You've been dating him for what seems like an eternity. You know he's the man of your dreams, and you are the woman of his. So, what's taking him so long to pop the question?

While you are confident he wants to marry you, you may never know what is going on inside his head. Perhaps he's still trying to pick out the perfect princess cut engagement ring. Maybe he's waiting until he can use his vacation days to ask your father's permission in person. Or perhaps he just hasn't decided he's ready for such as big commitment yet.

You can't control what he's thinking about or what he does, but you can control how you cope with it. You may want that wedding ring from Diamond-rings.co.nz on your finger right now, but, trust us, you don't want to be the girl who makes a big deal about it, cries about how long it's taking him to ask you, or whines to her friends about how anxious you are.

The following are a few tips to help you properly cope with the fact that he hasn't proposed yet.

How to Cope When He Doesn't Propose

• Take Care When Talking to Your Friends- There's going to come a time when your friends bring up the topic of engagements and marriage, and the way you react to those questions will determine how stressful the discussion is for you. Instead of saying "I don't know what's taking him so long. I feel like he'll never ask", redirect the question or act indifferent, by saying something like, "He'll propose when he's ready and the time is right." This is especially important if your friends ask while your man is present. He may feel like he's on the spot and pressured for an answer. If you react indifferently, he will feel much more relaxed about the situation.

• Don't Bug Him- Nagging him about when he's going to propose is only going to create stress, and the more stress you put him through, the more confused or angry he is going to feel. You might just talk him out of proposing completely with your nagging. Instead, give him some space and let him think. This will create a stress-free atmosphere you can both live in harmoniously.

• Don't Start Planning the Wedding- What little girl doesn't want to get a sneak preview of what her wedding is going to look like? While you think you will feel better about your man not proposing yet making future plans, trying on dresses, and talking to vendors, you might actually make yourself depressed. After all, all of the vendors, consultants, and boutiques are going to ask you two questions you just can't answer: where's your ring and when's the date?

• Live for Now- You know he loves you and is going to present you with engagement rings from Diamond-rings.co.nz and ask you to spend the rest of your life with him eventually, so why stress? Live for the moment. If your relationship needs sparks, don't obsess about a proposal; try something new together. Take a class, go on a picnic, or learn a new skill together.

If you are struggling with the fact that your man hasn't popped the question yet, don't obsess about it. Use these tips to keep your stress level down and enjoy the dating life you have now, so you can truly enjoy your engagement later on.