability isn’t about being perfect, over-sharing, or having it all figured out. It’s about being present, self-aware, and willing to let someone truly see you—even the vulnerable parts. And that’s where things get real.

Here’s what emotional availability actually looks like:

💬 You can name your feelings—and talk about them.
You're not bottling things up or waiting until they explode. You’re able to check in with yourself and communicate clearly.

🔁 You don't chase unavailability.
When someone’s hot and cold or emotionally shut down, you don’t try harder to win them over. You recognize it’s not a match—and you walk away with self-respect intact.

🪞You take responsibility for your own patterns.
You’re willing to look at your part in things. Emotional availability means owning your choices and being open to growth—not blaming others for everything that’s gone wrong.

❤️ You want intimacy more than you fear it.
Real closeness requires risk. You don’t have to love that part—but you’re willing to lean in, even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first.

So... are you emotionally available?
Or are you hoping someone else will “go first” so you can feel safe enough to open up?

The truth is, emotionally unavailable dating often starts with us—choosing people who don’t have the capacity because we don’t want to be fully seen yet either.

But when you shift into emotional availability, you change everything. You start choosing differently. You stop settling for crumbs. You become the kind of partner you want to attract.

Because healthy love doesn’t come from waiting around. It comes from showing up.