Being a hopeless romantic in this day and age can be incredibly tough. You are constantly fighting the battle of wanting to be able to stay caught up with what is “normal” today and the "old fashioned” way of finding love. In the end, the latter always wins you over and you find yourself going through a series of struggles. I’m here to tell you that you are definitely not alone. Here are just a few things every hopeless romantic can more or less relate to.

1. You have higher expectations (But hate when people accuse you of it).

Most people tend to accuse the typical hopeless romantic of dreaming that their Prince Charming will come riding up on his white stallion and whisk them away to some far off land to live happily ever after. While you do love to dream of this, you realize it isn’t entirely realistic. However, you do find yourself hoping to find a guy who is substantially above the rest and will some day make you feel like a modern day princess.

2. You live vicariously through your favorite movie/book characters.

Who doesn’t compare their relationships to the undying love between Noah and Aly or the heart-breaking connection between Gatsby and Daisy? While struggling through the new age romance, it’s easy to get engulfed in a love you know will never change no matter how many times you watch it unfold or turn the page. You envision yourself as your favorite characters for that much too short period of time and indulge on the little escape you get from your favorite love story. Then you have to return to real life….

3.You feel your emotions to the max.

Any and every emotion you feel is amplified a hundred times greater than the average person. You let the slightest things, happy or sad, send you into a bawling mess without warning. And you don’t (really) mind it. You feel these things in such detail that it is impossible for you not to express them! Sometimes it may send you on an emotional roller coaster, but you never fail to enjoy the ride.

4. You adore the little things in life.

Most people will drool over the sight of a fancy new car or an expensive dinner date. You, on the other hand, will nearly faint at the sight of a single flower being personally handed to you or a surprise picnic in the park. While others will go out on extravagant adventures, you are overjoyed at just simply being around the person you love. The simplest things will win over your hopelessly romantic heart before stacks of money or gifts ever will.

5. Your thoughts constantly wander to that one person…

You think about them here, you think about them there, you think about them everywhere. That one person just does not leave your mind. Scenarios play in your head about possible conversations you could eventually have. You overthink past encounters which makes you wonder if there really is something there or if you are just making things up in your head. You think about every little detail of this person until it drives you near the point of insanity. It’s a miracle that you productively get through the day.

6. Your quote board on Pinterest is mainly love quotes.

Your followers just learn to accept this or unfollow you…

7. Online dating makes you cringe.

How people can be in a full on relationship and never have seen each other in person baffles you! What happened to the nervous first dates and having to actually go out places in order to get to know someone else? This generation is content with sitting behind a computer screen to find the “love of their life,” which makes you feel like you were born a few decades too late.

8. You consider yourself part of a dying species.

You walk around and feel as though people like you are few and far between. It is a miracle to find a person who not only has the same interests as you but is hopelessly looking for romance and love as well. Chivalry is slowly going extinct, along with respect, courtesy and truly loving and caring for that one specific person. The thought of being with one person the rest of your life excites you, yet to most people it is completely absurd.

9. You wear your heart on your sleeve, all the time.

You can’t help it. You walk around always willing to give forth every ounce of love you have to anyone who you feel may deserve it. This can lead to really amazing relationships or to incredible heartbreaks. You always give it your all and will fight for everything until the very end. When the worst happens however, it tends to kill you, and you don’t know how it will be possible to gather everything again and pull yourself together. That is, until that next person comes tugging at your sleeve…

10. You love Love.

Just the mere thought of love sends shivers through your body. You can’t get through a single day without thinking about some type of love because, to you, it is all consuming. You believe every single cheesy quote ever written about love and live by them. You watch every single chick flick and feel warm and happy, even after the 42th time. Even if you’re struggling with this specific factor in life, you can still find the hope that love will truly prevail in any situation.

In the end, many will say that these ideals are outdated and that we hopeless romantics need to move on and get up to speed with the modern world. Don't do it! Don’t give up on the one thing in your life that you believe is so genuine and true. Live your life the way you want to and one day you will most definitely find your Prince Charming.