Men are notoriously poor communicators when it comes to their feelings. While emotions like anger, triumph, or pride may be easier for them to display; feelings that cause them to feel vulnerable are not so easily expressed. Because of this, feelings of love can be difficult for a man to display. So, what is a woman to do? Be left guessing? Express love first hoping he expresses it back? Avoid the subject altogether?
What if there was a way to know if he was in love with you before he could even say it? Here are three signs he loves you.
He Is Protective (But Not Controlling).
A man in love wants to protect you. He will keep you close to him when you are together to keep you safe. He may want to know where you are but he will not try and tell you that you should not be there. He will only want to know just in case he needs to get to you. He will not monitor your phone calls, but he expects you to answer him when he calls because he wants to know you are okay. Once he knows you’re fine, he’s cool and can relax.
The need to protect is strong in men. It can even get out of control at times. A woman may have to set boundaries with how much protection she wants. When a man tries to control a woman, there’s a problem. Control is not about love. It is about ownership.
Note: If you set boundaries and your man doesn’t adhere to them, you may be in an abusive relationship. Click here for more information on relationship red flags and how to handle them.
He meets Your Wants and needs through kindness and generosity.
A man in love will want to meet your desires the best way he knows how. He may also start doing things for you that you didn’t even know you wanted. He may feel the need to make sure you have your oil changed or that your car tires are okay. He may want to fix things in your home. He may show some concerns for your health or he may point out other problems that you didn’t even notice.
He will find joy in doing things that make you feel good, and he might just do things for you that you didn’t even know you needed.
He Displays Vulnerability.
A man in love will feel the need to open up to you. At first, e may not like feeling vulnerable and he may not be good at it, but he will start to do it. He may talk about difficult times in his life, share embarrassing stories about himself, or admit that he is not good at some things.
When a man is in love, he wants to be accepted by the woman he loves. He will feel a desire to open up as a way to receive this acceptance. Remember, however, that fear of vulnerability is the reason he has trouble saying, “I Love You,” in the first place. If you can allow him to be vulnerable and reward him for it, you may just end up hearing the words you have been waiting for.
Matthew Yount is a husband, father/stepfather of 4, mental health therapist, President of Affinity, and Co-host of The Affinity Relationship Coaching Podcast. He and his awesome wife, Andrea, are dedicated to using their experience, knowledge, and passion to help people improve the quality of their relationships and lives. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook.