Photo: pexels
Don't hold back.
By Christine Schoenwald — Written on Apr 19, 2017
What is it about saying the words “I love you” that's so frightening? If you feel it, you want to express it, but it’s dangerous if you think your love might only be one direction.
When we tell people that we love them, we’re being vulnerable and open. It’s scary to think that if you say that you love someone at the wrong time or to the wrong person, you can get hurt.
Once you say that you love someone you can’t take it back. You may fall out of love or have your romantic love morph into a more of a friendship love, but once you say it, it’s always out there.
You might have rules regarding telling someone you love them. Maybe you refuse to say it first or perhaps you need to wait a certain amount of time before you think it’s appropriate. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed with love that we can’t keep it to ourselves any longer and we just blurt it out.
There are other ways of saying that you love someone without actually saying those words. You might demonstrate it in the way you treat the person that you love or the way you consider them when making decisions.
For some people, the words may not have the same force that they once had, especially if they had an ex or two who told them that they loved them and then cheated on them. If someone says they love you and then they do things that counter that love, you may lose your belief in those words.
If you don’t think you’re worthy of love, you may not be very good at hearing someone say they love you and you may not be entirely comfortable saying it back. Sometimes you just need to get those words out, no matter what the end results are, so you can either move forward in your now-deepening relationship or find move on after finding that the two of you want very different things.
Here’s why it terrifies you to say, "I love you," based on your zodiac sign.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
Photo: weheartit
You equate saying I love you to pointing a gun at someone's head. It's so dangerous and not the good, exhilarating, jump-off-the-cliff kind of danger you enjoy — this is the emotional danger that you find scary. You need all your courage to tell someone that you love them first because once you say it, it means that you've made the commitment to always love them and you take that very seriously.
Read: The 13 Brutal Truths About Loving An Aries, As Written By One
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
Photo: weheartit
It takes you a long time to let someone get close to you, so it stands to reason that you're not going to tell them you love them unless you're sure there's no way they don't love you back. It may take several times of them telling you that they love you and them demonstrating it with their actions for you to even contemplate saying it back.
Read: The 5 Brutal Truths About Loving A Taurus, As Written By One
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
Photo: weheartit
You're never at a loss when it comes to saying the right thing and you take your words very seriously, so if you say that you love someone, you truly mean it. At least, you think you mean it or you mean it at that time. But what if you wake up the next morning and you no longer love them? What do you do then? Making a commitment, even if it's just a commitment of words, is challenging for you.
Read: The 13 Brutal Truths About Loving A Gemini, As Written By One
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
Photo: weheartit
You're a true romantic and you've dreamed about finding the one and having them express their love for you. But you're unclear about the part where you say it. Besides, if you say it first and they turn out to be a jerk and hurt you, you'll regret saying it. You're good with expressing all your emotions, even other kinds of love, but saying "I love you" is special and you want it to be treated as such.
Read: The 5 Brutal Truths About Loving A Cancer, As Written By One
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
Photo: weheartit
You're afraid that it won't matter if you tell them you love them or not; you can't trust that they'll be there for the duration. The more they get to know you, the more they'll see that although you're spectacular most of the time, you do have your down times, too. What if they can't handle the real you? What if they leave you when you need them most? Can you get them to sign a non-disclosure policy regarding you saying they love you?
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
Photo: weheartit
You're going to need him to make a concerted effort before you even mention the word love. They'll need to court you, woo you, and prove to you that their love is real. And yes, you're going to judge them on their efforts. If they do anything half-assed or lead you to believe that they're just playing you, you'll be gone. You hope they know you're worth all the trouble and that when you say that you love them you'll mean it with your entire being.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Virgo (As Written By A Virgo)
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
Photo: weheartit
You don't say I love you first. You'll express your love in any number of ways hoping that they'll get the hint that they need to say it, and if they don't get a clue, you'll keep doing what you're doing for however long it takes. This is how you roll.
Read: 11 Brutal Truths About Loving A Libra, As Written By One
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
Photo: weheartit
You like to keep your partners guessing because you believe by being a little mysterious they'll always be intrigued by you. Let them guess, let them agonize; you've got restraint. Once they've told you they loved you repeatedly and have committed to a long-term relationship, maybe then you'll say it. However, when you do say it, it will make a huge impact.
Read: 14 Brutal Truths About Loving A Scorpio, As Written By One
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
Photo: weheartit
Just saying that you love someone screams commitment to you. You think it will be easier on them if, when you leave (as you will be inclined to do), you hadn't ever said I love you. You're thinking of them and their feelings. Not that saying those words creates a strong tie and bond that's difficult to extract oneself from.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Sagittarius, As Written By One
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
Photo: weheartit
You think if you say that you love him, you'll appear weak and vulnerable. You like being the strong one and you don't want to give him the advantage over you by telling him how you feel. When you know it's safe and you feel that you can completely trust him, then you'll say it.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Capricorn, As Written By One
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
Photo: weheartit
Emotions are hard and messy and complicated. You're independent and original. You don't want to be like everybody else. Isn't there some new and innovative way to say I love you without saying those same old boring words?
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving An Aquarius, As Written By One
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
Photo: weheartit
You want love desperately and you want to give it but you've been taken advantage of before and you swore you wouldn't let it happen again. You're going to keep the information that you love them to yourself for a while. Maybe you'll express it creatively in a painting or writing. You've regretted saying that you loved someone before and the thought of it still stings. Until they convince you that they're a safe space, your lips are sealed.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Pisces, As Written By One