Use your love languages for everyone in your life (including yourself)

My friend Kim recommended the 5 Love Languages book to me about a year ago, and when I subbed the word 'marriage' in the text for 'relationship', it actually really spoke to me. The 5 Love Languages are:

• Words of affirmation
• Quality time
• Receiving gifts
• Acts of service
• Physical touch

What I found the most interesting is not only how we want to receive love in different ways, but how we give it in different ways as well.

For example, my Dad's 60th birthday is tomorrow, and all my mom can think about is how much she wants his surprise party to go perfectly. She gives love in gifts and acts of service mostly, from what I've noticed. 

But, she wants to receive love in words of affirmation. After I read the book I acknowledged that right away and started making a conscious effort to tell her more often how much I loved and admired her and not as much focused on buying her gifts she wouldn't need or use (which is ironically enough, what she does for me most of the time)

What am I getting at here? 

There is love in almost every relationship in your life, think consciously about the way you give and receive love at work, with your family, with your loved ones and even think about it for you yourself — are you loving yourself by buying those jeans you've been eyeing all season? Or is it dedicating some quality time to unwind and destress? 

Because ...