Being in love is a feeling that’s difficult to describe. It’s a kind of joy, mixed with sincere affection, combined with contentment and a dash of ecstasy… or something like that, anyway. People say that when you know, you know — and it’s true, you do. If you’re feeling a bunch of intense and confusing feelings and want to know for sure if you’ve really found the person you’re meant to spend your life with, here are a few things that will help you figure it all out.
By the way, this isn’t about kidding yourself into believing that everyone you date might be your future spouse. It’s about listening to your gut and trusting it to guide you in the right direction. It’s like something in you just clicks and there’s a little voice in your head that says: This is it. This is your person.
It can be hard to believe that you just know when you’ve met “The One.” Generally speaking, the signs aren’t necessarily loud and over the top. They don’t slap you in the face and shake you to your core. Instead, they’re just a bone-deep realization that everything just feels right. Together, the puzzle pieces fit. That’s something special. So, what are the signs you should be looking out for?
How you know you’ve met “The One”
- You can be yourself around them. You know those weird things you try to hide when you’re out in public? You feel no compulsion to hide them around this person and never worry that they’re going to judge you or think badly about you.
- You want the same things out of life. Your ideas for the future complement one another. They’ll be a professor, you’ll be a writer, and you’ll share leisurely summer days in your cottage in the mountains. Or you’ll be a mother, they’ll bring home the bread, and you’ll raise a beautiful family together! Whatever your ambitions are, they just work together.
- You’re both equally committed to the relationship. You’ve probably had long conversations about it, too. The idea of settling down together and never sleeping with anyone else doesn’t phase either of you in the slightest. In fact, it actually sounds pretty nice.
- You don’t miss being single. In past relationships, you used to look at your single friends and feel a slight twinge of envy. Now, however, you don’t think about it at all. When you do, it’s just to heave a sigh of relief that you’re no longer in the dating scene.
- They get along with your friends, and you get along with theirs. You might not be best friends with all their drinking buddies, but you get along with them really well. You’ve spent nights at the pub with your partner’s crew, they’ve spent days at the beach with yours, and everyone was happy! This is always a good sign; just because you love each other doesn’t mean you won’t still need and want to be around your friends.
- You can work through arguments in a healthy way. There’s no screaming and acting out, there’s no “ghosting” or bad vibes. You both communicate your thoughts and feelings clearly and are willing to compromise when the situation calls for it. You also know how to give each other space when your fights will cool down on their own. Plus, you can always tell the difference between petty bickering and more serious issues.
- You enjoy doing even the most boring things together. Sitting in the doctor’s office waiting room is far less boring when they’re there to keep you company. Even mundane chores like grocery shopping or walking the dog are not so bad when you do them together. Isn’t that great?
- People always mention how happy you seem. Despite the fact that the “honeymoon period” of your relationship has long since passed, you still have that same glow of being in love that you did in the beginning, and everyone can tell. It just shows in your face, the way you carry yourself, and how you talk to others.
- Your heart sinks at the thought of spending any extended amount of time apart. While you know that time apart from your S.O. is a good thing sometimes, you still dread the occasions when you have to be apart. And when it does come, you know you’ll be talking to them every day.
- They make you want to be a better person. You want to look your best, work your hardest, and follow your dreams all the more when you’re with them, not because they pressure you to be any certain way, but rather because they inspire you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be.
- You make each other laugh like no one else can. Getting stomach pain from giggling so much is a frequent occurrence in your house, but it’s a great ab workout, all the same! No one gets the silly jokes and terrible impressions you do like they do, and vice versa. It’s almost like you speak your own language.
- You’re happiest when they’re happy. When they’re low, you’re low. When they’re high, you’re high. Seeing them happy is what gives a real sense of inner peace. It’s not that you need another person to make your life complete. It’s that when you know you’ve met the one, you know you’re home. That’s enough.