Falling in love is easy, but saying ‘I love you’ to someone, especially for the first time, can be an impossibly hard thing to do. And if you are at the threshold of expressing your emotions to someone and the fear of being rejected, you aren’t alone. Most people have gone through the same and millions are yet to experience it at least once in their lifetime, if not more. So, before you express your love in words for the first time, wouldn’t it be helpful if you knew what is the best way to say ‘I love you’ and when?
Look for signs for reciprocity
Although saying ‘I love you’ to someone and taking the person by surprise can sound exciting, it may not be so in real life. We have seen enough movies and read romantic novels to believe in the idea of love at first sight. We aren’t denying the existence of such an idea and love can happen instantly without any forewarning. But falling in love and expressing it are two different things. Before expressing your love to a person, it will be wise to have an idea about his or her feelings.
Is it the right time for you?
What can be more important than knowing when is the right time to express your love? You should know if it’s the right time for you to do so. First, evaluate your situation and feelings carefully. In case, the urgency to be in love springs from some selfish reasons—for example, you are nursing a broken heart and are looking for a rebound relationship or you need a partner because you are lonely—you need to think twice. Falling in love and expressing it for such selfish reasons can only bring pain and nothing else.
When you love the person for better or for worse
Love can be very intoxicating, especially in the first few days or months of being in love. During that fairy dust stage, everything about the other person seems perfect. But the real challenge lies in being in love with a person even after knowing everything about him or her—both good and bad. Are you ready to accept the person for better or for worse? If you just said yes, you are ready to utter those three magical words.
Is there a right way to say ‘I love you’?
There is no right or wrong way to express love. People should do what’s best for both the partners. However, using gestures of love like getting a gift or flowers to accompany the proposal of love can be very endearing. A gift doesn’t always have to be something that only money can buy or the best flowers can be those plucked from a nearby garden. It’s the gesture that matters the most and how sincerely you express your feelings.
Learn to accept rejection gracefully
Expressing love is as important as accepting rejection gracefully. Not every love story has a happy ending and some even die before they start. It’s sad but true. Therefore it’s very important to respect a person’s decision when he or she does not reciprocate and rejects the proposal.
