15 Signs That Mean He's In Love With You

Sometimes words fall short, especially when we try to express matters of the heart. When we get into a serious relationship, most of us have a hard time expressing our feelings at first. We are scared to become vulnerable. But being vulnerable takes a sense of courage; it's a leap of faith in the name of love, and it's totally worth it when your partner feels the same. When you first fall in love, it's like something you've never experienced before. Dozens of emotions swirl all around you and wrap you up into one incredible feeling. It's warmth. It's comfort. It's home. Sometimes that feeling can actually be quite alarming for someone that might be afraid of falling in love. See, falling in love means that there's a chance you might get your heart broken, and no one likes to get hurt. In fact, some people are so afraid of getting hurt that they would rather avoid getting serious and falling in love all together. But love... Love finds its way. When a connection between two people is strong enough, nothing and no one can keep them apart. That's just the nature of true love. Nonetheless, it can be an intimidating moment when we put it all on the line and confess how deeply in love we are. For guys, it can be even harder to express that love. Women are naturally more expressive with emotions, so it may come a bit easier for you to say "I love you" than it comes for him. Most guys have a hard time opening up and becoming vulnerable with someone. Expressing his love for you means that, no matter how small, there is a chance that you might reject him. Insecurities and self-doubt can be some of the most self-destructive forces on the planet, and those reasons are why he might be taking his time in telling you just exactly how he feels. While he wrestles with his insecurities, you should look out for these 15 signs that he really is in love with you.

Although processing emotions comes a little easier for women, guys are actually highly emotional creatures, they just have a harder time figuring things out. For centuries, men have been taught to deny certain emotions that might make them look "weak." Things like crying or talking about emotions like sadness or even excitement have been looked down upon, which is why it's hard for guys to feel comfortable with expressing emotions. However, it can and should be done. Human emotions are some of the greatest experiences we have, and they make us feel truly alive. It would be a shame for someone to deny themselves this incredible, basic part of being human: to feel. There comes a time in life when you start searching deeply for something more than just the surface. When you fall in love, you have the desire to feel something true and real. If he's in love with you, he's feeling that same way. He wants to know you on more than just a physical level. He wants to know your heart. He wants you to show him every facet of your being just so he can reassure you that he loves you no matter what you've been through or will go through. He wants you to open up to him and tell him how you feel at your highest and lowest, lightest and darkest. Not only does he want to get to know your emotions, he actually wants to let you in too. He wants to go the distance to forge a connection that is deeply meaningful, even if he's scared. He feels comfortable sharing with you his hopes, dreams, and deepest desires. If he wants you on an emotional level, he's in love.

Communication is a fundamental aspect of any healthy relationship, and although it is essential, it doesn't always come easily. Most of us don't really know how to communicate effectively. Luckily, communication is something that can be learned and improved upon. Communicating is all about being open to what your partner is trying to say. There is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing something simply means that the sound waves coming from your partners mouth enter your ear canals, and that's it. It's a physical phenomenon. But listening – that's a whole other story. Listening means that when those sound waves enter your ear canals, you actually take in those words and formulate them into something meaningful. Those words are your partners way of expressing something to you, a thought, an idea, or a feeling. A lot of the time, people just hear; they don't listen. Human beings are selfish creatures, and we love to talk about ourselves. We hear so that we can react, but we listen when we want to learn. When we connect deeply with someone, listening becomes a top priority. Love makes listening easy. Listening helps us get to know one another, and love wants to know. When your boyfriend takes the time to sit and listen to you, no matter what it is you have to say, you know there's something special between you two. When he is eager to learn more about you, when he finds himself wanting to listen more than talk, when he remembers small, insignificant things you've said, you bet that love has something to do with it. If your boyfriend is all ears, he's in love.

When we fall in love, it's like nothing in the world matters more than being together. It's like time stands still when you're next to each other, and when you're apart, you can't wait to be back in each other's company. When you're apart, all you can think about is him and all he can think about is you. The distance, no matter how far, seems almost too much to bear. Small little gestures like a simple text message or phone call saying "thinking of you" are his way of saying "I love you." It always feels good to know the person you love is thinking of you, and vice versa. When your boyfriend sends you a message letting you know that you're on his mind, it makes you feel good, and it makes him feel good. When you are apart from one another, you can't communicate the same way you would in person. You can't read his body language – you can't gaze deeply into his eyes – so when he sends you a message, it's a little reminder that even when there's distance between you two, you're still with him in his heart and on his mind. Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most.

There is a language to love. Some people express their love with gifts, some with affection, some with gestures. Gestures, like the one mentioned in sign #3, are a way for us to show love without having to actually say the words, and sometimes this is an easier way for your guy to let you know he cares. Kind gestures come in many shapes and sizes. Some gestures are small, like simple open body language, sending an endearing text, or opening the car door for you. Some gestures are bigger, like planning out an elaborate date or a day trip to somewhere you've always wanted to go. Gestures are his way of telling you without telling you. Putting his thoughtfulness into action is his way of letting you know how much he cares about you and wants to make you smile. No matter how big or small the gesture is, these are signs that your boyfriend is in love with you and wants you to know it.

Falling for someone makes it as if no one else in the world could compare. When we are in love, we do everything to make sure that our partner feels like they're the only one for us. The world is full of great people with many different backgrounds. The reality is everyone wants to have a companion, and if your boyfriend seems like a good guy, he is likely to be approached by other women that want to get to know him. Some may be looking for friendship, and some may be looking for something more. When your boyfriend gets approached by a woman that seems like she's looking for more and he curves her advances, you know he's in love. Men love attention from females; it makes them feel good about themselves. When your boyfriend chooses to pay attention to the type of body language or subtle cues an interested woman is giving out, he's respecting you and he's respecting your relationship by choosing to be a curve expert and shut down anyone that tries to get between the two of you.

Trying something new can be difficult at times. We often get caught up in our own ways of doing things, and we like to be inside our comfort zone. Love, however, has a certain knack for pulling us out of our comfort zones into new territory, if only we allow it. When your boyfriend is willing to try new things with you, even things he's scared of, that's something worth noting. Trying new things, especially things that make us uncomfortable, is something that many people just simply aren't willing to do for someone they don't truly love. Sometimes it takes a bit of a push and nudge, but if your guy is willing to try new things, then he's willing to go the distance to be with you. In return, you must also be willing to try new things with him – be it playing video games or learning how to golf, showing an interest in the things he's interested in gives him the impression that you care to get to know him and his hobbies, just like he is interested in learning yours. Showing that interest in new things, even things that make us feel scared, brings us to new heights and gives us the courage to try those things we never thought we would try. If he's trying new things with you, he's in love.

Some people feel uncomfortable when another tries to look into their eyes. Eye gazing, although seemingly uncomfortable between strangers, is a unique way for couples to deeply connect with each other. It's said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, so when your boyfriend looks deeply into your eyes, he's expressing his desire to get to know your soul. Eye contact is a way to express feelings through body language. Body language is a form of non-verbal communication. When we have a hard time expressing ourselves with words, we can use body language to help us express our feelings. When your guy looks into your eyes, he isn't scared of what he will see. He longs to feel the depth of a true love connection, so when he gazes into your eyes, take it as one of the signs that he's in love.

Planning is a funny concept. Most of the time, things don't ever really go according to plan. Plans are more like tentative ideas, but when your lover starts talking about the future and includes you in his plan, you can bet that he's definitely in love. When falling in love, we can't help but think about the future and what it might be like with the one we love by our side. We can't help but fantasize about the years that lay ahead when we finally find someone we can actually picture ourselves being with for the long-run. It's fun to sit back and think about all the possibilities, but we don't normally do this with just anyone. When there's a true love connection, it's natural for us to start thinking deeply about the future. The idea of involving you in his plans may make him feel scared at first, and he might put some distance between you two, but he will soon realize that it's a good thing he feels so strongly. Although some of his plans may not some to fruition, the simple sentiment of him including you in his future is enough to tell you it's love.

Modern day dating makes us believe that romance may in fact be dead, but the truth is that romance never dies. Being romantic doesn't mean the same thing for every person, so when your boyfriend is trying to express his romantic side, make sure you're paying attention to the signs. He might bring you flowers or show up at your job with lunch. He might plan a candlelit dinner surprise or schedule you a day at the spa. He might take you on a long hike just to show you a breath-taking view. All these things, when coming from a place of love, are indeed romantic. Romance isn't always the clichés; it is hidden in our everyday actions and is often-times overlooked. Sometimes bringing you a glass of water when you didn't ask for it is a romantic gesture that you may not have recognized. When your man goes out of his way to do something for you, when he plans special dates or writes you a poem, when he cooks you dinner or takes you to a place you've never been before, when he goes the distance to make you smile, he's a true romantic, and he's definitely in love with you.

When you truly love someone, you want them to do the things that make them happy – the things that make them feel alive. Sometimes those things don't involve you, and that's okay. By allowing you to do your own thing, to discover who you are and what your purpose is, your man is showing you that he truly loves you to the point where he won't get offended if you decide to spend three days locked up in your room working on a project or if you want to hang out with your friends for the night instead of hanging out with him. When true love is present, he won't get scared if you decide to make plans that don't involve him. He won't get worried if there is a little distance in your relationship sometimes because he knows that the love between you two is strong, and he wants to give you room to grow into the amazing person you are. If he is comfortable with you doing your own thing, he's really in love.

Having our loved one introduce us to their family is a big and important step in any relationship. In other words, if he's bringing you home to meet his mother, he definitely has some really strong feelings for you. He's making effort to integrate you into his life, and that simple act speaks volumes. If he's brought you around his friends and family but hasn't uttered the word "love" to you yet, maybe he's just scared. Regardless of if he's expressed his love verbally, by bringing you around his family and friends, he's trying to show you that he and his love are for real. To some guys, having their family and friends approve of you is important, so when you fit in and find your place within his family, you've shown him that you really are the one for him.

Respect is another one of those fundamental characteristics of any healthy relationship. In some cases, however, respect is not always given. In a true love relationship, respect is the basis for every interaction. If he doesn't respect you, that's not love. If you don't respect him, that's not love. True love is a combination of respect, communication, trust, and admiration. If one of these four elements is missing, the relationship could be doomed. Luckily, there are ways to cultivate these things together. We already talked about communication, but what about respect? Respect is something that is given as well as earned. Respect should always be given first, but earning respect isn't such a bad idea either. Behaving in a way that encourages your partner to respect you is important on both sides. If your guy behaves in an unacceptable way, you're less likely to respect him, and vice versa. Striving to earn respect from and give respect to one another is important, and when your man respects you in all the ways you deserve to be respected, he has certainly fallen in love with you.

As mentioned above, trust is one of the key components in a healthy relationship, and it's a sure sign that the love is true. Trust is one of the hardest things to accomplish, especially when we've been hurt in the past. Learning to trust another is hard, but it's definitely very rewarding. Without trust, relationships cause a lot of anxiety and insecurities to arise. Without trust, relationships don't tend to last very long. Trust can be expressed in a multitude of ways, for example through words, through body language, or through physical and emotional connection. Learning to trust takes hard work, but if he's willing to put aside his past and chooses to trust you with his heart, it's safe to say that he's in love with you.

Having a secret admirer is flattering, but what's more flattering is when you know who your admirer is and just so happens to be your boyfriend. Admiration comes in many forms, just as any other expression of love. He may outwardly tell you how much he admires your art, or he might hang up one of your paintings in his house to show you he admires it. You might find him simply staring at you from across the room or making a picture of you the background on his phone. Admiring something means that you see the beauty in it. It means that when you look at something – a person, place, or thing – you find yourself inspired. Admiring isn't just for things out of our reach. Admiring the person you love is one of the most beautiful things you can do for them, simply because it's real. There are different ways to express admiration: his body language may give away his feelings, or he may be more upfront and write you a poem expressing how much he admires you. If he admires you and your essence as a person and gives you signs that he does, he's in love with you.

Happiness is a fickle emotion. It can weave in and out of our daily lives just as easily as the wind comes and goes. Overall, we can usually say that we are happy or not happy within our relationships. Sometimes that changes daily, and sometimes it stays the same for a while. When in a loving relationship, your partner's happiness is as important to you as your own happiness. That is not to say that if your partner is unhappy, then you should be unhappy too, but if your partner is unhappy, it is up to you to show them you care and that you wish for them to be happy. When your man expresses to you that he cares about your happiness, that he isn't just in the relationship for his own benefit, that he truly wants you to share happiness with him, it can be considered a sign of love. He wants to see you smile and to smile along with you. There is nothing in the world that makes him happier than seeing you happy. That's true love.

Love is beautiful and crazy and messy and incredible all at the same time. Love is hard for us to define, and sometimes it's hard to express using words. Sometimes love comes in the form of admiration, trust, communication, respect, listening, eye contact, body language, freedom, and a shared sense of happiness. Sometimes the words "I love you" are the scariest words you share with your partner, but when the feeling is mutual and the words are returned, it is a feeling like no other. It's like no matter what goes on in the world, at least you know you'll never be alone. It's like no matter how much distance is put between you, the love you share is strong enough to withstand it. If you're wondering how your boyfriend really feels about you, review the 15 signs that mean he's in love with you and discover the real meaning of love.