If These 8 Things Feel Familiar, You're Absolutely With The Right Person
Love leaves clues. If these eight things ring true, you've found someone right for you.
bernardbodo | Canva In his famous novel, Anna Karenina, author Leo Tolstoy wrote the following about one of his characters' feelings for his beloved — "He felt now that he was not simply close to her, but that he did not know where he ended and she began."
What better way to sum up how it feels when you meet your perfect match? In today’s dating world, we find ourselves sifting through all sorts of different people and experiencing an array of relationships to find that one person with whom we truly feel we're one.
Not just anyone can fulfill you the way your soul mate can, says Dr. Carmen Harra, a relationship expert, psychologist, and author of The Karma Queens' Guide to Relationships.
"Your soul mate makes you feel entirely whole, healed, and intact, like no piece is missing from the puzzle. A life partner, on the other hand, can be a great supporter and companion, but is limited in their capacity to enrich your spirit," she says.
If these 8 things feel familiar, you're absolutely with the right person:
1. You feel secure and protected
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As Harra says, "Your perfect match will make you feel like you have a guardian angel by your side, regardless of your gender."
That means men, too, should feel protected by their women. A person who plays on your insecurities and fears — whether consciously or subconsciously — is not your soul mate.
2. You can’t imagine your life without him or her
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When you’re not together, do you feel incomplete? If you’ve found your perfect match, you can’t imagine being without this person, and you’ll do whatever it takes to keep them in your life. It’s often hard just being apart for short bouts of time.
A strong foundation built on shared values and compatible life goals is crucial for a lasting relationship. Research also highlights that if you genuinely enjoy spending time with your partner and find joy in sharing experiences, it's a positive sign of compatibility.
3. You feel an almost-instant familiarity
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Perhaps when you first met this person, you felt like you had talked before or that you already knew each other. "You might even feel an odd sense of déjà vu, as if the moment in time has already taken place. Soul mates often choose to come back together during the same lifetime," says Harra.
In this case, she means you might have even crossed paths before, but timing was not yet on your side.
4. You feel a spark unlike anything you've ever known
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When you’re in a relationship with your perfect match, it will be more intense than normal relationships. The passion and emotional intimacy will feel stronger. It can be more intense on bad days, too.
"During these negative episodes, soul mates will communicate the right way and will take into consideration each other’s issues and emotions to reach common ground," says Harra. In other words, it’s a good thing that you fight instead of holding back feelings.
5. You just get each other
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Soulmates can finish each other’s sentences, and they know what the other needs, says Harra. "Soul mates develop a sense of empathy towards each other. They can pick up on one another’s needs, feelings, and what’s bothering them without even asking or having the other express it."
Furthermore, soul mates are also mentally inseparable. Have you ever picked up the phone to text your love only to have them text you at the same time?
6. You see the world through the same set of eyes
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You see eye-to-eye on everything from parenting style to spending habits and from diet to intimacy. And when you disagree on something, you agree that you disagree.
A 2019 study highlighted the role of shared reality in reducing uncertainty and enhancing a sense of meaning in life within relationships. This goes beyond simply agreeing on every point, encompassing a deeper alignment in how couples interpret and understand the world around them, their values, and their goals.
7. You laugh at the same stuff
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If you can’t make it through a Will Ferrell movie without wetting yourself, but your partner doesn’t crack a smile, chances are you’re not a good fit. Many self-proclaimed happily married couples cite humor as a significant contribution to their married life.
One study cautioned that while shared laughter is beneficial, it's crucial that the humor is positive and not aggressive or at the expense of one's partner. A genuine and shared sense of humor, rather than simply trying to be funny or using humor to mask deeper issues, is what truly contributes to a healthy and fulfilling relationship.
8. Your love is more than love; it’s unexplainable
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Describing what it’s like to be with your perfect match and how your soul mate makes you feel is just difficult. As Harra says, it’s a tenacious, profound, and lingering emotion, and mere words don't do it justice. Even describing the feeling as "deep love" can still seem insufficient.
While a deep, unexplainable connection can be a wonderful part of a relationship, it's crucial to assess other factors to determine if it's truly a healthy and sustainable foundation. Research has shown that a healthy relationship is built on more than just intense feelings. It requires compatibility, mutual respect, and the ability to navigate life's challenges together.
FOX News iMag is FNC’s lifestyle web magazine.
