What do you say if someone says ‘I love you’ when you don’t feel the same way?
Whether you’re not ready to reciprocate or you simply don’t feel that way about the other person, it can be a challenge to figure out how to respond when someone says "I love you."
Whatever you do, don’t say “I love you” back if you don’t actually mean it. “If you do and you don’t mean it, you’re introducing dishonesty into your relationship,”
Make sure you tell the other person how you really feel. Telling the truth is the foundation for both friendship and love and holding on to that will help you navigate safely through the sea of emotions no matter where it takes you.
Instead of replying in "kind" before you truly mean it, consider trying out one of these starter phrases of saying "I love you"…
1. “I love spending time with you.”
2. “I feel so happy around you.”
3. “I appreciate you so much.”
4. “I love how close we’ve become.”
5. “I’m really excited about what we have, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.”
6. “I really care about you, but I’m not sure yet if I can call those feelings ‘love.'”
But just be prepared — some partners may not find this all that amusing. So before you even say ‘I love you’, you may want to consider a few things for yourself...
1. What does commitment mean to you?
2. How do you define your personal and relationship boundaries?
What are your needs for alone time? How about time with your partner? Do you prefer a lot of communication when apart, or just a little? How do you feel about friendships with ex-partners? What do you consider cheating?
3. Do you have similar interests and personal values?
You certainly don’t need to have all the same interests or beliefs. Things may not go swimmingly if one of you envisions a future filled with baecations and the other really dislikes leaving the comforts of home.
Some partners do build successful relationships in spite of different hobbies, religious faiths, or political beliefs.
But talking about these values early on can help you determine your long-term compatibility. Think of your relationship like Rome: You can’t build it in a single day.
Kind regards,
(+233 20 442 9420)
EDWARD DUODU
MENTOR | SPEAKER