If No One's Said it Yet
If
you're in a relationship and you feel like you're in love - even though neither
of you have used the L-word yet - then it's time to put your feelings on the
line. Plan for an intimate moment when
you're alone with each other. Look into
your sweetie's eyes and softly, sweetly say the magic words. If you hear them back, lucky you!
If
they don't say "I love you, too," it's still okay. You're better off revealing your feelings
than hiding them and getting hurt down the line. Besides, just because someone doesn't love
you right this instant doesn't mean they won't feel it later on.
If You're Too Shy to Say It
If
you feel too shy to come right out and say "I love you" to your
boyfriend or girlfriend's face, that's okay.
Wait till you're alone with each other, and after a soft, slow kiss,
whisper it in their ear. You can also
write it in note and slip it into their backpack or locker.
But
I strongly recommend saying it out loud, to their face. Everyone gets a little nervous saying "I
love you" for the first time - it comes with the territory. And hopefully, you'll be rewarded for all
those butterflies in your stomach when they say the words back to you.
If They've Already Said it to You
If
they've already told you they love you and you feel the same way, let them know
right away. If you can, say it right
after they do. If that's already passed,
then tell them the next time you're beside them with no one else around.
Say,
"I want you to know that I love you, too.
I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner - I just wanted to wait until
____." Fill in the blank with
whatever fits your situation:
"...the time was right;" "...I was sure I felt it
too;" "...I could finally say
it out loud without peeing my pants out of nervousness." (You get the point.)
If You've Both Already Said It a Bunch
After
a while, those three magic words can begin to sound like a cliché. Try out a couple of these creative ways to
say I love you:
Write
them a short, silly love poem.
Draw
an "I love you" cartoon and hide it somewhere you know they'll find
it.
Spell
it out in SpaghettiO's and take a picture.
Give
them a massage and spell it out on their back, letter by letter.
Dedicate
a song to them on the radio and make sure they tune in to listen.
Give
them a list of 10 specific things you love about them (or even more, if you can
come up with them).
But
don't underestimate the importance of just plain old saying the words. Sometimes there's nothing better to hear than
"I love you" whispered in your ear.
If
You're Not in a Relationship
If
you feel like you're in love with someone you're not dating - like your crush,
or your best friend - then don't come out and say, "I love you." Those are big words that might end up scaring
the person away. Instead, let them know
your feelings in subtler ways by flirting with them, or take the plunge and ask
them out. Save the real lovey-dovey
stuff till after you've gotten to know each other better.
If
You're Not Sure if You Love Them
If
you're not sure if you're really in love, then don't ever say "I love
you." Instead, say something like,
"I really like spending time with you, but I'm not ready to call it love
yet. Maybe it'll turn into love one day,
though." But lying and saying
"I love you" now will hurt them down the road - even more than if you
tell them the truth.
