Do you ever just see something that makes your heart soar, no matter the day of the year or what you're doing? You hear a particularly sappy love song or see a really moving love story? Do you dream about the day you meet your perfect someone and just know it'll be magical? Odds are, if you said yes to all of these, you're a hopeless romantic. These are things hopeless romantics can relate to, and there's no escaping this reality.
Try as you might, once a romantic, always a romantic (and always hopeless). But don't let that discourage you. There are so many of us, and we need to stick together to weather this love storm. Even though it is common for us to be picky or dream for that day when your Prince or Princess Charming sweeps you off your feet, it's not all tears and heartache. We are also easily entertained by all things that have to do with love and cuteness. When others are in love and genuinely enjoying themselves, you seriously cannot not also enjoy their happiness, too. You'll never really be bitter about being single if you know others are living the dream. And that's what makes being a helpless romantic worthwhile. There had to be something, right?
As I already stated, you just love love. Seeing couples really out here enjoying themselves is great. Of course, excessive PDA can be a tad annoying, in my opinion, but sweet posts on Instagram, cute hand holding, or grand gestures will always make you smile and say, "AWE!" Like, the scene where Heath Ledger sang, "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" in 10 Things I Hate About You gets me. Every. Damn. Time.
Do you ever tell yourself that you never want kids, don't particularly like kids, and literally just want to be left alone with your cold, icy heart when it comes to babies? Well, your hopeless-romantic self won't leave you alone without infecting you with baby fever. And not just baby fever. Oh, no — you are constantly thinking about "the one" and what life will be like with him or her. Babies unfortunately make their way into that fantasy, and you gotta go with the flow.
On top of constantly visualizing your perfect happy ending, you are also left with an insanely annoying dilemma: you're picky AF. You just can't find the right guy (or gal), one that embodies everything you've ever wanted in a partner. So, this might leave you alone for the time being (or so it feels like it).
There's nothing wrong with being single (and there's definitely less stress involved, in my opinion). However, every now and then you think about how nice it would be to have someone to share things with and be there for you when you need to snuggle (or whatever couples do). But alas, you're left high and dry.
On top of being picky because you're waiting for the right person, that idea of the "perfect" person has been ingrained in you since childhood. How? Oh, just because movies and TV have ruined other men and women for you. Looks? Has to be like this hunk in a book you read. The way he treats you? Has to be with respect, and it'd be really great if he did what your favorite character did for his girlfriend. It's a tricky line to balance on, and makes dating a bit more difficult.
Getting caught up in a fantasy is apparently all hopeless romantics are known for. We love love, and we also can't stop fantasizing about meet-cutes and the perfect partner. So, whenever a hot man (or gorgeous woman) makes some longer-than-normal eye contact, you're getting ready for that fantasy to become a reality. But, usually, they weren't looking at you, or if they were, it wasn't for anything other than a quick sec. So, you're back to square one. Again.
In my opinion, it's sometimes hard to find decent people in the dating world nowadays. Some guys just want nudes. There's no getting to know you with some guys, and this obviously goes against your romantic idea of love. So, when you do date a person who will ask what you want, or be courteous (aka, a good human being), it's a breath of fresh air and us romantics live for this sh*t.
If you're a hopeless romantic, odds are, you have couples that you ship on your favorite TV shows or movies. Whether that's Ana and Christian (Fifty Shades), Lucas and Peyton (One Tree Hill), or Kara and Mon-El (Supergirl), you really get in deep with rooting for your couple to pull through. Even through the angst and the turmoil, your OTP needs to come out on top. And your romantic heart won't stop until they do.
Me Before You, She's All That, Charlie St. Cloud: whatever the movie is, if it has romance, you're watching it. They all seem great, they all will make you cry, and you better believe you're going to love every minute of them. It just meshes so well with everything you believe in. It has the perfect pair, a dramatic scenario, some love-lost, and then a swoon-worthy reunion at the end. It's the movie formula that you need in your life to survive.
It doesn't all have to do with other people's happiness. It's also about you. And whether that has to do with taking "me time" to watch one of the aforementioned movies, or to sit at home and sip that red wine you love so much, you should do whatever makes you happy. There's really no feeling like reading a romance novel or enjoying your favorite show while drinking your favorite vino. Nothing beats it.
Putting all this together, you also can't stop thinking about what would go down if you ever went on a dream date. Imagining a picnic on the seashore or a dinner-and-a-movie combo that ends with a stargazing party is, like, all you do sometimes. You just pop into that fantasy, and never let it go. And that, my friends, is the sign of a true, hopeless romantic.
