In an interview with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, musical artist and actor Justin Timberlake said this about his wife, actress Jessica Biel:
“Every once in a while, I can catch a glimpse of her when she doesn’t see me looking. I have this moment where I’m like, ‘If you only make bad decisions for the rest of your life, you made one really good decision.’”
It’s easy to see how much Timberlake is taken with his wife—whether it’s on the red carpet or what he says about her during interviews like the one with DeGeneres.
In fact, men tend to show subtle signs they’re smitten right from the start.
Here are five subtle signs that the man in your life is well on his way to falling head over heels for you.
1) He can’t help but want to keep close to you all the time
A man with feelings for you may try to be close to you, says Sylvia Smith from Marriage.com.
“He might choose to sit close to you, be your teammate, tag along with a group event, etc.”
This is something that often happens quite naturally, Smith adds. “He might take every opportunity to be close to the person he likes.”
While it’s true that in the early stages of a relationship, the man you’re dating may be careful to leave time for you to be apart because he wants to give you space, or keep that anticipatory high going, or avoid getting attached too quickly, that sense of distance will definitely dissipate once the two of you get closer, says Andrea Brant from BetterHelp.
“Making regular future plans with you can be a great sign that a person is falling in love with you.”
Brant says that neurologically speaking, falling in love can actually mimic the feelings of addiction. This can lead to what she calls “intensely focused attention”.
“If the man in your life wants to be around you as much as possible, this may be a good sign that his feelings are strengthening…He might also make plans weeks or months in advance, ensuring he is able to spend time with you in the future.”
2) He looks for ways to make you laugh
Wanting to make you laugh could very well be an indication that the man in your life has strong feelings for you, says Smith.
“When someone is important to you, all you want is for that person to be happy. He might try his best to make you happy because if you’re happy, he may also feel happy.”
I like the way that this Quora user puts it:
“It means that he feels good when he sees you happy, and he feels better when the reason behind your happiness is him.”
3) He seems to feel your feelings (and then some)
A friend of mine told me years ago that her new boyfriend at the time was more upset about her not getting the job of her dreams than she was.
I remember her saying something to the effect of:
“He said I deserved it more than anyone and that I was more than qualified. He said he couldn’t comprehend how anyone couldn’t see how amazing I was. He knew how much I wanted it, too.”
His reaction made her feel depressed about it.
A subtle sign that a man is really falling for you is when you notice how attuned to your feelings he is.
If you’re feeling down, then this can bring him down, and he’ll want to make you feel happier, says Dr. Carol Morgan from LovePanky.
“When you’re happy, he’s happy…So if you have a big impact on his emotions, he’s [most likely] in love with you.”
4) He talks about things in terms of “we”
When a man says the word “we” a lot, it is an indication that he is already thinking of the two of you as a couple, a unit, and a team.
It could be anything from: “We should try out that new restaurant downtown,” to “We should think about where we want to go on vacation, maybe.”
Consistently using the “we” word most likely means that he has accepted you in his mind as a couple and that he is perhaps anxious about getting into a relationship with you.
Science says the same thing.
Studies show that when a man is invested in forming a relationship with a woman, he is most likely to use the word “we” to refer to the two of you more often than “you” or “I”.
“It could indicate that he thinks of you as a couple and shapes his thoughts and actions while considering how it affects you,” says the editorial team at therapist platform Regain.
5) He glorifies the good in you
When a man talks about the wonderful qualities you possess, you can be sure that he’s falling in love with you and truly sees you as someone very special.
It could be the way you care for your dog, or how you’re the friend who loves to make a pot of soup for a friend who isn’t feeling well.
He’s telling you how much he appreciates these traits in you and that he values this about you.
He also wants you to know that he’s paying attention and that he places a high value on everything you do, says Barrie Davenport from Live Bold and Bloom.
This, of course, also applies to your achievements.
“He wants to be there to cheer you on and celebrate your wins with you because you matter to him,” adds Davenport.
“So, if he notices an achievement of yours, he’s more than ready to let you know how proud he is to be part of your life.”
Of course, if you have setbacks (as everyone does from time to time), he will help you see the silver lining and encourage you to keep going for it and moving forward.
“He wants to see you win, and he fully expects you to.” But he also knows that setbacks happen, and he’s letting you know that he’s there for those as well.
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