Love is a strong and complex feeling that we all yearn for regardless of age, gender, or race.
While it does not discriminate, only a few truly understand how love works.
As complex as it is, there will be times when you don’t know how to express your feelings to someone you love.
To help you out, we will share the different ways you can convey your feelings to people you care about.
For example, The 5 Love Languages is a book that talks about showing and receiving love depending on your need.
You will find similar books related to this topic on Blinkist, an online platform offering book summaries of diverse categories.
Love as a Human Need
Love is a human need that binds people together.
You feel loved when you are accepted, either by a group or a single person.
Therefore, it is human nature to look for a significant other or be part of a family or community to achieve a sense of belonging.
We know how love relates to different facets of life, but romantic partnership comes to mind first when talking about this emotion.
Humans have plenty of love to share, but they also expect to receive the same affection to feel complete and fulfilled.
As you love, you also learn affection, compassion, and kindness. These are acts of selfless love that sustain us.
Can Love Last Forever?
The feeling of being in love gives people a natural high. Your heart beats faster, and your legs become weak.
Well, that is how movies and romance novels describe a person in love. Those who experienced being in love will relate.
However, many people can also attest that this romantic excitement naturally dies down and becomes short-lived.
Conversely, some couples make an effort to keep the romance alive and satisfying for both of them.
Stages of Love
To better understand this notion of a dwindling romance, below are the different stages of love and their explanation.
Attraction and Romance
The first stage of love includes the first time you see your potential partner. You feel an attraction that is hard to explain.
Some call this the fantasy phase for new couples because they only see the good in their partners; hence, the saying “Love is blind.”
On average, stage one typically lasts three months the longest.
They don’t see conflict or negativity during this time.
Partners intentionally ignore flaws, avoid fights, and focus on similarities while spending as much time together as possible.
Getting Serious
As your relationship progresses, you slowly transition to a more profound connection.
It is when you start discussing long-term plans and creating a life together.
The romantic excitement slowly decreases as you feel a deeper and calmer connection with your partner.
Realization
This phase would either come at once or will slowly creep in as your relationship goes deeper.
Typically, this stage lasts for six months or longer, depending on your willingness to work things out and compromise.
Sadly, it’s a critical phase where others do not survive and choose to part ways instead.
Disappointment
Disappointment comes after realizing that your partner also has flaws like others.
Some couples try to talk things through to stay together, while others decide to jump ship.
During the disappointment stage, partners tend to avoid arguments even if they resent each other, thinking that conflict is bad.
Stability
If couples get past the disappointment stage, they can then rest and enjoy the stability phase.
Most couples spend two years of stability, which means that they have conquered differences and difficulties together.
During this time, couples are more connected to each other, believing that they can get through any conflicts.
However, they may sometimes miss the excitement of the first stage, wondering if they can relive it with another person.
Commitment
Not everyone reaches the commitment stage, where couples share a mature and sustainable relationship.
It means that you choose to accept your partner’s flaws and only think of being together as a couple.
How to Express Your Feelings to Someone You Love
Knowing how to express your feelings to someone you love makes a lot of difference in your lives as a couple.
Defining love is as complicated as the emotion itself. Every individual has his own understanding of this feeling.
When you are in love, everything around you looks beautiful. You feel braver and bolder, as if you can conquer everything.
As they say, it is easy to fall in love; sustaining it is the real challenge.
To help with this endeavor, you must constantly express your love for someone, whether it’s a romantic connection or not.
Here are some ways to effectively express your love for others.
1. Tell Them Directly
The most effective way to show your love to someone is by telling them directly.
You can say “I love you” or other phrases to express how you feel.
Let them know the positive impact of their love in your life and how it made you into a better person.
2. Learn How To Listen
Everybody wants to be heard, and listening is the best gift you can give someone you love.
It’s not easy and simple, though.
Listening shows that you care. You have to talk less and listen more to understand others better.
Most often, we listen to respond rather than understand.
Regardless of the kind of relationship, learning how to truly comprehend what the other person is saying is a great show of affection.
3. Show Appreciation
We often take people for granted, especially our loved ones, and most of the time, without us realizing it.
Acknowledging even small gestures can help create a healthy relationship, reigniting the love you share and making it even stronger.
4. Be Honest
Sometimes, you try to hide things from the people you love to protect them from getting hurt.
However, being honest, even when knowing that it might hurt them, shows that you respect them.
Entrust them with what you feel and think, whether good or bad, and it will show them your commitment to the relationship.
5. Encourage and Support Them
As a partner, it is your responsibility to provide support and encouragement to your loved ones.
Pushing them to do better in whatever they do provides a supportive environment that will give them the courage to pursue their dreams.
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts
When it comes to love, our perspectives vary, which is what the book is all about.
Dr. Gary Chapman wrote the book The 5 Love Languages back in 2015.
In this book, he talked about five emotional love languages he observed during his years as a marriage counselor.
He believes that each of us must know the kind of love language our loved ones speak so that we can communicate that love better.
The 5 Love Languages Summary
We all have an emotional love tank that needs replenishment for us to feel secure in the relationship.
The problem is, the kind of love you want to receive may differ from what your loved one needs, thus making one or the other feel unloved.
So, if you want your relationship to last longer, both you and your partner must learn each other’s love language.
1. Words of Affirmation
The first love language Dr. Gary Chapman mentioned is words of affirmation.
It’s for people who want to hear compliments and other love affirmations from their partners.
Alternatively, hearing insults and other aggravating words can hurt you and make you feel down.
Once you discover that it’s your partner’s love language, offer genuine compliments to let them know that you appreciate them.
2. Quality Time
The second love language, according to Dr. Chapman, is quality time.
It’s when your partner longs for your undivided attention without distractions.
They get hurt when you cancel dates or do not listen when they tell you something.
If your partner belongs to this group, it’s better to make eye contact while learning how to listen better when he speaks.
Don’t assume anything. It’s better to ask what your partner wants and make sure to deliver.
3. Receiving Gifts
The third love language is receiving gifts.
We all want to receive presents from our loved ones.
People who belong to this group are not just concerned about the gift, though, but with the idea that someone thought of them.
They don’t care about the price nor the kind of gift, as long as you genuinely remembered them, especially on special occasions.
Missing birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events greatly affect them.
4. Acts of Service
Helping your partner with chores around the house and doing errands are just some of the loving characteristics of the fourth love language, acts of service.
Laziness and broken commitments and responsibilities can make your partner feel unloved.
5. Physical Touch
The last love language is physical touch, which could mean cuddling, hugs, and other caring touches.
Sometimes, just seeing your partner physically present can make you feel happy and content.
However, you feel unloved when your partner neglects or abuses you.
Find Relationship Tips on Blinkist
For more tips on how to build a strong and long-lasting relationship, find similar books on Blinklist.
It’s an online platform offering summaries of more than 4,500 non-fiction books.
If you want to check what is in store for you before reading a book, Blinkist is for you.
You can either read or listen to the key ideas of any book in as quick as 15 minutes.
As a result, you will get the gist of a book even without reading its entirety.
What’s Your Love Language
If you are struggling with expressing your feelings to someone you love, check out The 5 Love Languages from Dr. Gary Chapman.
It offers a comprehensive guide to a long-lasting relationship that can survive conflicts and challenges that all couples face.
While you’re at it, you can also check other book summaries on related content on Blinkist.