The five languages of Love

I got a lot to say on this. Now, I'm gonna admit that this is a tough one for me because of (1) my issues with social anxiety and relationship anxiety and (2) the tendency of today's world to equate "love" with lustful (and often fake) pleasure relationships that end up being and bringing the opposite of true love into our lives. For these two reasons, I tend to shy away from romantic relationships and focus on love that can be found and appreciated on a seemingly simpler but more powerful level.

I'm about "the whole package", all 5 languages of love. I hope to be able to "speak" all five languages of love while I bumble and stumble through my simple life (according to today's world) hoping to receive these in kind. Brace yourselves ... this is gonna be a long one!

1. Words of Affirmation

Sincere compliments mean a lot to me, and I take them to heart. I am referring to compliments about inner character rather than about outside beauty because true beauty comes from within. I tend to be shy about giving compliemtns until I get to know someone because of social anxiety and that I am quite introverted at times, but I will often speak highly of those who help me to open up. I have had two listener friends right here on 7 Cups send me such sweet words of affirmation that my day would be brightened and I would be smiling & truly happy from the inside out.

2. Acts of Service

For me, this is doing my best at work, especially when I come in at 5AM to help midnight shift during the busy end to their shift. They have, in the past, told me that they appreciate when I have helped them and this is also my way of thanking them for their compliments and appreciation as well. On 7 Cups, for me this is going through people's feed posts and forum posts and upvoting & reposting feeds that I found influential to me.

3. Receiving Gifts

Sometimes, I will thank a friend for helping me when they did an act of service for me by bringing them a thank you card and a sweet treat (cookies, candy, etc). Most of the time, I do this at work when I'm working holidays or weekends by bringing in snacks for the workweekend or holidays that I'm working to share with coworkers that are working with me because ... let's face it, weekends and holidays at my workplace are still very busy and it's my way of showing appreciation to those working with me as a team!

4. Quality Time

For me, just calling or texting / chatting with a friend or family member is the same as spending quality time with them, and it means a lot to me when my family and friends check in with me to ask how I'm doing. The opposite of this, of course, is "ghosting" where they abandon the friendship and don't tell you why. Anyway ... for me, it is extremely important to check in with my friends and that they check in with me - that includes the friends that I regularly chat with on 7 Cups. It makes a huge difference in someone's life just be being there for them ... even if you can't be physically there, by calling or texting them and checking in with them that way, you are showing them that you're there and you care.

5. Physical Touch

I don't initiate this one very much because of social anxiety and relationship anxiety outside of shaking hands, but I will return hugs to those who make a move to hug me as long as they're not trying to be lewd or obscene. I used to not want to be touched very much at all but since moving to Chicago, I've opened up to it a little more and have even gotten to like it. I've probably had more hugs (and hugged more people too) and more back and shoulder pats since moving to Chicago than in all my years before moving to this big city.

So ... tell me your thoughts!