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Why Am I So Obsessed with Giving People Gifts?
Overcoming an unhealthy behavior
It is useful to map out the habit loop.
- The trigger: what thoughts or feelings are driving your behaviour?
- The behaviour: What action do you take when you experience that trigger?
- The result: What is the feeling you get after completing that action?
People often think that a behaviour feels good, but when they pay attention while acting out that behaviour, they notice that it actually doesn't. After they notice unhelpful behaviours, it is important to replace the habit with something uplifting.
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Our ability to solve problems is helpful in life, but it is the wrong thing to do in situations when people simply want to be heard, understood, and feel connected.
When someone is scared, angry, depressed, or just upset, they don't want to feel like something is wrong with them. When you give unsolicited advice to someone who is struggling, you make them feel like a problem. Give advice when someone asks for it, otherwise, hold off on your wisdom and instead focus on being present.
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- How did you feel about that?
- What was going through your mind?
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How people should fight
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The Receiving Gifts Love Language
We often speak the love language to our partners that we ourselves want to receive.
If your partner's love language is gifts, they'll put the item on display or wear it every day, But the surest way to find out if your partner's love language is gifts is to ask them.
Our Partner’s Gift-Giving Language
If the gifts love language doesn't come naturally to you, you should still learn the language if your partner speaks it.
Look at things in your daily life from a gift-giving perspective. It doesn't have to be expensive, just little reminders that they're always on your mind. If you know someone who speaks gifts as their love language, then not getting them a gift on a special occasion would be very hurtful to them, as would approaching the gift-giving as more a chore than an opportunity.