Just as everyone has unique needs, wants and desires in their life..
Each one of us also has a particular way of giving and receiving love.
Knowing this about yourself and indeed about others, can have a dramatic impact on the way you communicate and therefore how you are received when communicating.
Whether you are looking to improve your relationship with your partner, your family or even your friends, knowing and understanding the five love languages is a priceless resource.
So what are the five love languages and where did they come from?
The 5 Love Languages is a book written by Dr Gary Chapman, whom created them after working for 30 years as a marriage counsellor.
He concluded that these 5 languages covered how most of us speak and understand emotional love.
Here are the five love languages and a brief explanation of each:
1. Words of affirmation
When words of affirmation is your love language, you place a high value on the spoken word. This means that you appreciate being told you are loved, and it also means that hurtful words can be more deeply painful to you.
2. Quality time
If quality time is your love language, spending quality time with the people you love is what makes you feel loved and happy. You appreciate it deeply when you are given undivided attention.
3. Receiving gifts
If receiving gifts is your love language, you are deeply touched when somebody takes the time to select and purchase a gift for you. It doesn’t necessarily indicate that you are materialistic, it is more the act of giving than the object that is being given that matters.
4. Acts of service
When acts of service is your love language, you feel most loved and supported when people do things for you. For you, actions definitely speak louder than words.
5. Physical touch
When physical touch is your love language, being in close contact with your partner or people you love is of very high importance to you. This can be sex, kissing or even simply touching hands.
So now that we know what they are, how do we use the 5 love languages to improve our life?
First, jump onto Gary Chapman’s website and do the quiz to help discover what your own dominant love language is.
Knowledge is power, and learning about yourself is the best kind of knowledge to possess.
Your next step is to simply apply this knowledge you have gained to your interactions in everyday life.
It sounds simple because it is!
Once you know how you give and receive love, it will help you to understand more deeply how you relate to others.
You will also then gain an insight to others’ expressions of love and also be more open to receiving them.
All great changes in life are made step by step, so the more you practice the better you get.