[Original post 2.3.2020]

Hey there friends!!

As I've shared before, I have a boyfriend. We've officially been together a little over 5years now. If you've never been in a long-term relationship (or a relationship period), I'm going to thank you in advance for coming to my Ted Talk today.

If you've had a long-term partner, I'm sure most of you will agree with me that this shit is not for the faint of heart! While loving someone and being loved are such beautiful feelings, it takes A LOT of work. There are many peaks and valleys. I've always wondered though, why don't people discuss the trip up the mountainside? I mean, it goes without saying that you have to go up the mountain to get to the peak, but I don't think a lot people realize that there are several ways to get to the top.

To me, there are 3 ways you can get to the peak: climbing, a chair-lift, and a helicopter.

If you take the helicopter up to the top you'll get there quicker but you'll also miss out on all the wondrous beauties that lie in the mountain. You'll just be getting an overview of the mountain, you won't really get to experience it. You could take the chair-lift to the top but you'll have to carry all your baggage with you. Yes, you'll get to see the mountain a little better than the helicopter but you're still just getting an overview.

Climbing to the top is the best in my opinion. While it is the best, it's also the one that hard as hell. When you're climbing anything can happen. I mean, yeah you might twist your ankle, but next thing you know you're at a hidden waterfall.

When you're climbing with the person you love, you are trying to find a way to communicate to them properly and teach them how you need to be communicated to. Once you know how to communicate in a way that you're listening to one another (not just hearing) you start to work as a team and it seems like you get to the top faster. You end up leaving all the extra baggage on the mountain because you realize it isn't a necessity. You only take what you need to the top.

So I have a question for you: Do you know your love language?  Find out yours here. Once you know what type of communication is more important to you in relationships, it makes them easier.

I already had an idea of what I thought mine would be and I was right, for the most part. The most surprising thing for me was finding out that my boyfriend has the same #1 love language as me. (Ours was both quality time.) It was shocking to me because we really are the "opposites attract" couple. I always thought we were so different (sometimes too different). Aside from our top love language, nothing else was the same though. No surprises there.

Now that I know what our love languages are, we've got some work to do. That's what relationships are all about though. With this being "Cupid Season", what are you going to do now that you know your love language? (Seriously, click the link, take the test, and do some self-reflecting!!) I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do but I do know that we need some 1 on 1 time, so I'm going to make it happen.

Learn your love language. Learn your partners love language. Learn how to communicate better! Again, thanks again for coming to my Ted Talk friends.

Until next time; Be YOU. Do YOU. LOVE YOU 💜