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Laina Makuzha LOVE by DESIGN
With as many ways to define love as we know, there’s no denying that deep feeling of affection, that’s also accompanied by feelings of trust and hope that characterises love universally.
In all its other forms including non romantic, love makes a difference in the lives of even the greatest sceptics.
The mental, emotional, and social advantages of receiving love and affection really speak for themselves — just look all around you, you will usually notice where love exists and where it doesn’t.
Aside from helping you to maintain positive, long-lasting relationships, with love in your confidence and self-esteem get a major boost. You and your loved one can strengthen your bond and build greater trust.
You get wrapped up in the minutiae of everyday life, at home, work, and school, neglecting to show your love and affection to those who deserve it most. But with a little help from love coaches, you can make a change for the better.
When someone is part of your life for the long haul — be it a partner, parent, child, friend or colleague even — it’s all too easy to take the relationship for granted. It seems like a given that they’re always going to be around no matter what.
As I write, I just learnt of the untimely, rather shocking passing of a home boy and former schoolmate who was based in a foreign country and reportedly found dead in his home.
This is someone I was chatting with 5 weeks ago. It just got me thinking of how, in life, we tend to be distracted and forget the things that really matter, such as just loving one another and creating an environment of atmosphere that allows love to flourish and to benefit all.
Checking on our friends and loved ones can have such a unifying, sometimes healing effect in relationships.
However, being in a stable intimate relationship has been known to have even more significant benefits of increased self-esteem, trust and empathy, along with lowered rates of anxiety and depression.
Falling in love, getting married, and maintaining healthy relationships and friendships have been shown to reduce the feelings of isolation and depression in both males and females while simultaneously increasing their sense of belonging and happiness,
Why is receiving love an important of life one might ask. I often say, regardless of your age, gender, , or physical and mental health, we all need love and affection at some point.
There’s a reason receiving love and affection has such a positive impact. It’s a phenomenon which happens at the chemical level, with the release of the “love hormone, ” oxytocin. Affectionate behaviours, such as holding hands, hugging, elevate your level of oxytocin. This in turn, encourages bonding, reduces pain, and creates an overall calming sensation.
Feelings of love and affection even appear to carry with them numerous health benefits by lowering your blood pressure, stabilising your mood, and much more. One such benefit is:
Love can bring you happiness
Happiness is a key benefit of love, there’s more happiness that comes with feeling safe and loved. Health experts say that the reward-associated chemical in the brain, dopamine, is especially active during the first stages of falling in love. According to science, romantic love is one of the best predictors of happiness.
Regardless of whether you enjoy the celebration of love or could seriously do without the pink or red hearts and love poems, there’s no denying that love itself yields some pretty important health benefits that can impact your mental, emotional, and even physical well-being if explored.
What is the secret to happiness in love?
Arthur C. Brooks says in “The Atlantic: “The Harvard Study of Adult Development has assessed the connection between people’s habits and their subsequent well-being since the late 1930s.,” “Many of the patterns uncovered by the study are important but unsurprising: The happiest, healthiest people in old age didn’t smoke (or quit early in life), exercised, drank moderately or not at all, and stayed mentally active, among other patterns. But these habits pale in comparison with one big one: The most important predictors of late-life happiness are stable relationships—and, especially, a long romantic partnership,” Brooks adds. “The healthiest participants at age 80 tend to have been most satisfied in their relationships at age 50. In other words, the secret to happiness isn’t falling in love; it’s staying in love.”
However, though various researches found that romantic love played a major role in the happiness of individuals over decades, this is not to say you have to be romantically involved in order to enjoy the benefits of a healthy relationship, seeing as love is so broad.
There is much joy and happiness to be derived from the inexhaustible ways we can show love to others, sharing the love of God with others and seeing the difference it makes in both the receiver and giver of love.
Why is giving love important?
Giving love is every bit as critical as receiving it in our quest for happiness. Think about how wonderful it feels to be shown and told that you are loved. Your partner deserves to experience that, too. Expressing your love and affection motivates them to continue doing the same for you. What better way is there to demonstrate your commitment, dedication, and loyalty?
Loving others also allows you to open yourself up to another person, and discover your inner capacity for pure, unconditional love.
Sincerity is key in showing or giving others love. It is not about grand, showy gestures. It doesn’t take a lot of time, effort, or money to offer love and affection. Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s actually a slow and steady process that’s more about consistency and dependability, rather than the occasional over-the-top display.
I would really like to hear what your views might be on subject. Feel free to share your thoughts, your story of love that can inspire love in others, even feel free to share happy family pictures, it might be you and your loved ones, or pictures of acts of love and kindness in your community, showing how love is touching lives. Till next edition, I continue to root for healthy relationships and love in your life.
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Online Reporter