Falling in love is a journey and saying I love you can mean different things at different stages in relationships. Whether it’s the first or the hundredth time you’ve said it, next time you utter those words I love you to someone, ask yourself if you have these things in mind.
1. Check Your Motivation
This isn’t implying that you’re being manipulative, but depending on how the words I love you have influenced us in the past can determine why we say it. For some people saying I love you can actually mean ‘I need you’ or ‘I want you’ due to underlying low self-esteem or self-worth. It can come easily when you’re in the whirlwind and excitement of a budding romance and your heart and head seem to come together in one big mix of emotions. Next time you say I love you, sit back and check why you’re saying these words and ask yourself if you truly mean them the way they are meant to mean. This isn’t to say you won’t love the person at some point down the line, but you owe it to yourself and them to say it with true meaning.
2. Do You Accept Their Genuine Side?
To be in love with someone, you should know their genuine side and accept it. This will be a side that not everyone gets to see and could involve all sorts of issues and insecurities. If you see this side to them and still feel warmth and affection, and even makes you love them even more, then saying I love you is contributing your genuine side to the mix as well.
3. You’ve Been Through The Wars and Still Love Them
Relationships have their ups and downs and you get to see your partner in all sorts of lights both good and bad. We often see sides of people that aren’t the best. Ask yourself, can you still feel deep love for that person at their worst and be able to say I love you? Or do you find it difficult to see why you love them? Lots of situations can test a relationship — some that are out of our control and it’s these times that can really show us how deep our love can go. Saying these three words means accepting the person for who they are — warts and all — and loving them regardless.
4. You Don’t Pass Judgment
Whatever your partner has done and whatever their deepest darkest secrets are, you don’t pass any judgment. This shows sincerity and true heartfelt affection for your partner that warrants an I love you. The people you love will feel even more loved by you because your intention to love is conscious and clear.
5. How Often Do You Say ‘I Love You’?
Sometimes saying I love you, although meant in a sincere way, can be overused. It can just become a daily habit with no real thought behind the words. If you find yourself saying it a lot without really thinking about it then ask yourself if you’re truly meaning it. This isn’t to say that you don’t, and saying it often is important, however, check in from time to time to see how sincere and genuine your words are. Putting meaning and thought behind them can keep you realizing your depth of feeling.
6. ‘I Love You’ Can Also Mean Appreciation And Thankfulness
In some situations, saying I love you can actually mean thank you or shows that you appreciate your partner. It’s gratitude and recognition for all that your partner does for you and almost thanking them for being there for you, allowing you to be yourself and accepting you. It’s a mutual understanding that’s the both of you telling each other that you’re there and committed to the relationship — you’re not trying to get something or wearing a mask, it’s a way of saying the relationship really means something to you. Whatever stage of a relationship you’re in, it’s important to sit back and think about the meaning behind your words. If anything, it’s to really get you thinking about the reasons why you love them and why you tell them this instead of forming a habit of saying I love you as an automatic phrase. Acknowledging the love is important but putting meaning behind it can keep you focused on all the wonderful reasons why love exists in your relationship in the first place. Featured photo credit: freestocks.org via pexels.com
