There are a multitude of theories surrounding love. There are the soulmate theories, dating back as far as Plato in his piece The Symposium in which he discusses the Greek mythology of soulmates where "humans were originally created with 4 arms, 4 legs and a head with 2 faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search for other halves" (Plato) There is also the Red String of Fate(sometimes referred to as the Red String of Marriage) theory that derives from East Asian beliefs. In this theory, the gods tie a red string around the ankles of people who are destined to meet each other or provide help to each other in some way. There are so many other ideas surrounding love that each and every person experience differently.

Today I'm going to share some advice that I've found in my own relationship that helped me realize I found the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I recently got engaged and these are the reasoning behind my decision to say yes.

They Value Your Opinion And You Value Theirs

This is an extremely important for any relationship to remain functional. This goes for the big things and for the little things. My fiance asks my opinion on a lot of things; things as little as what restaurant I want to eat at and things as big as what kind of house I want to live in as we search for one. When you have a partner who constantly does whatever regardless of whether or not it's something you like or want to do it'll put a strain on your relationship. I'm not saying that our opinion overcomes theirs; but we must live with mutual respect. A lot of the arguments I have with my other half are over opinions(mostly what to eat for dinner because I am incredibly indecisive and I say I don't know a lot). If it is something you are doing together, you need to take the time to hear both sides before really deciding what to do.

They Say They Love You; And They Mean It

We've all been there. We've had relationships where somebody says I love you right from the start. We've said I love you to people because they've said it to us and we feel obligated to respond. "I love you" is a powerful phrase. It can also be used as controlling phrase. When somebody really loves you, you won't find yourself in a situation where you are doing anything that makes you uncomfortable because they "love you so much". I've been there. I've been with more than one person who has used that phrase to play me and manipulate me into doing whatever they wanted me too. When someone really loves you, you'll know it. You'll see it in their eyes. You'll see it in the crinkles of their forehead when they tell you.

The same goes for you though. Don't tell someone you love them if you don't. It's not far to string someone along like that.

They Hang Out With Your Family And Friends; And You Hang Out With Theirs

I have a really great relationship with my fiance's family. In fact, I go over there once or twice a week to do laundry and visit with their cats/kittens. His family is comfortable enough to let me be in their home alone. We do a lot with our families like family vacations and dinners. Just a couple weeks ago, our parents all met for the first time. It was a really great dinner and I'm looking forward to doing it again. There are some exceptions to this though. If you or your partner don't have a good relationship with family it isn't always a great idea to be around family that often.

Friends are another important matter. Your significant other shouldn't dictate who you can and can't hang out with and you shouldn't dictate other. This also can go back to the valuing of opinions advice I gave earlier. If your significant other or yourself are uncomfortable with a certain person it's good to have a conversation about it. There are often reasons behind this opinion and it's good to clear the air about it. Another important friend matter is being able to all hang out together. I'm not saying that you and your significant other can't hang out with your friends alone, but it is always nice to have a big get together sometimes. If you've been your partner for a long time and you haven't met their friends, consider asking if you can. Friends are some of the most valuable opinions when it comes to relationships.

They Get Jealous

Let me start by saying I'm not talking about the kind of jealous that goes through your phone to see who you've been talking to or dictating who you can and can't be friends with or messaging people on Facebook telling them not to talk to you jealous. I'm talking about the little jealous things. A little jealousy is healthy in any relationship. The kind of jealous that makes you laugh. I have a tendency to swoon over band members(particular one very handsome Cody Carson of Set It Off). My fiance thinks it's funny and he picks on me about it. He doesn't get mad at me. He has no real reason to be jealous because odds are I will never, ever stand a chance with a lead singer. Not that it matters, I'm head over heels for him so he really doesn't need to worry at all.

They Accept You For You; All Flaws Included

No one is perfect. We are all flawed in some way. Maybe it's crooked teeth, bad breath in the morning, a little extra weight or a personality flaw (like my indecisiveness). Your other half isn't going to ask you to change for them. If you find yourself with someone who is always commenting on one of your flaws than it may be time to get out of that relationship. I have some extra weight that I'd love to get rid of. My partner has never, ever pointed it out. If I bring it up, he suggests that we could start going for walks or go to the gym a couple days a week.

They Make You Laugh

Sense of humor in a relationship is so important. Mostly because who wants to be serious all the time? I laugh each and every day because of something he does. Laughter is said to keep people healthy, so why wouldn't it keep a relationship healthy also?

You Can Picture A Future With Them

I've been planning my life for a long time. I never knew who would be there with me until I met my other half. And then suddenly he just fit right in to my perfect picture. At a younger age this really doesn't matter, it also doesn't matter if you're someone who doesn't want to get married or have kids (though you should make sure they know this).

When my boyfriend proposed to me the other day everything felt right. It made perfect sense to say yes and start a beautiful future together. I am happy with him and he is happy with me. We are looking to buy a house together. We are talking about having kids someday. I can see a future with him as clear as a cloudless sky.

This is certainly not a comprehensive list. I could go on and on for days on end about love and how you know it's real. For now I will leave you to go out and find your amazing relationship.

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses." - Ann Landers