Falling in love is one of those things that can be simultaneously terrifying and amazing. But falling in love looks different for everyone. Some people show their love with their actions, while others do it with their words. Regardless of how someone shows their love, there are a few things you'll notice if your partner is falling in love with you that will make you feel all the feels. If you start to notice these things about your partner, and you're not sure if you feel the same quite yet, fret not. There is no specific timeline you're supposed to follow when it comes to love, or even relationships in general.
"Emotions are on their own timeline," Dr. Benjamin Ritter, founder of Live for Yourself Consulting and The Breakup Supplement, tells Elite Daily. "They’re individually based. So, someone may start to fall in love way before someone else does. If you both have made a commitment to the relationship, that doesn’t matter as much because you both then can grow at your own pace." So, if it seems like your partner's changed in some way, but you can't pinpoint exactly what it is, they may be falling in love with your gem-like self. (Because why wouldn't they?) Here are six things you may notice if they're falling for you.
Feeling safe in your relationship and with someone can be a clear indication of love. "I don't know what screams 'love' more than that," dating coach Erika Ettin tells Elite Daily. "For most women in a relationship, they want to feel pursued, special, and secure, and men need to feel appreciated and sometimes needed." No matter who you're in love with, feeling safe with each other is a dead giveaway — it's probably love!
When someone makes plans with you way in advance, like a few months or even a year, that could be their way of telling you they're in it for the long haul. "They seem very receptive [to your future plans] or even ask you to plans they have in advance because they want to plan a future," Stefanie Safran, Chicago-based matchmaker, tells Elite Daily. So if bae asks you to be their date for their cousins's wedding next year, take note: They are into you, into you.
When someone listens to what you're saying, and I mean really listens, it can be an incredibly comforting feeling. If you say what you need, and your partner listens to it and applies it, that's something that often comes with falling in love, Safran says. They may even "start buying you little gifts to let you know how much you mean to them," dating coach and relationship expert James Preece tells Elite Daily. "This could be something you've commented on in the past and the gift shows they were paying attention."
If your partner is falling in l-o-v-e with you, they're probably going to want to include you in every aspect of their life. From every office party to family birthday, they want you by their side. "It’s like the merging of two lives really," Dr. Ritter says. "Their current view of who they are in their life now includes you. You become a significant portion of that."
When your partner is falling in love, every little thing they probably dread — like getting lectured by that one family member every time they see them, or getting "jokingly" made fun of — doesn't matter. "They’re willing to do things like going to unpleasant family things or doing the 'icky things' [when] you normally know they’d rather be doing something [else]," Safran says. "They look forward to meeting your friends and spend quality time, again, with people in your life."
Aside from the more obvious things you may notice if your partner is falling in love with you, sometimes you just know — the same way you just know when you're falling in love with someone, too. "I think many of us, if we are grounded and take care of our minds, simply know in our gut whether someone is being sincere and falling in love," Jennifer B. Rhodes, licensed psychologist, tells Elite Daily. "If someone is following through on their commitments and you feel like you are on the same page, that is a sign of true love."
If you've started to notice these six things about your partner, but you're not sure if you're on the same page, that's OK. Take your time. There is no rush. "If you care about the person but aren’t ready to take it to that full-blown level, I suggest telling them you care a lot about them but need to take things a little slower," matchmaker and dating coach Julia Bekker tells Elite Daily. "That will give you the time you need to see if you can get on the same page with them and if you want to progress with the relationship. If it’s love, you’ll know. Sometimes it takes longer to get there but you’ll know if/when you’re there."
Remember: Everyone falls in love at their own pace. Just because your partner feels that way about you first doesn't mean you won't get there. "Just tell them you really like them and are enjoying getting to know them," Preece says. "There's no rush to respond." Let the feelings come when they may.
