It is common to be confused about the differences between love and lust. When you have a strong feeling for someone, it is natural to be preoccupied with understanding where that attraction stems from— Is it love or is it lust?
Love and lust are both strong emotions, but to complicate matters, they often go hand in hand. Despite having aspects which make them very different, it is possible for someone to experience both simultaneously. So, how do you decipher if the proximity to someone is due to love or simply physical desires?
Lust is generally based on physical attraction and the hormones that course through a person’s bloodstream when they look at an attractive person. It’s explosive and fleeting, providing intense psychological gratification that often fades quickly. It doesn’t require great knowledge of another person. This type of ‘love’ can easily end when the lust, which propelled it forwards, peters out.
Love, on the other hand, takes time to cultivate and builds over time as trust and understanding grows. It’s more of a partnership which allows two people to develop as individuals while walking alongside one another. It is not dependent on an outcome, does not have an end goal, and is not bound by a certain set of expectations. A loving relationship can withstand setbacks and allows the members to learn, grow, and bring positive change together.
So, how do you know if you are experiencing true love or merely being driven by lust? To understand this, you need to ask yourself a few questions:
* Are you hung up on the idea that this person fits your ideal image?
* Do you have strong feelings of jealousy of anyone who threatens to come between you?
* How do you interact? Respect for one another and thoughtful consideration of one another’s feelings counts.
* Are you head over heels? Although it’s not a measure of real love, it may be a sign.
* Does the relationship involve commitment and dedication? Any lasting relationship requires hard work and dedication.
* Is there learning, growth, and understanding? True love leads to self-discovery and encourages you to become the best version of yourself.
Ideally, the answers to these questions should lead to the right conclusions. However, try to also keep in mind that relationships are complicated and some elements of lust may still exist. Love requires constant tending and curiousness about the other person. It has a lasting impact on both individuals in the partnership.
Although it can be hard to tell whether it’s true love, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a relationship that begins with mutual, physical attraction. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you feel lost. As long as you and the other person respect each other, that’s all that matters.
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