“I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you.” —Jane Austen, Persuasion
“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.”― Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets
Start Here
- Before sharing your feelings, be sure you’re clear on your own feelings.
- Consider that everyone has their own love language. Try to figure out your loved one’s language and speak to them in the way that will be most meaningful to them.
- Consider writing your love confession in a letter. Not only is it highly romantic, but it also gives the other person time to consider their own feelings and respond thoughtfully.
- Remember that a love confession does not entitle you to anything from them - not their affection nor their feelings.
Talking Points
- “You may be surprised to hear this, but…”
- “Something happened to me when I met you. It was like…”
- “You’re wonderful in … ways.”
- “I would like to see you again.”
- “I suggest…place and time, because…”
- “I find you in every poem I read and I hear you in every love song on the radio.”
- “My heart turns to honey when I think of you.”
- “I’ve wanted to tell you for such a long time, but I have feelings for you. Strong feelings.”
- “J’étais si près de toi que j’ai. Froid près des autres.”
- “I’m in the middle of a meeting, but I can’t concentrate because thoughts of you keep pushing the facts and figures straight out of my head.”
Are you scared of saying ‘I love you?’
Excerpt from PsychCenter
It’s natural to hesitate about saying “I love you” for the first time in a relationship.
“Early in a relationship, admitting that you love someone can feel extremely vulnerable. Many of us are risk averse when it comes to our emotions,” explains Dr. David Helfand, a licensed clinical psychologist in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont. “It’s easier to ignore them, deny them, and especially not communicate them.”
Some reasons why you may be scared of saying “I love you” include:
