I love you

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Quite possibly the hardest three words to say together in that specific order, at least from personal experience. There has been a mandate of mine to not say this sentence outwardly or excessively, I find this sentence to be quite arbitrary in any form of interaction because it seems like a waste of time if the emotion is both shown and felt by those involved. Call me bitter, but to say it excessively seems to me like you are just trying to re-enforce your emotion though in reality you are only trying to convince yourself that the situation is still stable and that what you say is the truth. This doesn't mean I think it shouldn't be said, of course, it just seems odd that some people seem to say it compulsively without recognising the weight of the words they use.

I have been trained to go as long as possible in romantic relationships without saying those three words and just show love by action instead. In the past, I have observed that women seem less interested in me when I said those words. It could be any reason as to why (believed I was looking for something, or they were looking for challenge and my saying that eliminated the challenge for them.)

I say it to my husband and kids all the time. I agree that actions are more meaningful, but I think people need verbal affirmation too.

It's a much more weighted phrase when dating. It can transform fun dating into a couplehood/partnership.

Agreed it's more important to be shown than merely said.

I advise liberal usage within a serious relationship. Don't say it within the context of a confrontation, though. It comes off as disingenuous. I rate it up there with "I'm sorry" when issues you fight over are your actions and you fail to end the behavior, i.e. you're sorry you got caught or you don't really want to stop the behavior. In the latter case, it shows you might want to consider breaking up. "I love you" can turn into another "I'm sorry" that doesn't fix anything.