Are you sweaty or having a hard time sleeping at night? Or, perhaps you have butterflies in your stomach? While these symptoms could be from the flu, they could also result from an even scarier thing: Love!
When you’re in love, you care deeply about the person and accept their flaws. You enjoy spending time with them and want to introduce them to the important people in your life. You can be yourself around them and aren’t afraid to express your opinions. A crush is fleeting and superficial.
To determine if what you’re feeling is true love or just infatuation, read on. This article will go over the difference between a crush and love, so you’ll know whether or not you’re experiencing the real deal or just another fling.
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What Is the Difference Between a Crush and Love?
It can be challenging to determine whether your feelings for someone are based on fleeting desires or are genuine and long-lasting. Below, I’ll go over several factors to help you decide whether or not you’re experiencing a crush vs love.
You Have Deep Conversations
When you’re with a crush, you may find yourself constantly having superficial conversations. Perhaps you’re both more focused on the physical aspects of your relationship than on really getting to know each other.
However, when you’re in love, you and your partner will likely dive deep into your fears, goals, and passions. You may share things with them that you’ve never felt comfortable sharing with anyone else, even your best friends.
You Feel Comfortable Expressing Yourself
When you’re hanging out with your crush, you may find it difficult to express yourself or share opinions that differ from theirs. Sometimes, you may even pretend you share the same opinion because you’re afraid of disagreeing.
However, when you’re in love with someone, you’ll likely feel secure enough in your relationship to share your genuine thoughts and opinions. You won’t feel like you have to agree with them all of the time because you know they’ll still care for you even if you have a different view on things.
You Know the Feeling Is Mutual
One of the most surefire ways to know if it’s a crush or love is to evaluate your relationship and determine if the feelings are mutual.
You may have noticed that your current crush isn’t that into you. You may pursue them because you have low self-esteem and think this is the only way to achieve affection. Or, perhaps you view them as a “challenge” and enjoy the chase.
However, true love is never one-sided. So if your crush doesn’t give you the time of day, then what you’re feeling probably isn’t the real deal.
You Love Them for Who They Are
Sometimes, when you’re crushing on someone, you create an idealized version of that person. You enjoy spending time with them because they fill your physical and emotional needs. However, over time, you may realize you don’t really like who they are, just the way they made you feel.
However, when you’re in love, you deeply care about the person and see them for who they truly are. You recognize their positive characteristics as well as their weaknesses and accept them even though they’re flawed.
You Want To Introduce Them to the Important People in Your Life
While you enjoy spending time with your crush, they may not be the kind of person you want to bring home to mama.
However, when you’re in love with someone, you’ll be so excited to introduce them to all of the important people in your life. You likely can’t wait to introduce them to your parents, siblings, and friends because you want them to love them as much as you do!
You Have Great Sexual Chemistry (but That Isn’t All You Have)
When you have a crush on someone, you’ll likely be highly attracted to them. You’ll probably have great (and I mean GREAT) sex, and you may feel as though you can’t get enough of them.
When you’re in love, you’ll also be super duper attracted to your partner. The difference is that your sexual chemistry won’t be the most important part of your relationship. You’ll also talk and laugh and do things together outside of the bedroom.
Additionally, when you’re in love with someone, you may decide to wait to have sex until you get to know them better. Throwing sexual activities into the mix too soon can muddy a relationship and make things confusing. So if you wait to do the deed with your partner, that may be a sign that it’s more than a crush.
You Imagine Your Future Together
The next time you’re asking yourself, “is it a crush or love,” consider whether or not you’ve thought about your future together. Have you thought about where you and your crush will be in a year? How about five? Can you see yourself marrying this person? If so, you may be in love.
When you can envision a future with someone, that means that you want them to be a part of your life in the long run. If you’ve talked about your future with your partner and you are starting to make plans for your life together, then love is definitely in the air.
Everyday Activities Feel Exciting With Them
If you get bored hanging out with your crush after a couple of hours, that’s a pretty good sign that you aren’t in love.
When you’re in love, you find the other person incredibly interesting and enjoy spending time with them. You’ll even enjoy doing “boring” activities with them, like going grocery shopping or waiting in line at the DMV. You’re happy as long as you’re together!
Can a Crush Turn Into Love?
In short, the answer is: of course! When you’re first getting to know someone, you’ll likely experience crush-like feelings for them. You’ll enjoy being around them and have strong sexual chemistry, but you might not feel anything more profound.
However, as you get to know each other better, your relationship can progress into love. You may recognize that you care about them beyond physical attraction. A more genuine connection may begin to form as you learn about their thoughts, interests, fears, and flaws.
However, not every crush will develop into love. Sometimes after the initial excitement begins to wear off, you’ll recognize that you aren’t truly in love with the person. Your feelings and interest in them will slowly start to fade, and you’ll realize that they weren’t the one.
What Should I Do if We Aren’t In Love Yet?
You shouldn’t worry if you aren’t in love with your partner yet. Let the relationship develop naturally, and don’t try to force anything. Love takes time and often doesn’t happen right away.
Try to take the pressure off the relationship and spend time getting to know the other person. If it’s meant to be, love will find a way!
Summing Up The Difference Between Love and Crush
Knowing whether you’re in love or not can be difficult, especially at the beginning of a relationship. However, as you get to know the other person better, you may notice several indicators that you’re experiencing the real thing.
If you love spending time with them, want them to meet your family, feel as though you can express yourself around them, and care about them regardless of their flaws, you may be in love.
Take your time and let your relationship develop naturally. Love can come when you least expect it!
