Almost everyone will respond “yes” or “sometimes” when asked if love is complicated. Love can be complicated when the person you love doesn’t feel the same way, or when they do but the relationship ends. Thus, it’s no wonder that some people are turning to things like a love spell candle to evoke love in to their lives!
Love complicates life since it takes many forms, and you may not know which you’re feeling. Deciphering your sentiments and Identifying the Type of Love You Experience may not be easy, but we can help.
So, What Exactly Does It Mean To Be In Love?
It’s possible to have feelings for someone after only a few meetings, but then discover that giddy excitement of a new romance is clouding your judgement. After the initial excitement wears off, your emotions fizzle away without really taking hold.
You can fall in love with someone even if you don’t feel any butterflies in your stomach or adrenaline pumping through your veins. For example, a best friend who falls in love with another person may find that their previously platonic relationship suddenly becomes more passionate and sexually charged.
Although it does not involve romantic or sexual desire, the love you feel for your friends, often known as platonic love, can be just as strong.
What Are The Telltale Signs Of True Love?
People talk about love as if everyone has the same experience, although different people’s personalities and past relationships might change the trajectory of “normal” romantic desire.
You may be wary of letting your guard down again after experiencing a painful relationship issue, such as abuse or betrayal. This may help reduce the exhilaration and hasty decisions that come with new love.
In conclusion, there is no uniform pattern to falling in love, but there are some telltale indications you can look out for:
Regularly, you find yourself thinking about them again
Perhaps you are constantly replaying your last meeting in your head or organizing your next one. It’s natural to want to fill them in on every detail of your life, from the extraordinary to the horrific to the mundane.
You may start to worry about them and consider different ways to aid them if you see that they are struggling.
You may spend time with loved ones discussing how much you enjoy them and speculating on whether or not they share your enthusiasm.
Being with them makes you feel secure.
The ability to trust one another is crucial to a healthy love relationship. You may place a higher value on this feeling of emotional security if you have previously suffered through relationship trauma or grief.
You might feel the same kind of relief from stress when you meet them as when you see your family at the end of a long day.
It’s human nature to try to shield yourself from suffering. When you feel comfortable sharing your vulnerabilities with another person, it’s a strong indicator that love is blossoming between you.
There is a new sense of energy in your life
The hormones released when falling in love can make anything appear more thrilling, especially if you know you’ll soon be seeing the object of your affection. When you’re with someone, time passes quickly, but it can feel like it’s moving at a snail’s pace once they’ve left.
Even the routine tasks you perform every day could spark newfound enthusiasm. Putting away the laundry? Going for a stroll? Being in love (and having that person close by) greatly enhances enjoyment.
Both of you want to be together all the time
When you love someone, you probably want to spend as much time as possible with them, and you may feel that you crave their presence more than ever. After spending time with them, you may sense a twinge of dissatisfaction, as if the time wasn’t enough.
You value time spent together more than any certain activity
Another significant indicator? Spending time with them is something you’re interested in regardless of how they’re feeling or what they can offer. You want to be there for them even when they’re feeling down, irritable, or upset by life.
When you think about the people they have in their lives, you can’t help but feel a twinge of envy.
Jealousy is just another human feeling
In most cases, the way we deal with feelings of envy is what determines its significance. Although it’s never a bad idea to talk about your emotions, you may want to avoid digital snooping and social media stakeouts before doing so.
When you love someone, it’s natural to become preoccupied with their social life and the relationships they appear to have with those they spend time with.
You may also feel threatened by the presence of others in their life, such as an attractive coworker or an ex-lover they keep bringing up in conversation. Typically, these concerns subside as trust grows.
You feel empathy for them
Compassion for another person is a natural byproduct of falling in love.
The intense need to be linked to this person introduces novel facets to your connection with them, such as emotional or physical closeness, passion, and a yearning to learn everything about them and have them do the same. In a loving relationship, you will also experience a desire to provide for or receive care from your partner.
When Did You First Realize You Were In A Platonic Relationship?
Love between platonic partners is characterized by a strong emotional connection but not a romantic or sexual one.
People can and do remain close friends without experiencing any sexual tension or attraction. Even platonic love can show itself through the most fundamental expressions of affection.
You might also:
- Share comparable ideals, priorities, and objectives
- Express your feelings, and talk about the people in your life.
- Help one other out when things get bad
- Take pleasure in each other’s company
To really embrace platonic love, you must put aside romantic desires. To love someone platonically is not to hold out hope that they will develop romantic feelings for you. Maintaining platonic affection requires engaging in friendly actions. For instance you can:
Communicate
We all have different ways to keep in touch, but phoning or texting can help you stay close with those who matter most. The next time you have a conversation, see if you can spend as much time listening as you do talking.
Establish Limits
Some friends of yours might not mind if you spent the night at their place, hung out till late hours of the night, or talk about your other sexual encounters. Some people may only do these things with their significant others. Establishing clear limits through conversation can greatly reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings.
Collaborate and Enjoy Each Other’s Company
Plan online chats, video game sessions, or virtual movie nights to keep in touch with each other even if you can’t physically be together. Emotional support is what you should be offering.
How Do You Know When You’ve Found True Love?
As a rule, when we love someone romantically, we want to have a deep bond with them. You first started to be friends with them because of the admiration you feel for their character.
Then, you developed a mild desire for them (though you can experience romantic love without ever desiring a physical relationship).
While their physical attractiveness may be a factor, your desire to spend so much time with them stems from your appreciation for who they are as a whole and you want to form a strong emotional bond with them.
Suggestions For Nurturing Your Romantic Relationships
Communicate With Others In A Straightforward Manner
Truthfulness is essential for the health of any relationship. The likelihood of a relationship enduring increases when partners open up about their emotions, establish appropriate limits, and talk about their expectations for the partnership.
Don’t Let Yourself Get Carried Away By Passion
If you’re like most people in the first stages of a new romantic relationship, you probably spend a lot of time daydreaming about intimate encounters and reminiscing about those you’ve already shared. Absolutely typical, in other words. Just remember to aim for an emotional resonance as well.
Learn And Grow Together
Knowing each other inside and out is crucial if you want your love to last. Sharing aspirations, struggles, and victories, as well as doing novel activities, are all examples of what this could include. Although each of you will always be you, the two of you will also become a part of something bigger: the partnership.
Romantic vs. Platonic Relationships
Many people place equal value on both romantic and platonic relationships.
Having friends and family nearby is essential for the majority of humans. It is acceptable for some people to go through life without ever experiencing romantic or sexual desire. Family and friends are the best source of unconditional affection.
Others thrive with both friends and romantic partners in their lives. Perhaps you seek out relationships in the hopes of finding the one(s) you’ll spend the rest of your life with.
While romantic partners come and go, your friendships will always be there (often supporting you through breakups).
What Comes Next In Your Love Journey?
The ground can be swept out from beneath you if your feelings for a person suddenly shift. Not sure about the best way forward? You can go one of a few ways:
Talk about It
Until you let them know how you feel, you can’t move forward with a relationship of any kind.
If you’re already pals, consider your shared history. You probably hit it off since you have a lot in common and one or both of you have said you want to hang out more. In romantic relationships, patterns emerge that are consistent with one another.
To prepare to open up about your emotions, you must first be willing to face the possibility of being rejected. If you don’t feel comfortable telling them in person, try a letter, but avoid email or text.
If you’re ready to broach the subject, it’s best to ask for a specific time to do so rather than just bringing it up in the course of everyday discussion. Pick a time when you can have a private conversation.
Especially if you already have a platonic relationship with this person, give them some room to work out their emotions on their own. They may need some time to reflect on and make sense of their emotions.
Think About It
Before you confess your love, take a careful look at the situation. You have no control over who captures your heart, but you do have agency over how you choose to respond to that person.
Do they already have a partner? If this sounds like you, it’s best to wait before declaring your feelings.
Is this person the ex of a close friend? If your friend is still hurting from the breakup or the relationship ended badly, tread carefully.
Is there any negative habit your friend has helped you recognize? Perhaps they avoid discussing their non-monogamy with their partners, ghost on dates, or engage in dishonest behavior such as seeing other people.
People can change, yes, and it’s tempting to believe your friendship and love will inspire that change. Just be sure to consider potential outcomes for your friendship if this doesn’t happen the way you envision.
Or Do You Just Ignore It?
Maybe you’ve come to value your friendship more than pursuing a romantic relationship. That’s totally up to you. Keep in mind that there is no inherent superiority between romantic and platonic love; both have their merits.
Just give yourself some breathing room to think about and process your emotions. Knowing you have total acceptance from them can help you let go. For the time being, you might want to avoid spending time alone with that individual or spend less time with them overall.
If you’re feeling isolated or craving physical closeness, dating could be the answer you’ve been looking for.
What If They Don’t Feel The Same Way?
It’s only human to want to be loved back, yet romantic relationships don’t always work out the way we imagine they will. Accepting that love may not flourish in the way you hope is a necessary part of realizing love.
The saying, “If you love someone, let them leave,” highlights a vital aspect of love. When you truly care for someone, you want them to be happy and fulfilled even if that means sacrificing your own desires.
Final thoughts
People’s feelings for one another and the ways they express those feelings vary greatly. As long as you put in the work to keep it going, any kind of emotional commitment will satisfy your need for belonging.