You may also find yourself wanting to take care of or be cared for by your partner. Loving someone often means wanting to spend plenty of time with them, so you might find yourself craving their company more than ever before. If they’re having a hard time, you may worry about their difficulties and brainstorm ways to help.
Love is a complex and multifaceted emotion that can manifest in various forms. However, being in love is often seen as a deeper and more intense experience. But what does it truly mean to be in love?
The Deep Connection
Being in love typically involves a deep emotional connection with another person. This connection goes beyond physical attraction and includes feelings of trust, respect, and understanding.
Platonic love involves deep affection, but no romantic or sexual attraction. It’s absolutely possible for people of any gender to maintain a friendship without sexual tension or attraction. In sum, there are many paths to love, but three primary ingredients. Psychological research removes some of the mystery and drama that colors our romantic experiences. Of all the people across the world, there is likely just a handful at most in your lifetime with whom you will fall in love—maybe just one, maybe none.
Falling in love can result in someone reordering their daily priorities to align with those of their partner. While some people may attempt to be more like a loved one, another of Fisher’s studies, presented in 2013 at the “Being Human” conference, found that people can be attracted to their opposites, personality-wise. Fisher’s research has suggested that those who are in love also focus on trivial events and objects that remind them of their loved one. She found that most men and women reported recalling trivial things that their partners said and did, and they would also replay these moments in their heads. “I was in college when my mom called me to tell me that my parents were splitting up.
Being in love means that you’ve made the decision to focus your time and energy into your chosen interest. You most likely won’t want to date anyone else, and people you were once interested in don’t matter much anymore. Loving someone can involve a sense of strong connection and trust. You know your partner well enough to rattle off their likes and dislikes, values, and strengths without a second thought. Eventually you may need to prioritize your partner slightly less to take care of daily life. It’s easy to give a relationship your all when you’re head over heels in love.
Falling in love can also include lust and sexual attraction. Dopamine is a brain chemical that causes a euphoric feeling. Norepinephrine can make you feel nervous, your hands sweaty, and your heartbeat faster. In other words, you can be madly in love with someone for decades, if you’re lucky.
It can be overwhelmingly present and then elusively quiet. Like a feral animal, it may at once be demanding of nurturing and attentiveness and then run into a place where you cannot find it. You must have faith in its desire to remain part of your life and not chase it when it is quiet—yet welcome it when it returns. When I have asked people over the years what love means to them, I’ve gotten many different answers.
Sometimes, being in love can be more about infatuation or a temporary rush of feelings. Ultimately, whether or not you love someone is a personal decision that only you can make. Other great ways to cultivate love regularly could be to speak highly of your boyfriend or girlfriend, or partner even when they are not around.
Emotional Intimacy
When you are in love, you feel comfortable and safe opening up to your partner. Emotional intimacy allows you to share your thoughts, fears, and dreams without fear of judgment or rejection.
Commitment and Support
Being in love means being committed to the relationship and supporting each other through thick and thin. It involves standing by your partner’s side no matter what challenges may arise.
FAQs About Being in Love
- Can you be in love with more than one person at a time?
- Is being in love different from loving someone?
- How do you know if you’re truly in love?
Yes, some people believe in polyamorous relationships where individuals can be in love with multiple partners simultaneously.
Yes, being in love usually implies a romantic connection, while loving someone can refer to any type of affection or care.
Truly being in love often involves a strong emotional bond, genuine care for the other person’s well-being, and a desire to see them happy.
Overall, being in love is a profound and meaningful experience that can bring immense joy and fulfillment to one’s life. It involves not only loving someone but also being emotionally connected, supportive, and committed to their happiness. It is a journey that requires effort, communication, and mutual respect to sustain a healthy and fulfilling relationship.
