No two relationships are the same, and no two people in a relationship behave or act the same. There are some things that couples who are in love do that those who aren’t so much don't. The definition of love can vary from one person to the next, but when you see two people do these things for one another, you can safely assume that there is love that binds.
They are Vulnerable
When you are vulnerable, that means you let your guard down, which is a great way to build intimacy. It is also an excellent way to end up being hurt. Being vulnerable with someone in a relationship means that you love them enough to let them in and trust that they won’t hurt you. That is a real sign of love.
Sacrifice is Not a Sacrifice
Couples who love one another understand that there has to be a certain level of sacrifice in the relationship for it to last. Sacrifice isn’t really sacrifice in a loving relationship because the rewards of doing so come back tenfold. When you see a guy who is willing to give up a guy’s night or a girl who picks up dirty socks without complaint, that is love.
They Put in the Work
Whoever said that love was easy either was never in it or is in the beginning stages of it. Being in love necessarily means that you have to go through various stages. They aren’t always fun, and they do take work. When a couple is willing to work hard to maintain intimacy and feelings of euphoric love, that speaks volumes about how much they care for the relationship and the other person in it.
Two People Can Laugh at the Unfunny
When you decide to share a life with someone, you have to accept all of the things that go along with it. Life is not always going to be fun or funny. There are going to be times of sadness, stress, unhappiness, and conflict. Two people who continue to see the funny in the unfunniest of times show a genuine love that transcends all of the horrible things that life can, and most likely will, throw at you.
Seeking to Make One Another Happy
The old saying “Happy wife, happy life” is not just about the wife. Two people who are in love and want to stick it out until the end of time never stop trying to make one another happy. There are going to be times in the progression of a relationship when one person is going to be very unhappy. During those times, it is the other’s job to pick them up. If they can, then when it is their turn to need some lifting, everything will come back. People who are in love seek to better one another’s life continually and always.
They Make Each Other a Priority
When people are in love, they want to spend time together. One of the biggest signs of being in love is making the other person a priority. It isn’t healthy if you have no outside interests or friends, but if you have the choice, and you always choose the person you are with, that is a real sign of love.
They Allow the Other to Shine
We all want to light up a room, but couples who are in love understand that when their significant other shines, they do, too. Love is about not being jealous of the other person’s accomplishments but rather doing all that you can to showcase them. When couples do all that they can to pick one another up and don’t try to take the spotlight, that is a true sign of love.
Giving Up Goals for the Time Being
In a relationship, there has to be support and fairness. When you see a couple who will allow one within it to rise above and achieve their goals while the other holds down the fort, that is a true sign of love. Being able to sacrifice what you want, when you want it, for someone else is one of the greatest signs of love that there are.
They Want the Best for One Another
Sometimes, in relationships, allowing someone to get ahead and be the best can bring about jealousy or fear. When couples compliment one another and do all that they can to support and promote each other, that shows that it isn’t a “you and me” situation, it is a “we,” because they know that their love will last no matter what.
It’s Consistent
In a relationship, there is usually an ebb and flow where you are really good together, and then other times when you are anything but. The true sign of a couple that loves is that they are consistently kind, loving, and in love, no matter what day it is, where they are, or what is going on in their lives. Consistency through the good and bad times shows how strong a couple is and how great their love is.
They're Impenetrable
We all know those couples who, no matter where they are, what is going on, or who is around, only have eyes for one another. Couples who stick by one another’s side, not in a co-dependent way, but because they want to be with no one else without each other, are a great example and inspiration of what love is.
Their Physical Attraction is Obvious
When you are a couple, over time, it is natural for you to lose the spark and excitement that you had when you first met. Couples who really love one another transcend the maturity in their relationship and continue to show affection for one another. When two people are together for two decades and still can’t seem to keep their hands off of one another, that is a rare and special love.
Honesty is a Must
Love relies on being able to trust someone with your heart. Those couples who can be honest, brutally sometimes, have faith that their love will withstand whatever uncomfortableness being honest can cause. Trust is at the heart of love. Although sometimes white lies can help keep the peace, couples that don’t worry about keeping the peace but rather worry about keeping trust are usually the ones who prevail.
Quirks are Celebrated
It is natural in a relationship not to love everything about someone. There are always going to be things that you might not agree with, and, yes, even things that might embarrass you about the person you are with. When you see a couple who encourages those quirks and not only is okay with them but fosters them and makes the quirky one feel accepted, that is truly a sign of love.
Jealousy is Healthy
Jealousy is a feeling that means that you know what you have and you don’t want to lose it. It is not a bad thing to be jealous. Sometimes, it shows how much you value someone. A healthy bit of jealousy shows that couples know that they have it good and that others want what they have. Acknowledging that there are always going to be outside influences and dealing with it by showing your love is never a bad thing.
Shared Hobbies
Couples who play together stay together, and that is a real thing. Having things in common is a must. When two people find something that they are passionate about, that gives the relationship excitement and binds them in a way that not many things can. Hobbies, causes, or a common purpose show how much two people are in line and aligned with one another, and that equals love.
They are Protective
When a couple is solid and loves one another, they form a very protective bond that ties. If you upset one, you upset them both. An impenetrable love means that nothing can come between two people, and that is a very unique sign of love.
Overlooking Faults
No one is perfect. A couple that loves one another is willing to forgive each other. When someone messes up big-time, the other partner should be there to pick up the pieces and do all that they can to forgive and move on. Life presents some really big challenges; couples that stay together are the ones that accept the not-so-good things about one another and still love one another through it.
There are many different types of love, and no two are the same. Although no one behavior or act defines which couples are in love and which are not, there are common traits and things that bind. If you have found someone who loves all of you, hold onto them tight; that is a rare kind of love.
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