So many people are caught up in the timing of their relationships. How soon can they make it Facebook official, when are you allowed to start posting pictures together, and how long are you supposed to wait until you say the big ‘L’ word?

Saying “I Love You” can be one of the scariest things in a relationship. Especially if you have never said those words to anyone before. But the feeling of actually being in love can be even scarier. Love is a weird feeling and it shouldn’t be treated as just something that you are supposed to say to someone that you are dating. The biggest issue that I have with these made up timelines is that people think that they have to follow them for their relationship to work out. They think that if it’s not broadcast all over social media then the world won’t know and it won't last. Here’s the thing about being a relationship though: it’s between the two of you! That's it! Your best friend, your sorority sisters, or your great aunt on Facebook don’t get a say! They don’t get to decide whether you're happy or not, whether you're doing it right or not or whether it is going to last or not. Do you know who gets to decide that? YOU!

If you want to put your relationship all over social media, awesome! If you post pictures with your significant other every single day, guess what? Good for you! And if you say ‘I love you’ on day eight or on day 730, then congratulations! The most important part of any relationship is honesty and communication. You should tell the other person how you feel, when you feel it. Not because you have waited the appropriate amount of time, or because you’re too scared. You should tell them because that’s how you feel! And you know what the greatest feeling in the world is? When they can reciprocate those feelings.

So I get it, love is scary. In fact, it’s terrifying! But if you never work up the courage to tell those people how you feel, then your relationship isn’t going to move forward. And if you are waiting until you’ve been dating for exactly 10 months, before you’re allowed to say it, then you’re not benefiting the relationship that you are in either.

The point that I am trying to make here is that Love is a feeling. One big, knock you on your ass, can’t see straight, terrifyingly crazy, amazing feeling! It’s not a word or a phrase that you are allowed to utter to one another after exactly 10 months of dating.