Love is anything but a simple feeling. No words can accurately define or encapsulate it, for it is something that you have to feel to truly understand. However, how exactly does one fall in love, or better yet, how does one get to know if he/she is already falling in love with someone?
Sometimes, you may not even realize that you have already fallen for someone. So, here is a list of signs that can help you determine if you’re already in the first stage of knowing what love is:
1. You try your best to impress.
The incentive is what drives people to impress others. Just like how one tries to impress his boss to gain a promotion or impress judges to win in a contest, one also tries his/her best to impress a person he/she is in love with, all to get that oh so sweet positive attention. That’s why whenever you do all you can to be funny, cool, outgoing, or straight out attractive to please someone, ask yourself: why? Is it because you are starting to develop a crush on that person, or is it because your feelings have already blossomed into something more?
ALSO READ: Love vs. Like: 21 Differences between I Love You and I Like You
2. You consistently compromise.
Normally, we want to focus on our own wants and needs, but if we start making compromises or sacrifices for another person outside of our family, it may be something else. Do you choose to watch Detective Pikachu instead of John Wick (despite you being an avid action fan) because he/she loves everything Pokémon? Do you choose to sleep at 2 a.m. in the morning despite you having to report to work at 6 a.m. just to spend a few more hours with him/her? If you constantly make compromises and sacrifices like these for someone, then it is not a far cry to say that you might already have feelings for that person.
3. You feel extra happy when he/she is around.
Doing what we like and being where we like to make us happy. If you feel extra joyful and excited whenever you get to interact or hang out with someone, start asking yourself why. Of course, such a feeling cannot be used as a conclusive basis to say that you are already in love with the person. However, if answers like she is just a “childhood friend”, “a role model I aspire to be like”, or “a cool person to be around” seem inadequate justifications for the joy you are experiencing, then the true answer might just be as cliché as you might think; it’s love!
4. You long for his/her presence.
You spent the day with this cute and smart girl and a couple of your other friends; you hung out, had a bit of chat, and bid your goodbyes. When you arrived home and got ready for bed, a certain face popped into your head: it was the girl! You remember vividly how she looked like that day, what she wore, the things she said, her mannerism, while all your other friends seem to have just blurred in the background. Then, you ever so slightly began to long for her company again. You lay in bed and close your eyes, hoping that that the girl will appear in your dreams. If that longing lingers, that might be a crazy little thing called love!
5. You get unusually self-conscious when he/she is around.
Is my hair a mess? Did she like my joke? Do I look stupid? Did she hear me fart?! It is completely normal to feel conscious around people, but if your self-consciousness is predominantly focused around a specific person and he/she is not a future employer, then you are not looking for a boss, but might just possibly be a potential romantic partner!
ALSO READ: 10 Differences between Loving Someone and Being in Love with Someone
6. It kills you to see him/her hurting.
You know that you truly care for and love someone when you genuinely feel pain seeing them hurt or sad. It’s as though your soul is linked with his/her, and whatever damage he/she sustains, you do too. You immediately want to comfort the person and would do anything in your power to turn the frown upside down. Of course, this could all just stem from a deep friendship, but it could also stem from something more personal and visceral. Whether it’s a friend’s care or romantic love can only be determined by you, and most likely, you already know the answer.
7. Everything about him/her interests you.
We all have our own interests and hobbies, and usually, we only get inclined to those things. However, one clear exception to this rule is when you like a person because if you do, everything he/she does and says suddenly becomes the most interesting thing in the world. The story of how she first fell on a bike becomes a story that rivals the Lord of the Rings saga; the origin of her love for language becomes as interesting as the theories of the origin of the universe, and her stamp collection suddenly seems like the most important archaeological finding. Of course, these may sound like exaggerations, but one cannot exaggerate when in love, for love knows no bounds.
8. You genuinely accept his/her flaws.
Do you still prefer his/her company even though he/she is a little narcissistic? Do you still feel giddy whenever he/she smiles even though his/her teeth are crooked? Do you still find him/her as the bravest person even though he/she runs at the first sight of a cockroach? If you wholeheartedly accept a person’s flaws and still think of him/her as very attractive and admirable despite such flaws, then you most likely are a nice person, but more than that, you might also be one who is in love.
Love can be understood best from experience, and to experience it, one has to fall in love first. However, sometimes, it may be hard to tell if indeed, we are already in love. We have to be mindful of the signs that we see especially from within ourselves, and from then on determine, if that someone has indeed captivated you in a special way.
ALSO READ: 12 Unfamiliar Signs You’re in Love with Someone
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- Relationship Coaching: Transform Problems into Growth & Love:
Develop true love & greater intimacy & a relationship growth mindset, stop destructive conflicts, find meaning & purpose. - Love & Connection: The Science of Successful Relationships:
This course will show you how to examine the unknown path that you’ll travel with your spouse, and carefully evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your relationship.
