JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
20+ Ways to Show Love to All the Special People in Your Life
While you may feel that your strong feelings are too hard to express, there are many ways to show love once you understand people’s love languages. Read more.
Expressing your deep feelings for someone is simple but definitely not easy. People spend all their lives just to muster the courage and tell someone how they really feel, and often before they even realize, it’s too late! Fortunately, there are many ways to show love to all the special people in one’s life, be it your friends, romantic partners, parents, siblings, coworkers, etc.
However, to be able to do this well, it is extremely important to learn their love languages first. Because chances are that the wrong way of expressing one’s feelings can communicate things incorrectly, and make the other person uncomfortable. To prevent this, let’s understand what the different types of love languages are.
What Are the 5 Popular Love Languages?
While love languages can be plenty, hard to define, and unique to everyone, the following are some broad categories that help us understand love languages better.
Words of Affirmation
For some people, the best way to express your love to them is to simply say it. The good ol’ “I love you,” “You mean a lot to me,” and “Thank you for being in my life,” never get old for them, not when they come straight from the heart.
People who have this as their love language are delighted by elaborate birthday wishes, sweet text messages to check on them, silly handwritten notes on the fridge or mirror, etc. Our Contributor Amanda, a love and intimacy coach says, “Words of affirmation work as a love language because they directly address emotional needs, offering validation and security. This verbal reinforcement strengthens the bond between partners, fostering trust and deepening emotional connection.”
Now, if you’re someone who is literarily gifted, this is a perfect opportunity for you to play with your strengths. But, if you’re not very good with words, don’t worry about this too much — even an amateur line that comes from the heart does wonders for people with this love language. What doesn’t work at all is inauthenticity — so steer clear of artificial pleasantries and cut to the chase.
The key to making this work is unexpectedness. Say something sweet or send a heartwarming text to this person when they don’t see it coming. Trust us — the response you’ll get will be worth it!
Read More: 105 Good Morning Texts for Him to Bring a Smile to His Face
Acts of Service
This love language goes slightly parallel to the previous one that we talked about because it’s more about doing than saying. People who associate with this love language believe in showing their love for someone through acts and kind deeds instead of making false promises.
And, these acts of kindness don’t have to be too big or grandiose, if that’s what you are thinking. Instead, something as simple as doing the dishes after a meal, getting the car fueled, bringing the mail in, taking the trash out, or just remembering to leave the toilet seat down can be a big romantic gesture for those who understand this love language.
Without having to say a word, acts of service say a lot about how much a person cares about you and loves you.
Quality Time
Other love languages fall short pretty easily if a person is not even available to spend some quality time with. For some people, making time from a busy schedule to just sit with them for a bit is the sweetest thing in the world.
Spending one-on-one time with your loved ones makes them feel comfortable and secure because of the proximity and assures them that they can count on you whenever they need you. You don’t have to do much in this, just “be there.”
Of course, the key to making the time spent together more “quality” is to be fully present with them. So, no matter how many notifications are popping up on your phone or how interesting that “30-second” long reel is, you should put them on hold and focus on being with your loved ones in the moment.
Remember: scrolling through your phone or seeming distracted when someone is trying to talk to you is a big faux pas and definitely not a way of showing your love.
Physical Touch
This one is quite important, too! Sometimes, to know whether you love them, people don’t want to see it or hear it — they want to feel it! And physical touch is a good way to show affection in love.
Now, physical touch isn’t just a romantic expression of love or has anything to do with physical intimacy. It can be as basic and platonic as holding hands, patting someone on their shoulder, caressing their cheeks, or giving them a tight hug. All of your casual fist bumps and high-fives fall under this too.
That being said, it is true though that romantic relationships offer more scope and liberty to explore the spectrum of “physical affection” to establish warmth and comfort. This love language can also be used to ignite love and spark in the relationship.
The recent pandemic was probably a testament to how lonely and depressing things can get when there’s no one to hug you, embrace you, and touch you. Hence, now that we have the option to express this love language, we shouldn’t hesitate to do so.
Sharing Gifts
Often getting a bad rap for being the most shallow or superficial love language, sharing gifts goes far beyond material things. To be fair, this love language is closely related to “Acts of service,” wherein it’s the effort and consideration put into the gift is what matters more than how expensive something is.
A thoughtful gift makes a world of a difference to people with this love language, and they are likely the last people to judge a gift for its worth, quality, appearance, or price because for them it’s the thought that counts the most!
While most people resonate with all of these love languages with varying degrees, there are times in everyone’s lives when expressing one’s love through words becomes difficult. In such cases, they can refer to the following ways to communicate their feelings.
Read More: 25 Cute and Romantic Surprise Ideas for Boyfriend to Make Him Love You Even More
Ways to Express Your Love Without Saying a Word
The following are some ways to consider -
1. Contribute to the Household Chores:
Sometimes, showing your love for someone doesn’t have to be a grand gesture! It can be as simple as doing the dishes so your loved one won’t have to rush to that before they can even finish the last morsel of dinner.
Or, if they’re coming home late from work, after a tiring long day, then they wouldn’t have to worry about how messy the room looks because you’ve already cleaned it. Doing mundane chores is actually a very thoughtful way to express your love.
2. Cook Their Favorite Meal:
The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach! And the person who came up with this saying is probably a genius because it is true in most cases. While people have different preferences in it, as a matter of fact, we all love food.
Hence, it is an excellent idea to surprise someone by cooking their favorite meal.
Read More: 26 Tips on How to Show a Girl You Love Her
3. Hug Them Tightly:
Romantic or platonic — we all love a good hug! Sometimes, there’s no better solace to a bad day or dull mood than a warm, comforting hug! While this may get a bit awkward at times with any other relationship, in romantic relationships, we can be more liberal with showing affection through hugs — you know, by making them longer and tighter.
Throw in a few forehead kisses and back rubs, and voila — you’ll be giving your partner the time of their life without even doing much.
4. Listen (Without Offering Solutions):
Sometimes, expressing your love without even saying a word may simply mean listening to your partners when they’re saying something. By listening, we don’t mean simply nodding and staying quiet while some random sounds hit your ears.
No! Active listening means genuinely immersing yourself in what someone is trying to communicate and understanding them, whether you agree with them or not.
People can easily tell the difference between the two by simply assessing your face. Also, the motive behind listening to them should only be that and not providing solutions afterward (unless, of course, they ask for it).
Best Ways to Show Love to Your Partner
Ways to express love to a romantic partner often differ a lot from other relationships, because romantic love is all about exclusivity — and that’s all part of the fun.
The fact that you’re unlikely to share the exact chemistry with a romantic partner than with any other relationship makes it quite interesting to jazz things up when showing affection.
This doesn’t mean you need to worry about how to do this or panic — sit back, relax, and try out the following ways -
1. Spend Time Doing Their Favorite Activity
This can be as simple as practicing early morning yoga with them and as elaborate as going out with them for a karaoke night or trek. Spending your precious time doing your partner’s favorite activity, even if it isn’t necessarily your favorite thing to do, is an excellent way to demonstrate your love for them.
2. Initiate Love-making
A simple text asking your partner how their day is going is a lot more powerful than grand gestures of love. These little tips show support and love to your partner in many ways, especially if they’re not already having a good day.
However, there’s a catch to this — don’t overdo it! You don’t want your partner to end up thinking about what’s wrong with you or getting uncomfortable, especially in the early stages of dating.
4. Dress Up for Them
Putting in efforts to show your genuine love for your partner and adding spice to your relationship doesn’t have to be two different things. By occasionally dressing up for your partner, you can do both!
Remember, you’re not doing this because your partner thinks you’re unattractive — dressing up is more about showing them that you’re willing to put in effort and preen yourself for them because they are worth all that hassle.
It also shows that you want to keep things fresh and exciting in your relationship and are not taking it for granted just because you two have been together for a while.
5. Plan Spontaneous Dates
Spontaneous dates never fail to ignite passion in a relationship, no matter how long two people have been in one! In the early stages of a relationship, these dates usually comprise something like a fancy dinner or a movie at a drive-in theater.
However, as the relationship ripens and both partners get to know each other, spontaneous dates may become more intimate like late-night walks on the streets, having beers under the stars, a pottery workshop, a Tibetan sound therapy session, etc.
6. Give Them a Back Massage:
Whether your partner’s love language is physical touch or not, we believe they would love this one regardless! If you can see that your partner is tired and could use some TLC, then go ahead and give them a nice back massage to say bye to those sore boo-boos.
Your partner would love you for this, and this sweet and intimate gesture would bring them closer to you.
7. Use Your Face And Body Language:
A genuine eye contact with a smile can go a long way in expressing your feelings to someone you love. You can always throw in some flirty cues, like a raised eyebrow, smirk, or a “fake” angry look, which are love messages that only couples can detect.
Perhaps, you can even enter your partner’s personal space bubble and get closer to them as a way of showing your affection. However, test the waters first before trying this one as you don’t want to make your partner too uncomfortable by getting into their space.
Best Ways to Show Love to Friends
Of all relationships, expressing love to one’s friends is probably the easiest thing. With friends, you don’t have to pretend too much or overthink things, and can express yourself with great ease. And, more often than not, true friends like it to be as fuss-free as possible! The following are ways to show love to them -
1. Be Their Cheerleader:
A friend is always the first person someone goes to when they feel low or insecure. Hence, being a cheerleader to your friends is a great opportunity to show your love for them without actually saying it.
You can make them laugh, give them an optimistic perspective in life, or simply be with them through good times and bad ones. You can celebrate their successes or pump them out of their misery when they seem to be upset.
2. Make Fun Plans with Them
Another way to show love for your friends is to merely do “friend” things with them. Make fun plans such as grabbing a bite together, watching a stand-up show in town, meeting up over coffee (or beer, if you may), or simply reserving time to do “nothing at all” with them.
After all, the emotional love language that works best for friends is quality time over everything else.
Read More: 20 Fun And Fascinating Relationship-building Activities for Couples That Are Worth Trying
3. Show Love on Social Media
Don’t you love it when your close friend tags you to their Instagram story, showing the good times you’ve spent together?
Isn’t it special when a friend sends you a reel or meme that freakishly illustrates a conversation you two have had earlier? Perhaps, on your birthday, they shared a sweet message about you on social media that nearly made you tear up!
When you know how good it feels to be on the receiving end of this, you can always return the gesture to your friends as a way to demonstrate your love for them.
4. Be There for Them Without Judgment
Another effortless way to show your friends that you love them is to be there for them without any judgment when they are getting heart-to-heart with you.
This lack of judgment is something people expect most from their close friends, sometimes even more than family and romantic relationships, and hence, is the perfect opportunity to show love and be kind.
5. Check in On Them
The simple act of checking in on someone from time to time, especially if it has been a while since you’ve last spoken shows how much you care about them. “Warm, simple message asking how they have been can effectively reopen communication while showing genuine care,” says Amanda.
Best Ways to Show Love to Family Members:
Expressing love to one’s family is probably the most difficult compared to other relationships. Things may have been different when you were 5 and would sketch out an adorable greeting card for your parents or grandparents to tell them how much you love them.
However, as an adult, even healthy relationships in a family complex and expressing individual feelings of love can get awkward. But don’t worry — the following expressions of love will help you with this.
1. Make Time for Having Meals Together
Spending quality time with our family becomes scarce as we grow up and have more responsibilities. However, a simple way to ensure that you at least spend some time with them — if not too much — is to have your meals together.
“A family that eats together stays together,” may sound like a cliche, but is grounded in truth. Meal times are a great opportunity to keep your work worries behind for some time and have a relaxing conversation while enjoying food.
2. See Family Members As Individuals
What happens in family dynamics is that people get too caught up in the role they’re playing in the family — parent, child, sibling, etc. — and forget to see and acknowledge each other as individuals first.
However, to develop an emotional connection and show your love for your family, it is crucial to see them as people and empathize with their individual feelings and worries.
3. Express Gratitude
Love a meal that your mom made you for lunch? Tell her exactly how delicious it was and how much you appreciate her making that for you. Did you get some life-changing financial advice from your dad? Thank him for his relentless guidance and wisdom.
A simple but effective way to show your love to your family is to thank them and appreciate them for their little acts of kindness that you may witness every day.
This would be a less awkward and more effective way to express your love instead of “thanking them for everything” in a cliched, filmy way.
Also, ensure that your appreciation is genuine and not forced, as everyone senses artificial pleasantries. To explain this with a Shakespearean reference, express your love like Cordelia would to King Lear — with honesty and no needless exaggeration.
Read More: 131 Creative Ways to Say Thank You: Express Your Gratitude
4. Small Gift Surprises Don’t Hurt
Another way to show love to your family is through small but meaningful gifts. What makes this experience priceless is that unlike in romantic relationships, sharing gifts — even when there’s no special occasion — with one’s family is more unexpected.
Besides, gifts serve as a token of gratitude for your family and can make someone’s day.
Best Ways to Show Love to Acquaintances
Little acts of kindness can even warm the hearts of one’s acquaintances and demonstrate your love and respect for them. The following are some ways to express this to them -
1. Appreciate Them Through Words
If it’s a colleague who always sends his reports on time and streamlines the work very well, consider telling them how much you appreciate it on call or sending a well-thought-out message to them on Slack. This would make their day!
2. Stay in Touch on Social Media
If proximity is an issue, you can always stay in touch with acquaintances and nice people you encounter in your life easily through social media. You can send the memes and reels from time to time, like their photos, and consider making plans if you wish to catch up.
3. Make Plans to Meet with Them
If you don’t mind spending some extra time with your acquaintances, then initiate plans with your distant friends and workmates from time to time. You can make a big group plan with multiple friends and some of your close buds as well if you’re really in the mood for socializing.
If your intention is right, then there are many ways to show love to the special people in your life, whether it’s through words, kind deeds, or just some quality time. It is always a good idea to figure out someone’s love language (or simply ask it) when showing your love to them. This way, they’ll know exactly what you’re trying to express and feel happy about it. Always offer love the way the other person wants to be loved and not how you would want it. To conclude, the key is to be authentic and genuine in your expression of love.
Contributor: Amanda Leigh Doueihi - Love and intimacy coach
FAQ's
