Top 7 ways to show love

We know that there are different types of love: brotherly, maternal, romantic… And, therefore, There are also many ways to love and express it. Each person expresses what they feel as they have learned to do so.

However, do we know how to show love? Is it something that comes innate to us or can we work on it? Are there universal ways to present it? Although everyone has their own way, There are generic actions that will help you show that love. Do you want to know them? Well, stay tuned!

Ways to transmit love

Communicating this feeling is essential to take care of interpersonal ties and to strengthen connection and intimacy with others. It is a way of declaring to the other person that you are willing to make the relationship satisfying and lasting.

Signs of affection generate a warm, safe and trusting environment where the loved one feels accepted and valued. This will allow you to be more open to being as you are, without fear of being judged, rejected or humiliated.

On the other hand, showing love also helps strengthen people’s self-esteem.. When we spread it, others feel important and valuable, which makes their self-esteem more positive. Confidence increases and self-image improves.

Loving revelations can take on different styles, and can range from small gestures to grand proclamations. They can be presented through words, actions, gifts or affection. The relevant thing is that they are honest and consistent with what we feel.

Next, we will give you some recommendations, but do not abuse each of them. Try not to be overwhelming or exaggerated. Try to apply them in moderation and diversify them.

1. Be concerned and interested in their life

Showing love is caring and ensuring the well-being of the other person, This is what Erich Fromm points out in his book The art of Loving, where he highlights that care is a central element of love. In this context, worry is a way of being attentive to the other person’s need.

To express interest, inquire about his life, problems and needs; Ask him how he is, if he’s already fed, if you can help with anything, etc. When they are sick or ill, provide them with support and attention. Make him feel that you are present.

2. Give him caresses and hugs

Physical contact is very comforting for people and, in turn, is another way to show love. According to an article published in Frontiers in psychiatry, this simple act promotes mental and physical health and can have a calming effect.

When you go to caress and hug, Try to do it gently so that the person feels comfortable. If you can accompany the contact with some tender words, much better, but it is not necessary.

3. Practice active listening

When you actively listen to someone, you are showing them that you care about what they say. and that you are open to understanding the situation from their perspective. Without a doubt, it is a great gesture of love.

According to Desirée Llamas, health psychologist, researcher and teacher at the University of Malaga, this type of listening is achieved when “we put our full awareness into the dialogue, that is, when we concentrate on the message, we reflect on it and, in addition, we make the other person see it».

How can you apply it? Magazine Heart Matters recommends: not interrupting the conversation, listening without judging, being attentive to non-verbal language, establishing eye contact, paraphrasing and summarizing. Don’t rush to respond and don’t think about your response while the person is speaking, as you won’t be able to listen if you’re thinking about what you’ll say next.

4. Show empathy

Empathy has multiple definitions, but broadly speaking, we could say that it is the ability to understand the emotional life of another subject. Through it we can better connect with people, understand them and support them. To practice empathetic communication, which allows you to display your love, it is necessary:

Recognize and accept the other person’s feelings.Imagine how you might be feeling. State what you perceive (“I notice that you are sad about…”).Validate emotions.Respect efforts. Offer support and collaboration.

Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, recognize their feelings, and offer support are essential skills for connecting with others and proving your love.

5. Offer him a gift

In today’s society, the value of the gift seems to have decreased due to consumer culture. However, there are details that transmit deep feelings of love and affection, either because they have been personally made or acquired with great dedication and effort.

Gifts allow you to let the person see that you have thought about them and that you know their tastes.. Furthermore, they influence the maintenance and development of relationships, as stated in an article in Social cognitive and affective neuroscience.

To apply this recommendation, give her a gift she likes that excites her. You can also offer something that matches your way of being, since, according to a study by the Journal of Consumer Psychology People like gifts that reflect the characteristics of the giver.

6. Do something helpful

Show that other person that you love them doing something useful. Cooking, cleaning, fixing things, taking care of the heaviest tasks are acts that you can do with a smile on your face, without expecting the favor to be returned.

If the person asks you for a favor, do not hesitate to do it, unless it crosses legal, ethical or moral limits. Responding favorably to the request can make your sympathies towards her increase, which will strengthen your affection.

7. Support the other person in difficult times

Being their support will allow you to express that you care about what happens to them and that you are there for whatever they need. Remember, you should be supportive and not preachy. Sometimes it is enough to give him the space to vent without offering advice.

The social and emotional support you can provide It will help you have greater resilience or resistance to stress. This will allow you to face the difficult situation you are going through in a more adaptive way.

8. Celebrate what makes you unique

Everyone wants to be accepted and appreciated, especially by those they consider their loved ones. So, take advantage of that longing to celebrate the little quirks that make the other person special and let them be themselves.

Praise and highlight their positive qualities. Compliments will not only reinforce your self-esteem and identity, but will also improve relational satisfaction, especially if you have a romantic connection.

9. Dedicate time

It is very good to express what you feel, caress and have details to spread your love. However, One of the greatest signs of love you can have with someone is to dedicate time to them..

It is not necessary to see each other often, but it is necessary to have some time to call and talk. In the end, Time is a limited commodity, and giving it with love is an undeniable way to show love.

10. Validate emotions

Love is based, among other things, on acceptance and respect, so the best way to demonstrate it is through the expression of these two components. In this sense, emotional validation plays a fundamental role, since It allows you to see, welcome and reaffirm the other person’s feelings without judging them.

According to Desirée Llamas, to validate you must:

Give space to emotion. Ask the person to tell you what they feel.Detect and reflect emotion. Describe the emotion you observe. For example, “I see that you are very happy.”Normalize the emotion. Tell the person that it is okay to feel this way, that it is normal.
Communicate that those emotions make sense. Tell him that what he feels makes sense within the situation he is experiencing. For example, “It’s logical that you feel this way considering what happened to you.”

By welcoming and not judging the emotions of your loved ones, you make them feel comforted by your presence.. In the long term this has enormous benefits for the emotional bond they maintain.

11. Be grateful

Another way to show love is by giving thanks for favors received. Gratitude will make the person feel appreciated and valued; Furthermore, according to Emotion, will promote the maintenance of the relationship. To express it you can:

Write a letter or note of gratitude. Talk about how important the relationship is to you and how grateful you are for it. Recognize, value and thank the other person for their efforts.Highlight the positive qualities of the other and thank them for being who they are.

It is crucial that in your expression of gratitude the reason why you do it is clear.. This way, the other person will be able to understand exactly what you value and appreciate about their action.

Conclusion

Expressing the love you experience is necessary to take care of interpersonal relationships and to reaffirm the connection and intimacy you have with others. Shows of affection generate a safe environment where the other feels accepted and calm.

Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the other person’s needs, be empathetic, practice active listening, offer help, take time, and express gratitude. Although everyone has their own love language, these generic actions can help you show affection in an effective way that is consistent with what you feel.

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