What should love feel like

Falling in love is a weird and wonderful thing. For those who haven’t experienced it before, it can be a very curious experience. When you first start out in a relationship, there is plenty of excitement. As you get to know one another, deeper feelings start to develop. But what does love feel like in reality?

Some people say that ‘when you know, you know.’ They believe love is a feeling that can’t necessarily be easily explained. They think, if people must ask, ‘am I in love?’ then they probably aren’t.

But, is it really that simple? Could it just be that unless you know what it feels like, you can’t be sure when it happens to you? [Read: Love vs. in love – What makes them so different and yet so similar?]

What is love, anyway?

Love is an emotion that keeps people bonded and committed to one another. But it isn’t that easy. Love can be complicated and messy. It can be different for everyone.

Love has these indescribable emotions attached to it. You might think of love in terms of romance and dramatic expressions. You might see hearts, candy, and roses and think of love. But all of those are symbols. They’re not really what the actual thing is about.

Love is an emotion so strong that it almost can’t be described without a list, metaphors, and trust in your own gut.

Some people never experience true love, while others have several different loves in their lives. It’s true that love is individual and different for everyone, but that doesn’t make it any easier when trying to work out what does being in love feel like? [Read: What does it mean to love someone? 21 good and bad ways to define love]

How do you know if it’s love?

The only way to know if you really are in love is when you start to believe it without a shadow of a doubt. And you can get a pretty good idea one way or the other if you know what to look for.

If you really are in love, you stop thinking about why you shouldn’t be in love. If it’s too early, you may feel that it’s not yet true. If you’re too guarded, you may decide that you don’t want to open your heart yet. With these kinds of limitations, it’s easy to tell yourself you’re not in love.

But what happens when you finally want to know whether or not you really are in love? Is there a signal? Is there a specific ritual that needs to be done to find out? Not really. All you have to do is ask yourself what you truly feel deep down. [Read: 25 sure signs of falling in love to watch out for]

If your gut feeling is that you’re not in love with someone, chances are, you aren’t. If, however, you seem to feel some sort of warm and tingling sensation whenever you think about that person, maybe it’s time to delve more deeply into your emotions.

For the purpose of helping you out, we’ve listed the most common feelings that are related to being in love below. These are not just limited to romantic love, but if these are all present, it’s highly likely that you’re starting to go beyond infatuation and into true love’s territory. [Read: What is true love? 22 signs of love to know if your love is real]

What does love feel like? The clearest signs you just can’t miss

The truth is, love is a confusing and strange experience. It’s not always as easy as just knowing. Some people, particularly those new to love, want to share their experiences and find out common factors which help them know for sure.

People take different amounts of time to fall in love. No two relationships are the same. However, people often say they have certain thoughts and feelings when they fall in love with someone. If you want to look out for signs, then check these out! [Read: How long does it take to really fall in love? The answers to know for sure]

What does love feel like? Well, love is:

1. Like you can’t stop smiling

When you first feel as though you are falling in love, one thing is for certain—you aren’t going to be able to wipe that Cheshire cat grin off your face!

Love releases all sorts of happy hormones that make you feel giddy and elated. So, a big smile on your face, especially when you’re with the person or even just thinking of them, is all par for the course. [Read: The science of attraction – 17 aspects that go far beyond appearances]

2. Like you’re floating

This is the same type of excitement and giddiness you feel the first time they hold your hand. When you’re in love, however, it starts to become a normal part of your day.

With or without your partner around, you always feel like you’re floating an inch off the ground. You have a skip in your step, a spark in your eyes, and the world just feels a little more alive and happy all the time!

No, it’s not an after-sex glow. It’s a constant feeling of happiness that exists because you are giving away love.

3. Like they’re the missing part of you

You miss them all the time when they’re not right next to you. You crave their presence, not just their attention. The difference between wanting someone’s attention and wanting their presence is the understanding that a person can’t be by your side all the time.

Of course, you know they can’t be there with you, but that doesn’t stop you from texting them or telling them just how much you miss them, and how eagerly you’re waiting to see them!

4. Like their protector

You worry about them all the time. The world is a scary place, so it’s understandable that you might start to think your partner died because they didn’t text back for a few hours!

Still, even when they do send regular updates, you can’t help but hope and pray that they will be all right throughout the day. Somehow, you forget that they existed before they met you and lived their own life. All of a sudden, you feel responsible for their safety, and constantly remind them to take care of themselves and stay safe. [Read: 15 powerful ways to overcome the fear of losing someone you love]

5. Like you are invincible

Being in love makes you feel stronger. It makes you feel as though with that person, you can take on anything. It’s that ‘us against the world’ feeling. As long as you are together, you can face all that comes your way.

6. Like you are vulnerable

Of course, not all the feelings that come with being in love are positive ones. Sometimes love makes you feel very vulnerable.

You put your trust in another person. You rely on them to look after you, to support you, to be with you. It can feel very nerve-wracking when you realize your potential to get hurt is so great. This can be a reason why some avoid falling in love and deny their feelings – it all comes down to a fear of getting hurt. [Read: Are you incapable of loving someone properly? 21 signs and reasons for emotional deprivation disorder]

7. Like it’s your job to make them happy

Wanting someone else’s happiness is okay, but only if it’s not to the detriment of your own. Rather than being selfless, you’re simply feeling more generous about what you can give to your partner in order to make them happy.

A shoulder to cry on, a hug to show affection, or a kiss for good luck—any little thing will do so long as you get to see that smile you’ve been wanting to see on your loved one’s face.

8. Like you can rely on someone

Love is all about trust and companionship too. If you feel as though you truly rely on the other person to be there for you through thick and thin, this is a good sign of love.

Of course, to further complicate matters, love doesn’t always have to be a deep and romantic kind. It can be a platonic kind of love. Then, when you feel like you can rely upon that person, you can still call it love. [Read: 18 signs a man is emotionally connected to you and wants to get even closer]

9. Like you have a secret

Love feels as though you and the person you love have a special secret that no one else knows. When in the thick of love, you can’t quite believe anyone else knows the feeling of being in love quite as well as you two do.

10. Like you can completely trust someone

Trust is a huge part of love and loving someone properly involves trusting them completely. If the trust is broken, it can be tough to feel the same way.

However, when you’re brave and you allow yourself to trust another person, opening up and being vulnerable, the rewards are huge.

11. Like you are connected

Love forms a bond and a connection with someone. What does love feel like? Truly, if you are in love, you feel as though there is a special bond between the two of you that is incomparable to any other bond. [Read: 30 unique questions for a new relationship to build a bond very early]

12. Like you can’t stop touching someone

Love is, of course, also physical. Not only does the sex feel intimate and special, but in your day-to-day life, you want to be close to them – holding hands, hugging, and physical contact feels amazing.

Of course, don’t confuse love and sex. Love doesn’t always have to involve sex but when it does, it often takes it to the next level.

13. Like you want to see that person all the time

When you feel in love, particularly in the first instance, you feel like you want to see that person every minute of every day. As love grows and changes, this feeling may fade and become something more stable. But the first moments of love mean you simply can’t get enough of one another!

Not being with them can be painful, but it can also give you immense satisfaction and joy when you finally see them walking up to you. The beauty of anticipating their presence is that you feel exponentially happier when you finally get to see them in person.

14. Like you’ll never get bored

When you first fall in love, you have the best conversations; you laugh, share stories and secrets, and find you have lots in common. You are fascinated by one another and feel as though you’ll never get bored. [Read: How to not be boring and get anyone excited to be around you and spend time with you]

15. Like an adventure

Love is a journey, and it’s exciting. Love feels as though you are starting on an amazing adventure, and you don’t know where it might lead. For some, the thought is terrifying, but that’s always what makes it so thrilling!

16. Like butterflies

Love often makes you feel nervous. When you see or even think of the person you love, butterflies in your stomach are an early sign. They do tend to go away after a while and that doesn’t mean that you’re no longer in love.

Butterflies are often a ‘honeymoon phase’ of love sign but maybe you’ll still have them after many years together. [Read: The psychological facts about relationships everyone must know]

17. Like it doesn’t matter if you fall out

When you’ve been in love for a while, you realize how solid you are. It doesn’t matter if you fight or get annoyed with one another. You know your love will see you through, and everything will be okay in the end. It’s normal to fall out and have disagreements; no couple in the world can honestly say that they never fight. [Read: Are relationship fights normal? 15 signs you’re clearly fighting too much too soon]

18. Like you can start over

Love is like a fresh start, where all is forgiven, and all mistakes can be forgotten. Love gives you second chances. It can give you the strength to move on from past issues and mistakes.

It can push you towards being a better person. Put simply, love can be life-changing.

19. Like every other relationship wasn’t quite the real deal

When you fall in love with a new person, it feels different from other relationships from your past. It doesn’t mean you weren’t in love before, but the way you love and want to be loved has changed. [Read: What are twin souls? 20 signs you’ve found yours right now]

20. Like you are home

Love feels as though you found your home wherever you are—because home is where the heart is, after all!

21. Like feeling safe

Love makes you feel protected. It makes you feel as though you are warm and safe and content with your lot. That doesn’t mean that you won’t feel scared occasionally, e.g. your first fight, but there is a deep sense of knowing that in the end, you’re good. [Read: 15 rules to be a good partner in a relationship and wow your lover]

22. Like you’d do anything for that person

Love is also about sacrifices. When we love, we often do things we don’t want to do or make sacrifices for another person to keep them happy.

Give and take are important. It’s what love is all about! Remember to make sure that the relationship is even and that you’re not always giving and they’re always taking – it should be an equal split. [Read: 15 signs of a taker in a relationship – Are you a giver or a taker?]

23. Like you can see their flaws, but you don’t care

Love isn’t about perfection, be that finding someone perfect or trying to be perfect yourself. When you have found true love, you don’t mind that another person has flaws. You love them all the same! Their flaws become a part of their character. [Read: 10 ways to love more and hurt less in love]

24. Like you truly know someone else and they know you

Love is an intimate and unique relationship with another. You can’t truly know someone unless you know them well—sharing and bonding together brings you closer.

25. Like complete honesty

Love and trust go hand in hand. Although relationships with love aren’t always perfect, love should feel like clarity. You should feel like you can talk to this person about anything and get straight answers. There shouldn’t be any game-playing when love is involved. [Read: How to build trust in a relationship and learn to be loyal and loving]

26. Like you’re the luckiest person in the world

You will feel like you won the lottery. You may even wonder if it is too good to be true. Love, especially true love, feels like you hit the jackpot.

27. Like you’re supported

Love comes with a sense of support like nothing else. You may have support from your friends, family, and even your coworkers, but nothing is like the support from a loving partner.

They want to see you succeed and be fulfilled, and the inspiration that gives you is incomparable. They’re your number one cheerleader.

28. Like you’re stronger than ever

Experiencing a positive feeling like love gives people strength. It gives you the strength to push harder in life, to be better, and to be more compassionate.

The strength you gain from love is reflected in the strength you show in other aspects of your life as well. [Read: How to make a relationship work – 34 ways to a stronger bond]

29. Like you’re on the edge of a cliff

Love is terrifying. You are so excited yet so scared. It is like you are in the midst of something that can go so wrong, but it feels so right simultaneously.

Although you have become stronger, your heart is now more delicate than ever. Being in love means that the possibility of heartbreak is more real and painful.

30. Like a giver

You don’t want to be happy on your own anymore. You want everyone to be happy. You start becoming a matchmaker—a charity dispenser—and you might even agree to become the designated driver for your friends who want to drink their troubles away!

31. Like believing in eternal love

You have a quiet sense of acceptance that they will always be there for you. No matter where you are in the world, being in love gives you a sense of security that your partner will always be there waiting for you, no matter what.

It feels great to know that you’re loved and desired, and that some other person in the world cares so much for you, and wishes the best for you. [Read: 25 reasons to love someone and hold on to them forever]

32. Like life is beautiful!

Being in love makes you realize that things happen in their own time. Now that you feel immense satisfaction in your relationship, you start to see that it is also possible to have this type of happiness in everything else in your life.

Life just seems to be perfect all of a sudden, and all those things that would annoy you previously? Poof, they’ve all just vanished!

33. Like you’re responsible for someone else’s heart

Now that you’re in love, you feel that you also have a responsibility to make someone else happy. By letting yourself love, you have also signed up to take care of that person’s well-being and emotions in any way you can. [Read: 20 things happy couples never do in a perfect relationship]

So what does love feel like? These signs are just some of the things you might feel when you are in love. It’s terrifying and amazing, safe and scary, exciting yet routine.

It can be hugely contradictory and make you feel a whole range of emotions. Some of which make you feel as though you are on top of the world, some of which will unsettle and frighten you too!

Don’t be concerned if you can’t tick every single one of these points off the list. Every loving experience is different. But, you should be able to nod along to the majority.

[Read: How to love someone – The perfect guide for new love, old love and everything in between]

So, what does love feel like? Falling in love can strike at any time and can be both the happiest, and yet, most confusing, experiences of our lives. Quite often, it is both. So, all you can really ever do is sit back, enjoy the ride, and learn from it when you come out the other side!

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