by Ross and Val McKinley, Professional Members of Better Marriages
www.PrioritizeRelationships.com
Give the gift of presence this holiday season. Your presence is the greatest of all presents you and your partner can give one another! The following are some of our favorite suggestions to help you personalize a present that keeps on giving the whole year long!
1) Express your love daily. Small acts such as a kind word, a good deed, a long kiss, a warm embrace, or quickly repairing hurt feelings can do wonders.
2) In an honest, respectful, and timely fashion, share what’s on your mind. Tell each other what you want, need, and feel so that the other person knows who you are and where you’re coming from.
3) Choose to love. When you do, you will be able to be more responsive than reactive and more positive than negative.
4) Create daily couple time to share your day. This is one of the greatest gifts you can give each other.
5) Laugh with your partner! Humor keeps things in perspective and makes life more fun.
6) Read or reread The Heart of the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. In order for your partner to hear and feel your love, you have to communicate with them in their language.
7) Weekly, ask each other-on a scale of 1 to 5 if they feel loved. If the answer is 4 or less, ask your partner to suggest something you could do for them over the following week.
May the New Year bring joy, laughter, health, and prosperity to you and your family!
