1. They will adore you unconditionally. Real love comes with no expectations. You have nothing to prove or win. Yes, at the start of a love affair, you’re attempting to captivate and impress each other, but as time passes, there’s no need to perform in order to keep love alive.

2. They will actually listen. Real listening entails setting aside your own agenda and truly absorbing what the other person is saying, without passing judgment. It is not always simple, but truly loving someone entails being able to support them through thick and thin, as well as being a decent, compassionate confidant.

3. They’ll give you room. At the start of a relationship, it’s normal to be inseparable and want to do everything together. But there comes a time when each couple requires some space. When and how this occurs varies according on the individual and the relationship.

However, because true love entails allowing your partner to be himself or herself, you must respect your partner’s need for independence and the freedom to do things without you on occasion.

4. They’ll fight for you. When you’re having a bad day, your spouse will be the first to remind you how amazing you are. Your partner will be your strongest ally in dealing with interpersonal conflicts. They will remind you of the strength you forgot you possessed and provide you with fighting words when you are too upset to find them on your own.

5. They’ll hold on through the storms. Conflicts in relationships are common, but if permitted to fester, they can devastate partnerships. Fighting is normal and healthy. Fights are opportunities to hash out issues. But someone who truly loves you will never be angry. He or she will struggle through the anger to reach the other side, which is a greater understanding and mutual respect.

6. They will make you feel safer. It goes without saying that a partner who is physically or verbally abusive should be kicked out. But all relationships should make you feel protected. Typically, it is a fairly straightforward process. You just know when you can trust someone, and it’s reinforced when they show that trust to you throughout the relationship.