Page 60 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2021

HEALTHY LIVING
Knowing How to Communicate with Your Partner
Words of A rmation
People with this love language feel best when their loved ones verbalize their feelings. Being insulted upsets them more than it does others.
How to love them:
saying “I love you,” telling them why
you love them, giving them compliments, encouraging them with your words, and leaving kind notes.
Quality Time
The key to this language is full, undivided attention. Canceled plans, being on your phone, and divided attention hurt this individual.
How to love them:
spending uninterrupted time together, actively listening, and doing activities together.
Receiving Gifts
This love language is more than just giving gifts – it’s about putting time and thought
into the gift to show you care for the other person. This person will feel insulted if you miss a birthday or give them a gift that feels generic or surface level.
How to love them:
put time, e ort, and thought into the gifts you give. They want to be reminded that you truly know them and their interests.
Acts of Service
People with this language appreciate when their loved ones’ actions speak louder than their words.
Show them that you appreciate them by helping them. This person will be upset if you make more work for them or do not o er to help.
How to love them:
go out of your way to help them out of love, not obligation. Simple things like vacuuming or doing the laundry will make their day.
Physical Touch
This love language revolves around appropriate touch.
For these individuals, support is physical rather than emotional. They will feel hurt
if physical contact is limited.
How to love them:
hugs, holding hands, massages, or putting your arm around them.
To nd out yours, you can visit 5lovelanguages.com.
story by Victoria Snyder
In 1992, Gary Chapman released the book The Five Love Languages. Since then, people have used the novel and online tests to gure out their own love languages. Knowing
your love language – and others’ – can
help facilitate healthy communication in relationships of all kinds. The “languages” are words of a rmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Let’s break down what those mean:
60 | February 2021
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living