February is here, and so is Valentine’s season! What’s a better way to celebrate your loved ones than expressing your love to them? May they be your family, friends, special someone, or even yourself, it’s important to show affection and appreciation in one way or another. Support is a great way to express love and the 5 love languages are a great avenue to show it.
The love languages are five different ways of showing love, namely words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Gary Chapman, Ph.D., developed this concept back in the 90’s in his book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts on the premise that people with different personalities express love in different ways. The love languages guide people on how to express their love based on how the people around them want to receive it.
If their love language is affirmation, the best thing you can give them is validation and praise. Words of encouragement and supportive messages come a long way for these people. You can do this in many ways-- post-it note encouragements, daily reminders or even appreciation posts on Instagram. Be their personal cheerleader. Positive affirmations like these can shift their mood and give them the opportunity to refocus and regain motivation if they’ve been having a rough couple of days.
This love language focuses on time spent with your loved ones. Though time spent can mean any moment where you’re in the same area, this means giving attention to them and making them feel that you want to be there with them. This isn’t restricted physical time spent either, an online call to check in on the other person can make a huge impact on the rest of their day. When trying to support your loved ones in their fitness journey, why not try a workout with them every once in a while? REBEL has a variety of workouts you can choose from!
Gifts are a great way to show your loved ones that they are loved and important to you. They signify how much you appreciate them and listen to them. The best thing about gifts is that they don’t have to be big to be meaningful. Your loved one has been eyeing a piece of activewear or a new yoga mat? This is the perfect opportunity for you to get it for them! Gifts don’t have to be material either. A great gift for your loved one that is getting started on their fitness journey can be a REBEL+ subscription.
This love language can be shown by doing things that loved ones would appreciate. If these people do things for you without you asking, try and return the favor! The things that you do for them don’t have to be perfect, knowing that you went the extra mile is enough for them. This can be preparing their yoga mat in the morning or cooking them a delicious post-workout meal. You’ll be able to make them feel loved and you can both get a healthy meal in the end! REBEL Eats has a lot of great recipes you can choose from like the Cali Chicken Wrap or Spiced Tofu and Veggies.
Excessive physical touch may not be something that you can give right now, but it’s a great avenue to show your love to someone. Hugs, pats on the back and high fives can boost a person’s confidence and self-esteem more than you may think! If it makes you feel a little uncomfortable, try to get out of your comfort zone every once in a while. Just remember to be mindful of what is appropriate for the type of relationship you have!
You can download the REBEL App for free to start your journey today.
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