You might be giving your 100% in your relationship, but is that what your partner actually wants from you? Are you communicating your love in the right way to your partner? Well, you don’t know but that might actually not be the case and you might be showing your love in a different way from what your partner actually wants and this might be affecting your relationship in ways you cannot even think of. So, it is always better to learn about your partner’s love language if you want your relationship to prosper and stay healthy.
After around 30 years of experience as a marriage and family counselor and a reading experience through more than a decade’s worth of notes, Gary Chapman, Ph.D. realized that he had been hearing the same stories again and again and therefore categorized what couples really wanted from each other fell into five distinct categories:
1. Words of affirmation
This love language is basically and mainly about compliments or words of encouragement. People with words of affirmation as their love language are more inclined toward verbal acknowledgments of affection like those frequent “I love you’s,”, love notes, and cute text messages. You can make the day of a person with this love language through any form of written and spoken shows of affection.
2. Quality time
The person with this love language is mainly concerned about their partner’s undivided attention, it is all that matters to them. They tend to feel the most adored when their partner actively wants to spend time with them and is always ready to hang out with them. All the acts like putting down your phone, making eye contact, paying your undivided attention, and listening to them can be quite meaningful to this person.
3. Receiving gifts
This love language revolves around the symbols of love, like flowers or chocolates and it is not about the monetary value but the symbolic thought behind these items. The thing that actually matters to this person is the time and effort the gift-giver put into the gift. They don’t usually expect or want large and expensive gifts and remember even the smallest gift you have ever given to them.
4. Acts of service
This love language includes small things like setting the table, walking the dog or doing other small jobs. If your partner has this love language they might like it when you go out of your way to make their life easier. This love language is basically for the people who believe in the famous saying that action speaks louder than words and therefore they like it more when you prove that you love or care for them instead of you saying that you love or care for them.
5. Physical touch
This love language may involve things like having sex, holding hands, kissing, or hugging. Physical intimacy and touch are quite important for people with this love language, as it becomes a powerful emotional connector for them. So, if physical touch is the love language of your partner you might look at planning a date that involves cuddling on the couch while watching a movie to make it the perfect and best date for them.