summary ofThe 5 Love LanguagesBook by Gary Chapman, PhD

first KEY POINT

Love is a verb: don't just feel it, act it

Everyone seems to know how to fall in love, but few truly understand how to keep a relationship alive.In his early years as a counselor, Dr. Gary Chapman noticed a recurring pattern among couples: they were missing each other's emotional needs. One partner would say, “He doesn't love me anymore,” while the other would insist, “I've done everything I can to make it work.”After reviewing 12 years' worth of counseling notes, Dr. Chapman realized that most of the issues couples faced could be grouped into five distinct categories — what he later defined as the 5 Love Languages.It's disheartening that nearly 40% of first marriages end in divorce. One key reason is that many couples don't speak the love language their partner understands.

There is no language with just one way of expressing yourself. The same also applies to love; there are various ways to show it. According to Dr. Gary Chapman, these are the love languages:• Words of affirmation
• Quality time
• Gift giving
• Acts of service
• Physical touch

The goal in a relationship is to do something for the person you love, not to selfishly try to get what you want all the time. Yet, the reverse is the case in relationships today. But your connection will be different because, soon, we'll be going deep into love languages.By the end of this summary:• You will be armed with information to help you discern your emotional needs in romantic relationships and tell your partner how to express love to you.
• You will learn to identify your partner's primary and secondary love languages and speak them appropriately.
• You will also discover how to move from the emotional obsession stage of relationships to mature commitment. Many people don't know how to do this and they lose beautiful relationships.Sounds exciting? Let's get started.