What’s Your Love Language?
#1 Words of affirmation.
Do you remember Gary Chapman’s book, The 5 Love Languages? It was originally published in 1992 but today is still ranked #1 on Amazon in 3 categories (love, marriage, and relationships).
I grabbed it off the shelf yesterday and started re-reading.
Chapman puts forth the concept that falling in love is only a fleeting, split-second experience. This brief limerence and not enough for a sustained long-term partnership. All humans need is to be known and loved day after day, month after month, decade after decade.
Chapman provides us with a very concrete and practical way to achieve that deeper love. He encourages us to understand our own “love language” and to become fluent in our partners.
The 5 Love Languages
1. Words of affirmation
2. Quality time
3. Receiving gifts
4. Acts of service
5. Physical touch
One of the biggest mistakes I see couples make in my work as a couples therapist is that they give the gifts they want to receive instead of the gift their partner wants.
It reminds me of Father’s Day shopping when my kids were little.
Daddy would love…
