The big “L” as we all know has often been mistaken for a lot of other emotions such as infatuation or lust. The feeling of being in love however goes beyond liking someone or wanting to have sex with them. Not to confuse love for any other emotion, here are seven signs to tell you if you are in love or have ever been in love.
You are Addicted to this Person:
The first stage of love is usually the obsessive part when you can’t stop thinking about them or get them out of your mind. It is like being in a state of euphoria and even scientist agree that there is usually a change in the brain. There is activity in the anterior cingulated which is the area of the brain linked to obsessive thinking, which is a classic experience when people are falling in love (Aron, Fisher, Mashek, Strong, & Brown, 2005). It is good to note that as your relationship progresses however, you will less likely have more control of your emotions and the obsessive thinking about them reduces.
Distances Makes Your Heart Grow Fonder:
When you are in love with somebody and they have to be apart from you for a reason, it is only natural that you miss them and wish they were with you. Your level of commitment to the relationship will determine how much you miss them. There is the feeling of not being complete when your lover is not around and nothing makes you feel as serene as when you and your partner are together.
You Grow as a Person:
When you are in love with someone, you begin to feel more confident with yourself, your sense of self grows and you also pick up some new traits and characteristics from them. You either notice these changes yourself or others around you can tell the difference because the things you care about, your habits, how you spend your time or all of these is subject to the influence of a new romantic partner.
You Have Thoughts of a Future Together:
When you are thinking about your future and this person plays a dominant role in it, then you are truly in love. You can’t imagine a life without your loved one and as you make plans for the future, you always factor them into the equation. When you start using words like ‘we’ and not “I,” be certain your emotions are strong enough to be considered love.
You Willing Compromise for Your Partner:
One of the big signs that you are in love is when you are willing to make compromises for your partner. You make decisions that you know will make your partner happy even if it brings you out of your comfort zone. Since your partner takes interest in a particular thing, you are likely to pick interest in it as well but in making compromises it is always important to remember that it is a two way thing and one shouldn’t completely lose oneself.
You Get Jealous but Trust your Partner:
Having feelings of jealousy in a true love affair is not bad for a relationship. People who are jealous tend to be more committed to relationships (Rydell, McConnell, & Bringle, 2004). However don’t be possessive or suspicious of your partner as this will breed distrust. When you are able to have a healthy dose of jealous but still completely have faith in your partner, then it’s true love.
You Want Your Friends and Family to Like this Person:
Family is very important to the average Nigerian as most families are close knit. When you are in love with someone, you badly want your parents to like them, you want them to get along with your friends and basically have the approval of others in your life. Since you will be spending a lot of time together, you are usually quick to raise good points in their favour in front of your family or support them among other people you care about.
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