Falling in love means taking someone and weaving them into the very fabric of your day-to-day existence.
Constant focus
You think about this person all the time. You could be rushing around at work or crushing it at the gym and suddenly something they said will flash back in your mind and make you grin from ear to ear.
They become the default person you want to talk to. You see the cutest sunset, hear the catchiest song, or deal with the stupidest coworker at the grocery store and your first reaction is to grab your phone and tell them about it.
New perspectives
Things they like become way more interesting to you. Whether it’s a type of music you never understood, a sports team you refused to watch, or a TV show you wouldn’t dream of watching, all of a sudden, you want to know everything about it.
You want to understand what they enjoy so much. Your interests begin to broaden because you’re trying to see the world from their perspective as well as your own.
Total comfort
You feel a certain familiarity and closeness when you’re falling in love with someone. The feeling that you don’t have to pretend to be anyone other than yourself. You begin to feel comfortable showing them your worn-out socks, your bedhead hair, and the opinions that you know will rub them the wrong way.
The fear of being judged slowly starts to disappear when you realize that this person will love you in spite of your flaws. You can sit in comfortable silence with them for hours and it doesn’t feel lonely.
Shared pain
Your empathy levels increase tenfold when someone you love is suffering. If they are having a bad day at work or talking about how their grandmother isn’t feeling well, you don’t just sympathize, you actually feel pain in your own chest.
You want to reach out and comfort them or solve their problems. It doesn’t matter that you can’t do anything to change the situation; you want to try because you love them.
Happiness for them is happiness for you, and their victories become your victories.
Future planning
You suddenly find yourself making plans that include them a year down the line. When you daydream about getting married next summer or buying a house in two years, you immediately think of them being there.
You stop worrying about the “what ifs” of the relationship and start planning your future around their schedules and dreams because you can’t imagine what your future would look like without them.
Pure selflessness
You become nicer to the people you love. Small sacrifices, like watching their favorite show when you’d rather watch sports or taking the time out of your day to care for them when they’re sick, don’t feel like a burden.
In fact, it may even bring you a sense of happiness knowing that you are making their day better. You aren’t trying to be a people pleaser. You’re just realizing that their happiness is important to you, sometimes more important than your own needs.
High stakes
Love also brings a sense of vulnerability. All of a sudden, you don’t just hope that they stick around, you actually care if they leave or not. Thinking about life without them isn’t exciting; it hurts.
That kind of fear means that they’ve gone from being a nice addition to your life to being the single most important person in it. You start to trust their opinion more than your friends and family, and you cling to their support when you’re having a bad day.
Mundane magic
Suddenly, life is full of new wonders. Going to the grocery store becomes your favorite date. Sitting in a waiting room is no longer boring because you have each other’s company. You learn not to need special occasions or vacations to have a perfect day.
If you’re with them, every day is perfect. You start to appreciate the little things just as much as the big because when you’re with them, tiny moments feel just as magical as anything else.
Total acceptance
All of a sudden, their little quirks don’t annoy you like they used to. Whether it’s their weird toes, strange laugh, or dirty sense of humor, you find that anything they do that might have bothered you in the past becomes darling or you just don’t care.
Falling in love with someone means stopping the search for someone perfect and recognizing that the person in front of you is imperfect and that’s what makes them perfect for you.
You stop trying to change them to fit your needs because you realize that anyone who would change for you is the one worth keeping anyway.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.