8 Signs of True Love
In this day and age, it’s easy to confuse love for mere infatuation, attraction, or desire. We think the passionate feelings we have for someone will last forever, but all too often do we find ourselves suddenly falling out of love and feeling disenchanted with them for reasons we may never fully understand. But true love is about so much more than just chasing that fleeting “fairytale feeling”.
It’s not about whirlwind romance, electric chemistry, or grand gestures; it’s about compatibility and dependability. It’s about finding that special someone, someone you can open up to, trust, respect, and depend on. Because love doesn’t always come easy. And it takes a lot of time and effort to make a relationship with anyone, no matter how well-matched you maybe, work. That’s why you first need to be sure that the person you’re going to give your heart to is really the right one for you.
Are you wondering if you’ve really fallen for the right person? Do you want to know if what you’re feeling is actually the “real deal”? Here are 8 definitive signs of true love:
1. You understand each other
Understanding is something that can only come from having a true emotional connection with someone, which is why it’s so vital to making a relationship work! Luckily for you, your partner understands you in a way that no one else ever has. You’re good friends who know how to make each other laugh, comfort one another and cheer each other up when you’re having a bad day. They see the real you and accept you for who you truly are. They love all the things that make you so special and never once judge you for your flaws or past mistakes.
2. You respect one another
Another key ingredient to any strong and healthy relationship is respect. True love can never flourish if there is no respect because respect is the glue that holds relationships together. Respect is what makes us feel free to express ourselves and remain honest with one another. And if your partner truly respects you, they will treat you as their equal. They will listen to you, value your opinions, and accept your differences. They won’t ever try to control you or make your decisions for you because they know that you are your own person and they trust your judgment and your capabilities.
3. You look out for each other
When you love someone, you want to do all you can to keep them safe and protect them from any harm or danger. You don’t ever want anything bad to happen to them because the thought of them getting hurt is almost too much for you to bear. So you look out for them, and you don’t doubt that they do the same for you, too. It’s all in the little things, like how they always want to know if you got home safely or make sure you never forget to eat. They buy you little gifts to make you smile, cheer you on before a big test or presentation, and offer to drive or cook for you when you’re too tired.
4. You’re supportive of one another
A person who truly loves you will never try to compete with you or outdo you. They don’t get insecure when they see you succeed or belittle your accomplishments. But rather, they are genuinely happy for your success and supportive of you and all your dreams, because true love means only having each other’s best interests at heart. You and your partner encourage one another to work hard and inspire each other to reach for your goals. There’s no jealousy or rivalry there, because you both just want the same thing: to see each other happy and fulfilled.
5. You’re patient with each other
True love is patient, kind, and gentle. And while that certainly doesn’t mean you and your partner won’t ever get on each other’s nerves or drive each other crazy sometimes, your love for one another is the reason why you won’t ever give up on trying to make things work between you. You accept each other’s flaws and talk openly about your problems. You don’t just throw in the towel or run away from them when things get hard. You patiently stand by their side and put in the time and effort to resolve your issues together.
6. You’re both willing to compromise
Some people think that finding true love means never having to fight with your partner about anything, but conflict is actually an inevitable part of any relationship. No two people will ever agree on everything all the time because no two people will ever have the exact same ideas, beliefs, needs, thoughts, and feelings about everything. A healthy amount of conflict can actually be good for you and your partner, because it shows that honesty and open communication. And when you’re willing to compromise or make sacrifices for their sake, then you’re telling them that you really love them, care for them, and prioritize their well-being.
7. You’re not interested in anyone else
Falling in love can make everyone else pale in comparison to the object of your affections. That is, until you get over your little crush, get bored, and move on with your life. But it’s not like that with true love. You don’t just ditch them the moment someone else comes along and catches your eye. Because when you’re really in love, you’re simply not interested in being with anyone else. You stay loyal and faithful to your partner because you know that what you two have is precious, beautiful, and rare. You care about the history you have together and the life you want to share with them. And you wouldn’t carelessly throw it all away just because it’s not new or exciting anymore.
8. You change each other for the better
Finally, but perhaps most importantly, you know it’s true love when your significant other changes you for the better. As cheesy or cliché as it may sound, it’s actually very true! When you really, deeply love someone, you want to be the kind of person they deserve to be with, someone they can be proud to call their partner. They inspire you to be a better version of yourself and they bring out all your best qualities. Their love has helped you love yourself more, and their unwavering support and belief have made you believe in yourself, too.
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding what it means to find “true love” or be with “the one”. And some of them can be incredibly damaging if we let them skew our expectations and hold our partners to unrealistically high standards. But relationships don’t need to be perfect just to be worthwhile. What matters most is that there is honesty, trust, respect, openness, and emotional intimacy in the love that you and your partner feel for one another. As long as you have that,
Hi, My name is James…
And just 90 seconds from now I’m going to let you in on something every man is secretly obsessed with.
There’s something every man is secretly obsessed with, more than love, money, even more than sex!
