With Valentine's Day having just passed, the phrase "I love you" might have been on your mind more than usual. Perhaps one of the most loaded phrases in the English language, some people say "I love you" way too much; some don't say it enough; and some are too afraid to say it at all. We've all had that awkward moment where either you told someone you loved them and they didn't reciprocate, or you wanted to tell someone how much you loved them but you just weren't ready yet. Truthfully, the sentiment of "I love you" is beautiful, but sometimes it's not what somebody needs to hear, because there's something they need to hear more. Here are some alternatives to saying "I love you" that can sometimes be even more meaningful:

"I believe in you.”

Sometimes people don’t believe in themselves, and they need to know that someone out there does believe in them. Of course, this is no substitute for believing in yourself, but sometimes it can help knowing that someone knows you can do it. Having someone believe in your success can reassure you to believe in yourself.

"I am so proud of you."

It’s never a good feeling when you’re working your ass off and nobody is recognizing you for it. Sometimes a simple “I am so proud of you” is the absolute best thing to hear, because you know all your hard work/struggle isn’t going unnoticed.

"You've got this."

Similar to “I believe in you,” but this focuses more on reassuring you personally that you can do it, instead of somebody thinking you can do it. When somebody loves you, they tend to look out for you, which means (hopefully) they wouldn’t tell you could do something if they didn’t think you could. They’re giving you that extra little push that can sometimes be exactly what you need.

“I’ll wait for you.”

Telling someone you won’t leave them behind is one of the most sure-fire ways to make someone feel secure, because sometimes people love you a lot, but they still won’t wait for you. Knowing somebody is there no matter how long you take or what you're doing makes you know you’re not alone.

“I’m here for you.”

Sometimes people don’t want to talk about what they’re going through, or they do, but they don’t want to feel like a nuisance. Saying “I’m here for you” leaves an open door for them to talk to you about anything they may need to, without you bombarding them with 100 questions they don’t want to answer, or trying to get an answer out of them.

Of course, “I love you” a beautiful thing to say, and definitely is one of the most important things you can say, but next time you’re not quite sure what to say to somebody, try one of these phrases, because they just might do the trick.