Isn’t it interesting to think about how powerful and meaningful three little words can be? It’s true, though. The words “I love you” can change the course of a relationship within seconds. So, when it comes to revealing your feelings, there are so many things that might come to mind: when is the “right” time to say it, who says it first, and perhaps most importantly, how do you even know when/if you’re ready to say it? Now, that is a lot to think about.

How Do You Know When/If You’re Ready To Say “I Love You”?

I hate to say it, but there really is no black and white answer for this one. It truly does come down to just “knowing.” If you think about it, love shouldn’t be complicated; it should just be.

Of course, there’s a difference between knowing you’re in love and being ready to actually say the words. I get it; saying “I love you” can be scary and it can change things. It can put an unwanted pressure on a relationship for no reason at all.

So, I think if you’re in love, you’ll know it. You won’t have to force it; it’ll just be. And when it comes to saying the words, don’t put pressure on yourself. In fact, don’t even think about it. Likely, you’ll say it without even thinking at a moment you just feel it. And that’s when it means the most. Truly, you’ll just know … you’ll feel it, and then you’ll say it with no regrets whatsoever.

When Is The Right Time To Say “I Love You”? 

There is no right time and there is no wrong time. If you feel it and you get an urge to say it, don’t hold back.

I will say, if you’ve only been dating a short time, maybe hold off a bit; there’s no need to rush it. If you feel it, you’ll likely still feel it a little ways down the road. Sometimes, you can get so excited about being in this new relationship and about all the possibilities it has for the two of you that you just can’t control it, and you want to say it immediately. While love is love, I do think there’s no need to rush and say it right away, especially if you aren’t sure how the other person feels. So, while there is no wrong time to say it, there’s also no rush.

Who Says “I Love You” First?

The most popular question of the bunch, I’d say, is who should say it first? There are no rules. I’m old-fashioned in the sense that I prefer the guy to say it to me first. However, I know plenty of women who have said it first, and that’s great, too. Sometimes, you’ll just be feeling so much love and happiness that you literally can’t hold back the words and before you know it, “I love you” comes out of your mouth.

If you’re a girl and you’ve been waiting for him to say it, but you want to tell him so badly how much you love him, have at it. Of course, you don’t want to just say it to try to “fix” the relationship or “guarantee” you’ll stay together or “force” them to say it back. That will just backfire. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter who says it first; it doesn’t matter one bit.

Ultimately, you don’t need to think too much about “I love you.” It’s not something to stress over. If you and your partner exchange those words early on in the relationship, great. And if you’ve been dating a year and those words still haven’t been said, that’s okay, too. Don’t base your relationship on those words. Actions speak louder than words; don’t lose sight of that.

And, with that, I love you, te amo, je t’aime …

You may also be interested in How To Make 2017 The Year You Fall In Love