Dear Lucia,
I've been dating a girl for about 4 months and I think I'm falling in love with her. How long should I wait to tell her? Shaun B.
Dear Shaun,
While you can’t put a timeline on love, it’s better to err on the side of caution. If you say it too soon and she doesn’t feel the same way, you probably won’t get the reciprocal response. What you’re really saying when you utter those three little words is: I think you’re great, I love being with you and I’d like for us to be together for a very long time.
By the time you’re ready to declare your feelings, the relationship should be exclusive or will become so as a result of you saying how you feel. If you’re not yet at that point, wait! In either case, at least 6 months should pass before you even think of going there.
By that time you have a good idea of where the relationship is headed and whether you think it has long term potential.
Of course I don’t need to remind anyone that if you say it during sex it doesn't count and to never say “I love you” as a manipulation to get something. You may think you’re getting away with it, but remember one little word: karma.
