mdolla: 30 Beautiful Ways to Say I Love You to the One You Care

Did you know that in ancient cultures, May was the month that many celebrated love and getting married? It’s an old May Day tradition, from Germany, that included the Maypole Dance for eligible young women. So it’s no coincidence that we are talking about love in a month that was originally all about love!

Speak Those Magic Words!

Saying “I love you” for the first time can be one of the most scariest endeavors in a person’s life. It’s a vulnerable moment and you aren’t quite sure if the person you love feels the same way. While we don’t always get the same validation, we certainly want it! When to say I love you is often the other hurdle to overcome. Not everyone wants to have a cliche movie moment standing in the rain declaring love after a little argument. And yet, some people do want a very dramatic way of saying those three little words.

Avoid the Autopilot

Some of you out there may have already said it but now it feels like you are on autopilot. My sweetheart and I tell each other every morning and every evening we love each other. While it’s comforting, it can also easily lose it’s meaning without expressing it in other ways. It is important to express it in more than just words because our actions show more about how we truly feel for someone.

Remember, Not All Love Needs to Be Romantic

Let’s also acknowledge that not all love is romantic in nature. We have familial love for our children, parents, and extended family. We have platonic love for our friends and even close acquaintances. We may say “I love you” to a lot of people in the course of our lifetime, all of which enjoy hearing those words but can benefit from various forms of expression as well. I am going to provide a few ways to express love to different types of relationships. I challenge you to try them over the next 30 days and see how it affects your relationships and your every day life!

Express love to your partner (or your friends and family!)

Create a music playlist of love songs for them to listen to when you are away.
Create a power point on why you love them.
Cook one of their favorite dishes.
Dance together, even if you don’t know how!
Plan a romantic getaway for the weekend and surprise them.
Give them a hug and then hold tight and prolong it.
Picnic at the park at sunset so you can watch it together.
Kiss them and kiss them often.
Talk about that first time you met and why you were so attracted to them.
Save cards, event tickets, and dried flowers.
Write them love letters. Leave them where they can find them or mail them.
Take selfies often!
When they do something sweet, make you laugh, or just talk about something they are passionate about, remind them that it’s why you love them.
Buy them a cup of their favorite coffee or tea.
When they do something special, remind them that it’s why you are together.
Bring them ice cream when they are sad.
Call them up and just ask them what’s going on in their lives.
Have a “friends date” once a month.
Be available when they are having a hard time.
Be available when they are experiencing immense joy.
Buy them that book they haven’t bought for themselves.
Throw them a birthday party.
Send them a card in the mail letting them know they are special, for no reason!
When they talk about something personal, listen first. Don’t hurry to offer advice.
Leave a random note on the car windshield that says “I appreciate you”.
Take them to a movie that you know they love and you would never see on your own.
Go to networking events with them. Let them know their success matters!
When tragedy strikes, hold one another.
When joy occurs, laugh and smile with one another.
Tell them why you appreciate them.