pexels/Pixabay When you take a step back and look at your life as a whole - who, how and where you were born, grew up, lived, knew - or what you valued, how you learned, the people whose lives have touched your own and whose lives you have touched - you may well see a thread that is pulling you towards a larger purpose. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of who, why and how we love to [...]
Source: amarpreet25/Pixabay Conflict between two people is inevitable. When conflicts of time and place, demands, priorities, power, planning or how much closeness is optimal erupt, sensitive responses can build understanding and increase faith in the strength of the relationship. To read 52 Ways to Show I Love You: Address the Conflicts in "Life, Refracted" on PsychologyToday.com, click here.
Source: jill111/Pixabay Meaningful rituals are activities we engage in with intention. They can bring us reassurance, reflecting commitment, and can comfort us in times of trial. Read my latest post for "Life, Refracted" on PsychologyToday.com, 52 Ways to Show I Love You: Create the Right Rituals, by clicking here.
Source: StockSnap/Pixabay The times we live in and the roles that we play change how we share precious moments with those we love. Among those are the meals that we share. To find some thoughts about our own need to adapt and ways in which we can do it, click here to read my post from Psychology Today's "Life, Refracted" blog.
Source: Alexa/Pixabay We have many choices in how we feed the bodies, minds and souls of those we love. In this post from Psychology Today's "Life, Refracted", I explore the role that culture plays in making those choices and in assuring that they are meaningful, whether we are nourishing someone through food and drink, information, energy or inspiration. To read the post, click here.
Source: janeb13/Pixabay When differences resulting from limitations or preferences, wants or needs, or simply the extent of intimacy desired, present challenges to people who love each other, accommodation can be called for. Dealing with them with sensitivity and care can show love in a powerful way. To read my "Life, Refracted" post in PsychologyToday.com about this topic, click here.
Source: Pexibear/Pixabay As described last week, silences can have many meanings. In this week's post for "Life, Refracted" on PsychologyToday.com, I explored loving ways to deal with each of them. Read more about ways to respond to a loved one's silences by clicking here.
People can sensitively show love by accurately understanding the many meanings of silence. Before they can respond with love (the topic for next week), they must be able to distinguish among silences that are active listening, time for reflection, avoiding creating distraction, an invitation to communion, attention being elsewhere, delaying confict, or expressing anger. For details, please visit the latest, "52 Ways to Show I Love You: Identify the Meanings of Silence", by clicking here.
When we expand our couple's embrace to include those we love beyond it, we can bring more joy into our own hearts and those of others. Doing so may have challenges but the efforts are always worthwhile. See what I wrote about "Expanding the Circle" on Life, Refracted, by clicking here.
When you take the time to listen to and consider a loved one's point of view, you show them respect and love. Types of psychotherapy developed over the past fifty years have increasingly stressed the value of changing perspective. But just as shifting how you think about something can enhance your own well-being, it can enhance understanding, appreciation, and intimacy in a love relationship. To learn more, read "52 Ways to Show I Love You: See a Different Point of [...]