Have You Ever Wondered What Falling in Love Feels Like for Real?

What falling in love feels like for one person may be different for another. Did you leave your stomach on the rollercoaster? Or did it go unnoticed?

Have you ever wondered what falling in love feels like for real? Like, is there an actual definition? A list of prerequisites or symptoms? Or, is it more of an individualized deal?

It’s a completely personal deal. For instance, I have a friend who falls in love regularly. Seriously, every time she meets someone new, she’s in love. If she’s actually in love or simply besotted is up for debate. But she describes what falling in love feels like completely different to my experience.

She says it’s like butterflies having a rave in your stomach. For me, it was totally different. I didn’t realize anything until I looked back and realized that I couldn’t do without this person in my life. That’s why I think it’s personal. That’s why love is so wonderful!

[Read: What does true love feel like? The feelings that best describe love]

What falling in love feels like to you

It’s far more important to figure out what love feels like for you, rather than comparing it to someone else’s experience. It might also be that you fall in love more than once in your lifetime and feels different on each occasion. It’s entirely possible. And it completely depends upon the relationship and the person concerned.

Many people say that falling in love feels like being on a rollercoaster. You know the part when you’re right at the top of a huge drop? You’re just about to go over, and there’s a split second when you question your own sanity. Then you’re hurtling down!And you feel like you’ve left your stomach at the top! Many people say that’s what falling in love feels like.

[Read: What does it feel like to be in love? Like seeing in color]

I’m glad I didn’t feel like I was on a rollercoaster because I actually detest them. I experienced falling in love as something far more gentle, subtle, and serene. It might sound boring to you, especially if you have ideas of grand Disney-style love, with someone riding in and sweeping you off your feet. I wasn’t swept off my feet, not that I can remember anyway. But I remember feeling calm, at ease, safe, and completely surrounded in light. That’s the best way I can describe it. It’s only when I thought about it afterwards that I realized I’d fallen in love with this person. I couldn’t imagine living a day of my life without them being a part of it.

We all know that falling in love doesn’t mean you’ve sealed the deal forever. People fall in and out of love all the time. The experience in itself is something so special and wonderful that each time, and each experience, should be cherished, no matter what the outcome. Being open to love, whether you’ve had bad experiences in the past or not, means being vulnerable and brave at the same time. If you’ve done that, pat yourself on the back. It takes guts to fall in love, even if you think you have zero control over it.

[Read: What does it mean to be vulnerable? How you can learn to open up more]

So have you fallen in love?

Perhaps the the best way to figure out what falling love feels like is to pinpoint the signs that it’s actually happening.

#1 Whenever something happens, you want to tell them about it first. If they’re the first person you think of whenever something good, bad, or funny happens in your life, that’s probably because you’re falling for them.

If you don’t really care about someone, they’re not likely to be the first person to pop into your head when you want to share something. But if they do, that’s a pretty solid sign. [Read: 14 steps to emotionally connect with someone and feel closer]

#2 They become one of your life’s priorities. This doesn’t mean you should drop everything for someone when you start to fall in love. Nevertheless, it’s almost an automatic reflex that they become one of the most important things in your life and one of your priorities.

#3 You smile whenever you think about them. If the very thought of them makes you smile and gives you those famous butterflies in your stomach, that’s probably what falling in love feels like to many people. Of course, you can have butterflies when you’re not in love, but it’s a pretty common sign. [Read: Am I in love? 21 signs to decode that fuzzy feeling]

#4 Their opinions are important to you. While you don’t have to agree with them, if their opinions are important and something you want to learn more about, it’s probably because you’re falling hard.

#5 You’re not on the look out for anyone else. When you first fall in love, it’s almost like you’re oblivious to other attractive people around you. That does fade as time goes on. Also, it’s very normal to find other people attractive and still be in love with one person, but at the start, it’s pretty much tunnel vision.

#6 You feel happy and light. For no particular reason other than the fact that you simply do, you just feel light and generally quite happy. The world is a bright place and even when you have a bad day, you’re uplifted by the very thought of them. 

#7 You feel their pain. If your beau is unwell, stressed out, or something bad has happened in their life, you feel an aching in your chest for them. You don’t want them to feel down, upset, or sick, you want them to be smiling and happy always. That’s what falling in love feels like to me. [Read: All the reasons why empathy is so important in your relationship]

#8 Being around them makes you feel calm. Whilst you should certainly spend time with friends, family, and simply by yourself for balance, you’re likely to feel like simply being around this person makes you feel calm and at home. That’s because your heart feels like it is and you’re falling big time.

#9 You think about the future with them in it. If you look at your future, you certainly feel like they’re going to be a part of it, there’s a reason for that. Sure, we all dream and think about these things sometimes but if you really feel it in your gut, that’s because you’re in love. [Read: Is that love in the air? How to know if you’re falling in love]

Everyone’s experience is different

What falling in love feels like is always positive. Any variations on the theme aren’t going to stretch too far. Whether it’s a passionate, all-encompassing moment when you just know, a gentle and serene feeling, or it’s that rollercoaster moment when your stomach remains at the top as you’re hurtling down. Love is love, and each moment is precious.

Every single person will experience what falling in love feels like slightly differently. Some people find it terrifying yet exhilarating at the same time. Others find it gentle and easy, while still others find it to be thrilling from the first moment. It’s really interesting to have discussions with your friends and find out what falling in love feels like to them. It really gives you a sense of how wonderful this emotion is. How connecting your heart to someone else is truly special.

[Read: Limerence or love? How to tell the difference between the two]

If you have this experience, it doesn’t matter how you describe what love feels like, it matters that you were lucky enough to have it in your life.