Are You in Love or Falling for the Idea of Love?

You've met this person, and they seem pretty great. You two get along well and enjoy each other's company. Before you know it, your feelings are getting stronger by the day. So you ask yourself, "Am I falling for them?"

It may seem silly to some, but it's a valid question, especially if a relationship is only starting. Because we're humans, our feelings can override sound judgment, resulting in poor decision-making. That's why we need to check ourselves before we turn everything into ruins.

And with that, here's a question some of us are afraid to ask ourselves: Are you in love, or are you simply in love with the idea of love?

What Does Being In Love Mean?

Are you in love?

How would you even answer that question if you don't know what it looks like to fall for someone?

A telltale sign is your enduring feelings. Infatuation can fool even the most logical people. Intense passion can heighten things and make them a bigger deal than they are.

You know it's real when your feelings last beyond the initial stages. From infatuation, they've transformed into a more mature and sustainable attachment.

Thanks to its deeper level, genuinely being in love with someone can help relationships survive obstacles. How? The bonds formed by true love compel people to share things about themselves, from the good to the bad. They won't be pretty, but they can make couples strong.

Maybe You're In Love With an Idea

Many of us believe we're in love. We think we know what we're doing, but we've been in a simulation all along. Feelings make this more complicated because they make illusions seem real.

However, you only love the idea of love when the feelings overtake you. As much as you try to occupy yourself with other things, the object of your affection constantly occupies most of your headspace. Perhaps you're also imagining scenarios of you together when you're apart.

Is daydreaming a bad thing? No. However, it's important to remember that dreams don't always cross over to the real world.

Moreover, potential challenges can easily faze you. You may be catching feelings for someone, but you feel the itch to run for the hills as soon as a problem arises.

Challenges make your feelings waver, so they often go as quickly as they come. One day, you're head over heels for that person. A few weeks later, they're just another segment of your love life's many chapters.

Only You Can Tell How You're Feeling

Are you in love?

It's important to ask yourself this question. Otherwise, you'll be trapping yourself and the other person in a web of confusion.

If you realize later that your feelings are only infatuation, don't you think that's unfair for those who thought it was love?

Fortunately, you now know the difference between falling in love and falling for an idea. Now, the answer is in your hands alone. You don’t need other people to spell it out for you.