When you love someone, you’re driven by a feeling that is complex and inexplicable. Poets, philosophers, and scientists have struggled to describe love, but no matter how you define it, it’s a feeling that can make your heart sing and bring out the best in people. Whether you’re in love with a friend, family member, partner, the universe, or yourself, loving others and being loved by them brings us peace, hope, joy, and purpose in our lives.
Many believe that love is a basic human emotion, similar to hunger or thirst. Some researchers, however, argue that love is a complex emotional and social phenomenon that is influenced by hormones (like oxytocin), neurotrophins, and pheromones.
There are several different kinds of love, including romantic, familial, and platonic, but they all share a common element: intense longing. Psychologist Erich Sternberg divided love into three components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. He defined passionate love as intense feelings of attraction accompanied by physiological arousal, and companionate love as affection and a sense of intimacy not triggered by sexual desire. Sternberg also categorized unrequited love as one in which you love someone but they don’t return your feelings.
In addition to the different types of love, there are many ways we can express our love. For example, a person may show agape love by giving without expecting to receive. Agape is typically associated with religious faiths, but it can be shown in non-religious contexts as well.
Despite its complexity and variety, many experts agree that love is an important part of life. Love provides motivation to get things done, inspires us to be our best selves, and makes us more open to learning new things. Love can make you a more patient and understanding person, and it reduces stress by making you more selfless. It can even make you healthier by decreasing your risk of depression and increasing your levels of the feelgood hormone dopamine.
Love is a powerful force that can change the world. We can see it every day in the people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. Their selfless love has brought happiness, health, and prosperity to countless people.
If you’re in search of a lasting relationship, start by defining what kind of love you want in your partner and then finding a way to express that to them. Then, listen to their responses and work to meet those needs. If you’re lucky, your partner will reciprocate and you’ll have a beautiful romance. But if not, don’t give up — try again. There is someone out there who is the perfect match for you. And if you’re already in a committed relationship, remember to appreciate and cherish each other every day.