Are You In Love? How Do You Know?

[Satin Slipper]

Are you In Love With Your...

Significant Other?
Your Job/Career?
Your Residence?
With Yourself?

How Do You Know When You're In Love?

[Artemesia's Garden]

It can be hard to find time in your life for new things, but sometimes someone or something comes along and becomes an important part of your life and you don't know how you ever lived without them/it.

When my husband came along there was a strong feeling of love and safety between us, along with a lot of nerves and confusion as well. The initial excitment and attraction was more intense than usual I guess but I don't rate that as having much to do with love, just good chemistry. Alongside this, our friendship developed and he was consistent and reliable as well. Although you might already know you're going to fall in love with someone, actually bonding and building up trust takes time. I didn't realise how many areas of trust there actually are until I got married. Neither of us are new to relationships but we had the polar opposite experience. He was married for 12 years but his wife passed away whereas I had been dragged through the mill of 6 to 18 month relationships for about a decade and have been really damaged by it.

Building our relationship has been a work of love. We are not an ideal match by any means. I don't think may of my friends understand why I have teamed up with my husband because he has a different level of education to me and I get the sense that some of my acquaintances judge him because of his type of work. However, my husband and I have deeper shared values. I think love could also be about finding and satisfying deeply held personal values. 

[SpacePinto]

Are you In Love With Your...

Significant Other?
Your Job/Career?
Your Residence?
With Yourself?

I'm in an abusive relationship with my job.

[Satin Slipper]

Are you In Love With Your...

Significant Other?
Your Job/Career?
Your Residence?
With Yourself?

I'm in an abusive relationship with my job.

I think most people feel that way...

[Beldarna]

My husband, then boyfriend, was off work for two weeks and practically moved in to my apartment with his PS3 during that time and me being an introvert was suddenly faced with spending mornings and evenings and all my days off with another person. The morning he went back to his place I felt relieved but during the evening while I was going home from work I felt an emptiness in knowing he wouldn't be there and I had to call him and tell him I missed him. That's when I knew I loved him and the feeling has only grown during our years together. He is my best friend and soul mate and the only person I trust 100%. Sometimes it's like we can read each others mind. We share the same values and views on life and I can talk to him about everything .

[tikibirds]

Significant Other? Yeah but I haven't seen him since August 2018 except when I went home for Xmas for 10 days

Your Job/Career? I don't like children and I hated English. My job is teaching English as a second language to little kids in China. Currently all schools are closed till further notice and have been since Feb. 

Your Residence? Not at the moment as I have been stuck inside since JANUARY 25th due to Corona Virus 

With Yourself? eh...

[Septima Windsong]

Are you In Love With Your...
Significant Other?
Your Job/Career?
Your Residence?
With Yourself?

1. Yes, definitely!
2. Well, I really like what I do now. I changed occupation about a year ago and totally happy about it, but I still need a lot of practice and experience.
3. Currently yes.
4. Despite I have some issues I'm happy with who I am. Issues can always be solved =)

[dragonfly]

yes
no
no
i like being me

[Ponybookworm]

1: n/a (single pringle)
2: n/a (don't ask)
3: building ok, though it has its faults. Location bleugh, so small & people so closed & judgemental
4: Not going into this here. I want to keep this forum happy & fun

[Harmonie]

Significant Other?: I'm single.
Your Job/Career?: No. My current job in retail is horrendous for someone with chronic foot pain like me. I need something where I sit ASAP. It was a fine job back when I didn't have these issues. A stable job which I was good at. Nowadays, I just can't do it anymore.
Your Residence?: I like my living space, I have a big bedroom with my own bathroom. I don't like the area of the US I live in, though. I really would like to move somewhere in the Northeast.
With Yourself?: Eh.

[Twizel]

Significant Other? It has been challenging at times, but my husband and I are very much in love. We've been married four years, but together for fifteen. We first realized our growing feelings when we talked and realized we were both altering our normal schedules to spend time together.

Your Job/Career? Some jobs are better than others, but I've never loved any job. If its a good job, chances are it will be tarnished by having to work with someone unpleasant. People suck.

Your Residence? I have a love/hate relationship with my place. It's nice that its mine, my nest, and all. The location can be difficult, especially during inclement weather, and the local HOA is so aggravating I can't describe it. Here's an example of their idiocy: any live Christmas trees must be removed from the house by New Year's Day (!), yet you're not allowed to put them outside or in the dumpster, and the boy scout pick up day for trees is January 7th.

With Yourself? I'd like to say yes. But honestly, it depends on my mood heh.

How Do You Know When You're In Love? You know its real love when you are Furious with them over something, but find that it doesn't diminish your affection for them and you can work through the problems together.

[Miniature Sheep]

Significant Other? Haven't been in a relationship in years and the last one I had was a farce. Any literature-loving ladies in Cheshire looking for a special woman in their life?
Your Job/Career? I categorically cannot be doing with my job at all. Absolutely despise it, and once things have returned to normal, I'm getting looking for something more fulfilling that gives something back to the community. I had my heart set on becoming an optician at one point, but given my own eyesight problems, that's probably not going to be very realistic. I do quite like the idea of working as a chemist, though.
Your Residence? Oh yes. I love my flat! It was a bout of very lucky timing all round; I found the place while perusing estate agents' websites just before Christmas, and expressed my interest as quickly as possible. At that point, I'd spent a very rough year in an awful house, the lease was almost over and I just wanted out ASAP; fortunately, with the relative downtime in the rental market over the holidays, I succeeded in getting this place, moved in and got settled just before the whole coronavirus thing really kicked off in the UK. This new place is a real breath of fresh air compared to the previous one, and it's in my favourite part of town too! I'm hoping to enjoy many years here.
With Yourself? Ehhh, I'm working on it...
How Do You Know When You're In Love? That is a good question... I'm not really sure I can answer that.