One thing I wanted to start new for 2025 was a love category. I always have a look through my stats for my most recent viewed blog posts just to get an idea of what you guys like to read and it turns out posts from years and years ago that I shared thoughts and experiences on love are some of the most viewed still. I always look back at them posts and see them as a bit “young” but I guess navigating love, whether that’s with friends, family or in a partner, it is something that affects us all daily, so I introduce you to my love section. I’m not an expert, but as I’m nearing 30, I feel like I have lots to talk about and actually share more of me with you guys. I will probably talk about the relationship aspect of things the most but I will drop some other things in there too, but if there is any specifically you would like me to talk about, please do let me know and I’ll see what I can do! As ever, thank you to everyone for your continued support. It really does mean a lot to me.
So a good question to start off with would be what is love? What is love to you? You could ask a million people, “What is love?” and there would be a million different answers. Sure, there would be similarities, but what love means to you is very personal. Love is one of the most powerful and meaningful words there is. A word that can change your life. A word that holds so many emotions. It allows us to feel warmth in our hearts, but unfortunately, it can also cause us pain we didn’t even know we could feel. We find love in people who feel like home, family, pets, and friends. It’s the connection of two hearts and a word that I personally don’t think should be used or said to someone unless you truly mean it. Love is when someone’s touch or words heal you. It’s when you feel good enough even with every flaw. Love is with someone who feels like home. Love can give us a purpose to live. It is magical. However, there are not enough words to describe the true depth to it.
One of the most celebrated types of love is romantic love, characterized by passion and intimacy. This form of love brings us excitement and joy. When it’s good, it’s really good, when it’s bad, it’s painful. Platonic love is another common form. This is the kind you can find in friendships. The kind of relationships that are fulfilling provide support and offer a sense of belonging. Don’t get me wrong, it’s what you find in a partner, but platonic is without any romantic involvement. We then have familial love, which is what we often receive from our family members. It is probably one of the most testing kinds of love at times but also the most lasting. Importantly, there is self-love. The appreciation and care we have for ourselves. This is essential for mental well-being and involves recognising our worth, setting boundaries, and self-compassion. These aren’t all the forms of love, but I would say they are the main ones that we often experience the most in life.
Love can have various impacts on us emotionally. Love often brings immense joy and happiness. When we feel loved, we tend to experience positive emotions, which makes life more satisfying. Love also creates a sense of security and belonging. Knowing that someone cares for you, it was one of the nicest feelings and can help reduce feelings of anxiety and fear, providing comfort during difficult times. Love also makes us feel worthy, and that can help us have a positive self-image and foster deep connections and bonds with others, which is essential for emotional health. As mentioned in my post about being more vulnerable, although it can be scary, it often leads to deeper emotional connections, and love requires this. Unfortunately, love can lead to heartbreak and emotional pain if relationships end or if love is unreciprocated. That is one of the worst and most painful feelings and something that doesn’t come easy to get over. Overall, love is a complex emotion that plays a crucial role in our relationships with others.
There are many ways to express our love towards people as well and are very much based on individual preferences. Not everyone will feel they need these expressions. Words of affirmation, I would say, are the one form that I use the most and like receiving. I don’t mean that I need someone to pay me compliments all the time because I actually don’t know how to take compliments, but as an overthinker, I tend to cling onto words and that unfortunately means negative ones too. Verbal expressions of affection, compliments, and appreciation is a way of expressing gratitude and can help strengthen emotional bonds. Another expression would be acts of service. This could be doing something helpful or kind for someone you love, such as cooking a meal, helping with things that need to doing around the house, or perhaps taking for an example an elderly relative to do there shopping etc. These are the sort of actions that show care and support towards someone.
Another expression that I know I do a lot is giving gifts. It doesn’t necessarily have to be someone’s birthday, Christmas or any other occasion, I just love buying people gifts. They don’t have to be expensive, just small meaningful things to make someone smile. We have the obvious form of physical touch, gestures like hugging, holding hands, or cuddling (and a whole lot of other things!) can communicate love and affection and also strengthen bonds. Moving on, we have quality time and to tie in with that shared experiences. Spending time together through shared activities or just simply enjoying each other’s company emphasizes the importance of connection. These can often be shared experiences, too, like going on holiday or a day out. Anything that involves creating memories will deepen the emotional connection. Lastly, there is listening and being empathetic to someone’s feelings and supporting someone through tough times, which demonstrates love and commitment.
Love is such a powerful force that shapes our experiences and relationships in profound ways. Reflecting on my own journey with love, it has taught me many things about vulnerability and connection. There have been many moments when I have felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and fulfilment. Moments like a deep conversation with someone, something that you can’t beat, as much as I try not to take life too seriously. These are the conversations that stay with me. There’s also times like sharing a milestone with friends or family, moments that bring warmth. However, love has also taught me about the complexities of our emotions as humans. I have experienced heartache and disappointment when relationships didn’t work out as I had hoped, even friendships that didn’t work out get to me. These moments can be challenging and difficult, but they’ve ultimately helped me grow. Love is not just about the good times. Through the ups and downs, I’ve learnt it’s also navigating challenges and emerging stronger.
In conclusion, love is a complex and multifaceted emotion that can take many forms, from romantic to platonic. Love has the ability to make us feel on top of the world. Romantically, I think it’s something we all crave for and want in our life. It shapes our experiences and connections, reminding us of our shared humanity. As we navigate through life, we will embrace love in all its forms, allowing it to guide us and enrich our journeys. After all, love is not just a feeling but something so powerful that can inspire change and bring us together. I love, love however I also fear it and maybe I will delve into that more in the future. In this series, you can expect to see upcoming posts about the world of online dating, if long distance can really work, tips for dating, and much much more! The highs and the lows, I will talk about it and will share some funny stories of things I have experienced too! I hope this is something a lot of you will enjoy reading too.
What is love to you?
Amy x
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