It’s the stuff of romantic movies. Your eyes meet across a crowded room and instantly your heart is racing and you can’t think straight. And just like that it feels like your whole world has changed forever.
But does love at first sight actually happen in real life?
Yes it does, though it’s quite rare and pretty scary. Anyone who’s ever experienced it will tell you that it was the most overwhelming and dramatic thing that has ever happened to them. And one thing’s for sure, if it happens to you, it’s not something you can ignore. Something in your subconscious really clicked and it feels like you’re perfect for each other.
You’re much more likely to experience love at first sight if you always find eye contact intense and intimate, and you always like exploring new opportunities. And if you’re open to the idea of someone new coming into your life at that particular moment. Even if you’re just feeling vaguely dissatisfied with things and not consciously looking for someone new. Because the people around you instinctively pick up the signals that say you’re available, and so they’re much more likely to notice you, and to have romantic feelings about you.
Love at first sight is something we all dream of, so you’ll never ever forget that moment. But do such feelings really turn into something that lasts?
Unfortunately, however wonderful they feel, those intense feelings don’t usually work out. Because they’re not really love. Love at first sight’s a purely physical attraction driven by a subconscious template we all have of our ideal partner. And all that’s really happened is that your new crush has exactly matched your template, you’ve exactly matched theirs, and you were both in exactly the right mood at exactly the same time!
But it’s still a lovely feeling. And so incredibly powerful it’s no wonder we all fantasise about it. It’s all so deeply romantic and emotional, you’re suddenly sure that you’ve met the one person in the world who truly understands you. But whether they really do will take you a while longer to find out. Because love at first sight’s driven by hormones that also make you idealise your new lover. So you don’t notice their faults, at least for a little while.
Which means you still have to go through all the usual stages of courtship and thoroughly check out each other’s background, career, family, interests, values and so on. And most times something won’t match. Or one of you has some complications in their life that messes everything up.
But sometimes everything does go exactly right and those intense feelings gradually deepen into true love. Though that’s so rare though, it’s like winning the lottery. So after those first heady moments, stay a little street-wise. And don’t go doing anything you can’t tell your mother about until you’ve learned everything you need to know about your new partner!
