Love Is Not An Emotion, It's A Decision | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

Love Is Not An Emotion, It's A Decision

Focus on the decision to love rather than the shifting emotions of love.

16557
Love Is Not An Emotion, It's A Decision
Unsplash

We've been fooled into thinking that love is an uncontrollable emotion that just happens to show up one day. But love is not an emotion.Love is a choice. It's a decision that you declare to uphold every day for someone who matters to you.

Our society is feelings-based. We're constantly being told to act on our emotions. "If it feels right, go for it." This is not the correct way to live. Our feelings and our emotions are ever-changing. They are not permanent nor do they give us a strong foundation to make good decisions.

Treating love as a feeling will only set you up for failure. One day you'll feel great sitting next to your partner, but another day you'll feel quite upset with them. But if you decide to love them daily throughout those different emotions, then you have a real connection.

Acting on feelings rather than decisions creates an unbalanced life that's built on ever-changing ground. Our emotions are not to be trusted. One day we might feel like we love someone and the next day, we might not. Because love as an emotion is temporary. But a decision to love someone is permanent. It's looking at the whole picture and remembering that hey, sometimes I might not like you, but I'm always going to strive to love you through those rough periods.

The reason we decide to love someone is that we truly see who they are. We look at every part of their personality, and we know that they are the one who is worth fighting for against our unpredictable emotions.

It's about choosing to forgive and let go of some of our expectations because love is a decision, not an emotion. If love was an emotion, when you experience those differences and feel upset, you think it'll never work. But if you decide that love is a choice, you'll be able to stand back and realize that differences are okay and it just takes time to adjust.

It's not about settling for less, but about accepting that you are not perfect and your "knight in shining armor" doesn't exist. You find the person who's worth fighting for and you decide every day to wake up and love them. Even when they upset you, you forget them and still show love. Even when they disappoint you, you show love.

If you find someone who also views love as a decision, they'll be doing the same thing for you. It's a constant give and take that comes from deciding that each setback is not a full deal breaker, but rather a chance to know and understand your partner better.

Treating love as a decision rather than emotion gives you control. It takes away the uncertainty and shows you that yes, love is real. But it's not really an emotion that just lasts forever, it's a decision you make to act on an emotion forever.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Kardashians
W Magazine

Whether you love them or hate them, it's undeniable the Kardashian/ Jenner family has built an enormous business empire. Ranging from apps, fashion lines, boutiques, beauty products, books, television shows, etc. this bunch has shown they are insane business moguls. Here are seven reasons why the Kardashian/ Jenner family should be applauded for their intelligent business tactics.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

If I have learned one thing in my lifetime, it is that friends are a privilege. No one is required to give you their company and yet there is some sort of shared connection that keeps you together. And from that friendship, you may even find yourself lucky enough to have a few more friends, thus forming a group. Here are just a few signs that prove your current friend group is the ultimate friend group.

Keep Reading...Show less
ross and monica
FanPop

When it comes to television, there’s very few sets of on-screen siblings that a lot of us can relate to. Only those who have grown up with siblings knows what it feels like to fight, prank, and love a sibling. Ross and Monica Geller were definitely overbearing and overshared some things through the series of "Friends," but they captured perfectly what real siblings feel in real life. Some of their antics were funny, some were a little weird but all of them are completely relatable to brothers and sisters everywhere.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Types Of Sorority Girls

Who really makes up your chapter...

2496
Sorority Girls
Owl Eyes Magazine

College is a great place to meet people, especially through Greek life. If you look closely at sororities, you'll quickly see there are many different types of girls you will meet.

1. The Legacy.

Her sister was a member, her mom was a member, all of her aunts were members, and her grandma was a member. She has been waiting her whole life to wear these letters and cried hysterically on bid day. Although she can act entitled at times, you can bet she is one of the most enthusiastic sisters.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

10 Reasons Why Life Is Better In The Summertime

Winter blues got you down? Summer is just around the corner!

2099
coconut tree near shore within mountain range
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

Every kid in college and/or high school dreams of summer the moment they walk through the door on the first day back in September. It becomes harder and harder to focus in classes and while doing assignments as the days get closer. The winter has been lagging, the days are short and dark, and no one is quite themselves due to lack of energy and sunlight. Let's face it: life is ten times better in the summertime.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments