It can be the most triggering thing when you’ve done everything you think should make a man or woman feel loved, and they still say they don’t. You prioritise calling and sending love messages to your significant other, and they don’t seem to appreciate it. Most times, the culprit is not understanding that people process love in several ways. Love language is the way people express and experience love. It is the way one’s significant other translates feelings of love and its intensity.
The concept of love languages was popularised by Dr Gary Chapman in his book, “The 5 Love Languages,”. According to Chapman, partners’ love languages can be as different as English and Chinese. As much as you want to express yourself to someone Chinese in English, they will never understand if they don’t understand English. So, also, you won’t understand their Chinese expression of love to you. Gary concluded that the point of the love language is to bridge the gap in understanding how your partner best understands love.
Here are his five primary love languages:
- Words of Affirmation: This love language involves expressing affection and love through verbal compliments, encouragement, appreciation, and kind or loving words.
- Quality Time: This love language emphasises spending meaningful and focused time together. It involves undivided attention, engaging in shared activities, and creating opportunities for deep connection and conversation.
- Receiving Gifts: Some individuals feel loved when they receive physical gifts or tokens of affection. It is not necessarily about materialism but rather the thoughtfulness and effort behind the gift.
- Acts of Service: This love language revolves around caring and supporting actions. It involves doing things for your partner, such as cooking a meal, completing chores, or providing assistance in practical ways.
- Physical Touch: This love language involves the power of physical contact and affection. It includes hugs, kisses, holding hands, cuddling, and any form of physical intimacy that conveys love and care.
It is important to note that individuals usually have a primary love language that resonates with them the most, that is, the one you may never fail with. However, they can also appreciate and respond to other love languages to varying degrees.
Also, understanding your partner’s love language and communicating in their preferred way takes time, patience and effort. With this, it is almost inevitable that emotional connection and relationship satisfaction will be reached in every relationship.
. TheWitness
