Having a loving family relationship is the key to our happiness. As I travel and talk to people around the world, I’ve never heard anyone say they were tired of hearing their family members say how much they loved them. Unfortunately, I hear the opposite all the time. People tell me they rarely hear it. Many people tell me that they were never told by their parents how much they loved them.
One of the most important needs we have as humans is to know that we are loved and we matter. If you are a parent, you need to tell your children you love them as often as you can so they feel loved. Even when you are mad at your children or when disciplining them for bad behaviors, it’s important to remind them how much you love them, and even apologize if you’ve overreacted.
You can never say “I love you” enough. When was time you told your spouse that you loved him or her? When was the last time you called your mother or father and said, “I love you?” Or your brother or sister? Most people only say “I love you” to their father or mother on special occasions like Mother or Father’s Day or their birthday.
When was the last time you gave your spouse flowers? Or did something nice for your brother or sister. Just giving them a present to show them how grateful you are that they are in your life.
Never take your spouse, children or any other family member for granted. They all need love, support, and appreciation. For example, if your spouse works all day and cooks you a nice meal, let her know that you appreciate it! Or if your wife takes care of the children appreciate it!
So many people take what their spouse does for granted. It’s a full – time job to stay at home and take care of the children. Thank your spouse and take the time to ask them about their day with genuine interest. Remind your wife how grateful you are to have her in your life. It’s so simple and you’d think everyone does it but very few do.
I see this in my practice every day where husbands take their wives for granted and vice versa. Parents assuming, that their children are always going to be there. They grow up and I hear their regrets, I hear them say things like, “If I had to do over again, I would focus less on my work and spend more time with the kids.” If you are in this situation, it’s not too late to make adjustment. There are challenges in any family, but having a family is one of the greatest gifts life has to offer.
Small gestures of love make all the difference. For example, give personal handwritten notes and cards to your family member instead of emails; spend time with your family; be grateful. This enhances the quality of your life and your family. Everyone wins at the end.
Here are a couple of additional things you can do to show your family members how much you love them:
- Do something that your children or spouse don’t like to do, such as doing the dishes or laundry.
- Take extra time to help your children out with their homework. Spend as much quality time with them as possible.
Anything you can do out of the ordinary without expecting anything in return makes a big difference in enhancing your relationship. Think of the other person and what they like and don’t like. Reach out and do those things for them. When you do this, it always comes back in the form of a more loving relationship.
A family is enriched when family members not only tell each other they love them, but they also feel it. It is one thing to say “I love you” but the other person has to feel it from your heart. If not. it will ring hollow.
You should be telling your spouse and children that you love them in the morning, if you can during the day and at night before they go do bed. Then you should be complementing the words with a small gesture of love to show it.
If you desire love and create the space in your heart as your top priority, it will manifest in all your relationships. When you make love your top priority, you’ll be able to make loving decisions, have loving reactions, become less defensive, and you’ll become a better listener. Love will become a normal part of your everyday life.
It’s important to remember, we are here on this earth in physical form for only a short period of time until we return home to spirit. Nothing on the physical plane last forever. Love is the only part of us that is eternal.
When you make love a priority and someone in your family says or does something that annoys you, you’ll forgive them not get upset. You’ll stay in that feeling of love. When you make love a priority, everything else takes care of itself. It’s often been said that the answer to everything is “love” and I agree with that.
