We will learn about ten signs someone has a secret crush on you. Has someone in your life been acting a little differently? Maybe they’re more timid or nervous than usual. They might have changed how they dress or the style of their hair. They might be standing a little closer or hovering at your side. Either way, you are starting to get suspicious. Until now, you two have identified as friends. But lately, it seems like they are feeling something more. Ideally, you could ask this person if they consider you more than a friend. But it’s nerve-racking and awkward to put yourself out there.
If you’re right, it may lead to something great. But if you’re wrong, you may embarrass them and yourself. You might even put your friendship at risk. So, what should you do? How do you figure out if this person is really interested in you? It would be easy if we could read each other’s minds, but that’s never going to happen. Instead, we have to rely on subtle cues, habits, and changes in behavior to interpret how people really feel. As hard as we try to uncover their feelings, this person may be working just as hard to keep their feelings hidden. They may pretend to be just friends, denying they have any feelings for you.
But deep down, they consider you someone very special. You’d be surprised how many relationships begin this exact way. Two people may have feelings for each other but are too afraid to confess them out loud. So, they flirt back and forth. They make subtle moves to test the waters, but what if you could skip over all that confusion and uncertainty? What if you knew, just by looking at someone, whether they have a secret crush on you? Before we go any further, there’s one crucial thing everyone should remember. Even if you know all the signs of romantic interest, few things are 100% certain. For example, someone may exhibit one or more signs of attraction without feeling anything romantic for you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t increase your odds. While nothing is a guarantee, certain habits are strongly correlated with hidden feelings of interest and attraction. If you notice these ten reliable signals, someone in your life may be hiding their true feelings for you.
1. Temporary Insanity
According to a 2009 study, we experience a sort of insanity around the people we like. In this study, participants were given a series of simple tests. No matter how easy these tests seemed, participants made all kinds of foolish mistakes when they were watched by an attractive person. And we’re often no better. Around the people we like, we say strange things, make terrible jokes, and exercise poor judgment. In other words, we sometimes lose our minds. But it’s not because there’s something wrong in our heads. We may be normal, competent people 99% of the time, but a crush can literally drive us crazy.
2. The Salad Effect
Did you know that people eat differently around their crushes? A recent study tested whether we (a) consume different foods and (b) eat smaller portions around the people we like. Turns out we’re guilty on both accounts. Around a crush, we tend to order healthier options. For example, someone who usually orders a hamburger might opt for a salad around the person they like. But that’s not all. We also consume smaller portions. People are more likely to choose small sizes or large ones. Why? Because we want our crushes to perceive us in a more attractive way. We want to seem like healthy, conscientious people. In other words, we care about what they think of us and want to make the best impressions possible. Anyone who changes their habits and preferences around you… may have stronger feelings than you think.
3. They Remember
Everything No one is more interesting than our crush. We want to know every one of their stories. We laugh at all their jokes. We pay close attention to their preferences and hang on to their every word. In our minds, this person is attractive, fascinating, and unique. If you want to know whether someone has secret feelings for you, see how much they listen. Does this person remember tiny details about your life? Can they tell your stories back to you word for word? If the answer is yes, this person thinks of you as more than a friend.
4. The Marshmallow Test
Would you rather have a small reward now or a larger reward in the future? Most of the time, we exercise willpower and resist temptations. We can look into the future and make decisions that benefit our lives down the road. But around the people we like, we have much less self-control. In the 1970s, there was a famous experiment in which young participants were offered one marshmallow now or two marshmallows later. Unsurprisingly, most of them ate their marshmallows right away. Around our crushes, we are just as likely to be impatient and short-sighted. In other words, we want who we want, and we want them now. If someone has feelings for you, you may notice a sudden uptick in spontaneous or impulsive behavior. They may rush into things or make reckless decisions but don’t judge them too harshly. Their impatience may be a sign of how they really feel.
5. The Mere Exposure Effect
Familiarity plays a significant role in attraction. Studies show that we’re more likely to fall for people that we see often. This is known as the Mere Exposure Effect. Repeated exposure to things or people increases their likability, but this works the other way around, too. If someone wants you to like them, they might spend more time around you and, in the process, make themselves seem more likable. Pay attention to anyone in your life who seems to show up wherever you go. They may visit your favorite restaurants. They may join the same fitness classes. You seem to run into them everywhere because they are secretly in love with you.
6. The Big Spender
It’s no secret that success is attractive. For this reason, many people, especially men, pretend to be successful to attract attention from potential partners. For example, they might spend a lot of money on a meal or a gift. Why? Because they want you to perceive them as successful and attractive. If someone has a crush on you, you might notice them spending more money than they can afford. They might drop hundreds on luxury items, pretending these large sums barely mean anything. But the truth is… this person wants your attention. They want to seem attractive in your eyes, likely because they have a crush on you.
7. Rewriting History
Comparing relationships is not a good habit, but many of us do it anyway. For example, when you like someone new, you may compare them to everyone you’ve dated before… and your new crush may seem head and shoulders above the rest. You may wonder why it took you so long to find someone so perfect for you. Not only is this a common psychological trend, but it’s actually a sign of romantic interest. People tend to express greater disappointment in past relationships in the presence of potential partners. In other words, the more someone likes you, the less they care about the people from their past.
8. They Want the World to Know
If someone has a crush on you, they may struggle to talk about anything else. Chances are this person thinks about you constantly. Every experience you share looms large in their minds. They’re always thrilled to spend time and make memories with you, so don’t be surprised if they share that excitement with others. For example, you might overhear this person using your name in conversation. They might tell your stories to others or gush about your many exceptional qualities. You may hear from a mutual friend that this person keeps mentioning your name. If this sounds familiar, bells should be ringing. Because this person likely has feelings for you.
9. Party of Two
When crushing on someone, we seek opportunities to be alone with them. We want to talk and connect one-on-one, finding private moments to be intimate and vulnerable. So, how do you know if someone has feelings for you? Count the number of people in your party. If you only hang out in group settings, this person may think of you as another one of their friends. They may be comfortable enough with you to talk and hang out. But they likely aren’t interested in taking your friendship to the next level. On the other hand, you might know someone with whom you always seem to be alone. They may find ways to separate you from the rest of the group. Maybe they pull you aside for private conversation or make excuses to be alone together. These may seem like harmless gestures. This person may act like it’s just a coincidence. But if you’re almost always a party of two, this person may have stronger feelings than you realize.
10. They Keep the Spark Alive
Let’s say your friend has a secret crush on you, but lately, you’ve been growing apart. You may not think much of it, but your friend might. Every day that you don’t talk weighs heavily on their minds. They don’t want to go days or weeks without talking to you. You are someone special to them, so they’ll make an effort to keep your connection strong. For example, this person may text you out of the blue, wondering how your day is going or whether you have plans for the weekend. They may comment on your social media posts, finding any way to keep your lives intertwined. If you know someone who keeps that spark alive, this person may have hidden feelings for you. Thank you for watching TopThink and be sure to subscribe because more incredible content is on the