In the New York Times Bestselling Book, “The Five Love Languages,” author Gary Chapman describes five different manners in which people feel loved in their childhood.

1. Quality Time – Love is expressed by spending time with one another and giving undivided attention
2. Words of Affirmation – Love is expressed by words of praise and affection
3. Receiving Gifts – Love is expressed by gift giving
4. Physical Touch – Love is expressed by hugs and other touch
5. Acts of Service – Love is expressed by actions being more meaningful than words

The theory? That if each individual is loved in their own particular language, individuals will have happier, more satisfied relationships where they feel fully loved.

For instance:

If a husband loves his wife with her particular language (for instance, Quality Time) and
The wife loves her husband with his particular language (for instance, Words of Affirmation)
then each will feel much more loved by one another and appreciated. It will speak to the way they felt loved while growing up.

A literal example that he gives in his book:
A wife wants her husband to go away for the weekend. He says he’s too busy.
The husband wants his wife to tell him she appreciates how hard he works for their family.
The solution so that they both feel loved and appreciated?
A weekend away with quality time for the wife while the husband gets words of affirmation on being appreciated.

Some families love with multiple languages, some with all and some with just one. Regardless, there is generally one for most people that make them feel the most intensely loved. That is the language Chapman instructs readers to determine within them and their spouse in order to allow love to thrive.

However,

This Valentine’s Day Challenge is to love with all 5 of the love languages for a day.

Grab a pen and a piece of paper or a computer and scribble or type each of the aforementioned, five love languages. Then next to each, write something you will do for your significant other this Valentine’s Day that matches that particular love language.

After all, Valentine’s Day is about love – So why not be as generous as possible with it?

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