Language is one way we express ourselves. We speak the language those around us will know because we want to be understood. Just like verbal language, there is body language, written language, and even love language. We can connect best when we express our love the right way. Communicating our love in appropriate ways is vital for relationships to thrive.
What is a love language?
Love languages are universal ways that we give, receive, and interpret love. Similarly to learning a new language, one love language flows naturally while the others take more work to learn and understand.
The author of the bestselling book The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman, helps strengthen emotional connections.
He introduced five love languages:
How do I identify my love language?
Marriage.about.com wrote an article on the five love languages and asked three important questions to help readers determine what they need to feel loved. Most likely, we communicate love to others the way we want to be loved, so we can ask ourselves these three things:
- How do I express love to others?
- What do I complain about the most?
- What do I request most often?
Making our love languages clear to others will help us not only feel loved but also feel connected.
Here is a quiz you can take to identify your love language 5lovelanguage.com
How do I identify other people’s love languages?
Similar to how we give love the way we want to receive it, so do those around us! Does one of your friends always pick out a thoughtful gift before you hang out? His love language is most likely receiving gifts. Does your girlfriend always greet you with a hug? Physical touch is your best bet! Start to look for signs and clues, and then offer those same gestures in return. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you will connect.
Remember:
“The one who chooses to love will find appropriate ways to express that decision every day.” – Gary Chapman
Refer to the graphic below while you learn to speak each love language.