Whether you believe in the concept of soul mates or not, most would agree there are some people who affect you so intensely they take your breath away. It’s an overwhelming feeling that you just can’t shake.

Meeting the person you were meant to be with can disrupt your world in such a way that it can completely engulf you.

There’s no feeling quite like meeting the person you were meant to be with. Here’s how you can know you’ve met the right one.

1. You’re comfortable being vulnerable

Opening up to someone new can be terrifying. If you find yourself opening up easily and sharing secrets you’ve never told anyone else, it’s a good sign you are connecting on a deeper level. When you can easily share all of your shame, fears, desires, and fantasies, you’ve met your match.

 2. You have a strong attraction

We’re not just talking about physical attraction but also emotional attraction. Sure, you may want to ravish each other, but you also feel an emotional connection. It’s as if when you’re together, you melt into each other. It’s a meeting of the mind, body, and soul.

3. Your chemistry is off the charts

Beyond being strongly attracted to each other, you have an amazing chemistry that can be felt and seen. When you’re alone together, the atmosphere is so charged with desire, you can barely stand it.

“When you have chemistry with someone, you just feel it … chemistry represents the emotional connection present when you’re with each other. Two people who have a high degree of chemistry have emotional makeups and personalities that bring out warm, fuzzy emotions in the other, creating a kind of positive feedback loop through which they continue to make each other feel better. When you have a high degree of chemistry with someone, they monopolize your thoughts and/or your free time. You’ll stay up talking until the sun comes up and not even feel like an hour went by,” writes Mark Manson.

4. Words aren’t necessary

A certain look or glance can tell you all you need to know. Your non-verbal communication is so powerful, there are times when there’s no need to speak at all. You can relay feelings of longing, love, trust, and playfulness effortlessly.

5. You laugh easily

Laughter is key to a healthy relationship. You should find yourself laughing easily and often. Something is not right if you usually feel tense and uncomfortable around each other. The right relationship should feel like coming home.

“It’s a safe bet that most of the laughs married couples get come from TV laugh tracks, not from each other. They don’t emanate from the relationship. More important, they don’t feed it. And if the jokes that make the rounds by email are any gauge, often they are at the expense of it. But homegrown laughter may be what ailing couples need most. Uniquely human, laughter is, first and foremost, a social signal — it disappears when there is no audience, which may be as small as one other person–and it binds people together. It synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned,” writes Hara Estroff Marano, Psychology Today editor-at-large.

6. You have a visceral reaction

When you’re around the person you were meant to be with, the innermost parts of you react. The connection is undeniable and every muscle in your body responds in agreement. It’s more than just a passing feeling, it’s a physical reaction that you can’t seem to control. When you’re around each other, your body can’t help but respond automatically.

7. You can’t see yourself with someone else

Even if you try, you can’t imagine what your life would be like without this person. The thought of being apart is physically painful. You want to spend more time together and dread leaving each other.

While all these things signal a strong connection, don’t forget the importance of compatibility as well as shared interests and values. It is also important for you to respect each other. When all these factors are in harmony, you just know it’s right. When you’ve found the one, don’t let anything get in your way. Do as much as you can to try to be together. Life is too short to wonder “what if.” Life let your paths cross for a reason, so take your chance while you still have it.