Expressing your emotions can be one of the hardest things to do in life, especially when doing so requires a certain level of vulnerability. Opening up to your loved one can be incredibly rewarding, and showing the depth of your affections for them is important to strengthen the bond you share.
It’s common to fall into the trap of taking your loved one for granted and forgetting to remind both yourself and your partner just how much they mean to you.
If you’re struggling to put into words just how much you love them and feel like you need a little relationship advice, you’ve come to the right place! Read on to find a little inspiration and perhaps a couple of things to think about as you continue your journey together.
Relationship Advice and Understanding Yourself
First and foremost, it’s crucially important to understand how you feel. Anyone can parrot the time-worn phrase ‘I love you’, without putting much thought into it. Before long, you might find the phrase has lost the weight it used to have.
A little introspection goes a long way, so before you start tripping over yourself to tell your partner how much they mean to you, give some considered thought to your emotions. It’s one thing to know how you feel, and quite another to understand why you feel the way you do. Emotions are complex things and you may find the depth of their complexity surprising when you take a closer look.
Our internal worlds aren’t well-organized, so take your time. Emotions are fast-acting and can give and take without remorse. Words have great power even if they’re untrue, so making doubly sure you know how you feel so you can say what you mean is of paramount importance.
Showing Affection
While carefully chosen words can stir the heart, and letters written in earnest can be cherished forever, a lot can be communicated without even opening your mouth or putting pen to paper. You needn’t reserve a table at an expensive restaurant or lavish your loved one with precious metals and jewels, either. A touch on the shoulder or arm, or a cup of coffee that wasn’t asked for can serve just as well.
Showing affection is what happens when the well of your love for someone overflows and you feel the need to manifest the feeling somehow. Grand gestures have their time and place, but small acts of kindness throughout the day can often communicate a deeper and more lasting connection. This demonstrates your feelings for your partner aren’t fickle and promotes a feeling of security upon which your relationship can continue to flourish.
Physical affection is as succinct a message to your partner as you can hope to convey. A silent kiss or hug can mean the world to them and doesn’t cost a penny. We’re fragile and emotional creatures who sometimes only need the reassurance of an embrace for the world to be put to rights.
Relationship Tips
The feeling of being unheard can often cause rifts in a relationship, and since communication is key for any successful relationship, it’s important to take the time to listen. If you feel only irritation when your partner expresses a desire to be heard, or tell a story, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself why that might be. Conversely, when your partner feels as if you’re a dependable ear, their affections will strengthen.
We’re all at the mercy of our emotions, sometimes we feel irritable or otherwise not at our best and it’s at these moments where it’s most important to be patient both with yourself and your partner. Practice mindfulness, take a breath, and take stock of the situation in terms your partner might see them. A little empathy goes a very long way, and understanding how your partner feels so you can act appropriately to offer succor in times of strife will communicate more than you know.
Being kind, although it might seem obvious, is often overlooked. The world we live in is a harsh place, filled with ignorance and belligerence. Making yourself an island of reliable security and comfort in a sea of turmoil and uncertainty is a love language that will endure for years to come.
Stages of Love
In the beginning, infatuation and lust often come hand in hand. Don’t confuse lust for love, or use sexual intimacy as the cornerstone of your relationship. Lust fades quickly and isn’t any kind of foundation for a lasting connection. If you’re looking to express love for your partner in no uncertain terms, it’s done after the shine has worn off.
Take care to notice the little things your partner does for you, and express your gratitude for them. When you feel a surge of emotion when they smile or laugh, embrace them. The later stages of love are the best and also the hardest to arrive at. Time spent together can be either the enemy or the saving grace of your relationship depending on how you behave as your relationship matures.
Whichever stage you’re at, be thankful that you have someone to give your affections to. Also, be kind to yourself throughout the process, and forgive yourself for the mistakes you make along the way. Nobody gets any of this stuff completely right and an error here and there is to be expected, and the same can be said for your partner, remember, you’re in this together!
Honesty Goes A Long Way
In the end, be honest both with yourself and your partner. Withhold nothing from them that you wouldn’t want to be withheld from you. Treat them as you would like to be treated, and adhere to all your conscience suggests.
Express yourself with genuine intent, let yourself feel everything deeply, and don’t allow yourself to become jaded. Love is as important to us as humans as the air we breathe, and comes as freely. Revel in it, but be careful, both for your own sake and that of your loved one.
If this article was helpful at all, check out the rest of the blog! When it comes to the many varied intricacies of the heart and relationship advice, we’ve got you covered!