In an increasingly busy world, it’s easy to feel like even our most important relationships fall by the wayside as something ‘more important’ always comes up. But here we’ve created a list of simple, thoughtful ways that you can show those close to you just how much they mean – which is especially important close to the holidays when so many suffer from loneliness. Hopefully, one of these ideas inspires you to show someone some love!
- Swap mementoes
If you have someone in your life that means a lot to you – whether they be a friend, relative, or partner – it can be a really nice gesture to swap mementoes, so you know you’re in each other’s minds. This doesn’t have to be something like a child’s friendship bracelet; this can be something high end like a silver locket with a photo in it, matching photographs to display in your houses, or even a joke memento like matching jumpers that will always bring a smile.
- Get them an unexpected gift
Over the past couple of years the idea of love languages has really come to the fore, with the four most commonly spoken ones being words of affirmation, acts of service, gift giving, and quality time. It’s said that making sure you’re in tune with your own and your partner’s or friends’ love languages can result in more fulfilling and loving relationships, and that’s definitely true – but on the other hand, no matter your love language everyone enjoys an unexpected gift. A beard care kit NZ, for example, provides all four in one; of course, gift giving, but the words you use when you give it fulfill words of affirmation, the time you spend with them opening it is quality time, and buying it can feel like an act of service. At any rate, it shows them they’ve been thought of, and you can’t put a price on that.
- Anything thoughtful!
This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s often strangely overlooked. Doing any small thoughtful act for someone can mean the world, especially if they’re having a bad day and are in need of some love – even getting home to find a cup of tea ready to be made or dinner in the oven, can really make a person feel cared for or loved. So if you notice someone you care about is a little down or needs some love in their life, have a little think about what could make their day easier or brighter, and do what you can to make that happen.
- Show them you’re listening
Once again, this is something that can fall by the wayside – we all know there’s a difference between hearing and listening to someone, but many of us fail to actually act on that information. Next time you speak to someone you care about, make sure to ask them about a detail they dropped into your last conversation – for example, how their brother’s wedding went or if they’re feeling prepared for a job interview they mentioned. It’s easy to feel forgotten if you don’t feel someone has listen to what’s going on in your life, so asking these small questions is a great way to show someone you love them.
- Just tell them
There are a million ways to show someone how much they mean to you, including the four ideas above, but sometimes there is nothing better than just telling them. Whether it’s in a nice card or letter, or simply face to face, there’s never anything wrong with telling someone they’re important to you – and you never know how much it might mean to them to hear it!
Making sure your loved ones know they’re your loved ones can feel difficult or awkward, and it’s easy to worry you’re going to put your foot in your mouth. But any of these gestures will make those important to you feel loved, and your bond will be strengthened!
