For some people, putting feelings into words isn’t an easy thing to do. Saying those three little words, especially for the first time, is always an emotional risk, and that takes courage, but chances are, it’ll be more than worth it. Assuming you’re not jumping into things too soon and you’re pretty sure the other person is on the same page, here are some reasons to say “I love you.” Go on, do it!
- Communication is important. One of the most important things you need for a successful relationship is the ability to openly communicate with each other. If you can’t talk to your significant other about your feelings, who can you talk to? Of course, you need to be able to talk your problems out and express your frustrations or disappointments. However, you also need to be able to express your positive emotions.
- People can’t read your mind. This is one of the best (and perhaps most obvious) reasons to say “I love you” out loud. After you’ve been together a while, it starts to feel like you can intuitively pick up each other’s moods and thoughts. But realistically, you have no way of knowing what someone is really thinking. The only way to make sure someone knows you love them is to tell them.
- It makes people feel good. Seriously, who doesn’t like hearing they’re loved? Even if you know without a doubt that certain people love you, it’s still nice to know someone cares enough to say it out loud. You never know, those words could just completely turn their day around.
- It will make you feel good. Whether you’ve been holding it in for a while or you’ve just realized how you feel, saying those words will be a relief. You’ll get it all out in the open, and then you can grow from there. Keeping your emotions, good or bad, inside isn’t healthy for anyone, so do yourself a favor and get your feelings off your chest.
- It will make you face reality. Telling someone you love them and not getting the response you want is devastating. But at the same time, it’s necessary. Denial will just hold you back, so choosing to go through the hard part now means you can start getting over it sooner rather than later. If they’re not there yet or don’t think they’ll ever be, you’re better off knowing now, aren’t you?
- You might regret not saying it. If this isn’t one of the best reasons to say “I love you,” I don’t know what is. Sometimes when you keep doubting yourself and waiting for the exact right moment, you miss your chance. If you can’t be open about how you feel, you could lose them, only to realize later that you really were in love, but you just couldn’t muster up the strength to let them know.
- It will help you sort through your own emotions. It’s not always super obvious that you’re in love with someone. Sometimes it sneaks up on you, and you don’t fully realize it until you say it out loud. Obviously, you shouldn’t say it to someone until you’re sure, but if you’re starting to think about it, that’s a good first step.
- It will put other things in context. Generally, actions speak louder than words. How you treat someone is a much better indicator of how you feel about them than what you say, but at the same time, those three little words have a way of confirming what has been implied all along — that you’re definitely in love.
- It probably means you’re in it for the long haul. Most people don’t say “I love you” unless they plan on sticking around. If you’re willing to be vulnerable enough to say it, that means you trust this person not to hurt you, and that’s a huge part of a healthy relationship as well. And if they say it back, it’s clear you’re both committed to building something real and special together. That’s worth celebrating.
