Love is a complex emotion that involves multiple aspects, depending on the source. Some people feel romantic love, others are in platonic relationships, and some feel intense unconditional love.
Despite the diverse meanings of love, psychologists agree that there are three key things: attachment, caring and intimacy. These qualities are often seen in couples, friends, parents and children.
Attachment – When you are in love, you want to be with your partner all the time and make them happy. This can be expressed through physical touch, gifts or even just a good night’s sleep.
Caring – When you are in love, you may give up your own interests to support your partner’s passions and goals. This can be shown through your support of your partner’s career, family or other significant areas of their life.
Intimacy – When you are in love, you are vulnerable and open to sharing your feelings with your partner. This can be demonstrated through shared experiences such as vacations, a new pet or even just sharing a meal together.
It’s important to remember that it takes work to be in love, so there will always be days when you aren’t mushy-gushy. But sticking through those days will help your relationship grow, as it’ll show that you are committed to them.
Your relationship is based on trust, so it’s important to build a strong foundation of trust before you begin falling in love. This can be done through regular communication, establishing your expectations and making sure that you have time to talk about anything and everything that comes up.
You should also never feel like you need to hide your emotions or opinions in order to protect your partner from negative criticism. You should always be able to express your feelings and be honest about them, especially if you are feeling vulnerable or insecure.
Creating traditions is another sign that you are in love with your partner, according to licensed therapist Sasha Jackson, LCSW. It’s a way to share your love with them and show that you want to spend the rest of your lives with them.
The idea of creating a tradition can be overwhelming and a little intimidating, but it’s a great way to show that you are committed to your relationship. You can start small, such as making dinner together once a week or playing games together every day, or you can go all out with something bigger, like creating a special meal for your partner each night or writing them a letter and leaving it in their favorite spot.
Whether it’s your first love or the love you have for your kids, writing about what you think about love can be a great exercise in creative expression and imagination. It can help you to understand what it feels like to be in love and how you might describe that experience to others.