We’ve all seen them, someone, at some point on our newsfeed, has posted a Facebook status, Snapchat, or an Instagram post showing a couple enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with the caption “Looking forward to spending the rest of my life with this gorgeous woman/man.” We are all too familiar with the ever-changing “In a Relationship” or “It’s Complicated” Facebook status notifications.
On the flip side, we also all know that sharing the gory details of a break up, your latest argument over money, or details about your sex life is not the best idea, especially with older family members joining social media at a more rapid pace! But what about sharing the other side of your relationship? The happy one. What does that say about your relationship and how does it make your partner feel? Both valid questions you should consider before ever hitting the upload button.
PDA: Public Displays of Affection
Remember the days before social media? Try really hard I promise that time did exist! Remember back to the times when public displays of affection were things like kissing, holding hands, and hugging? And remember when this was done in public around other human beings! Some may say it’s an acknowledgment, to show the world that this person and yourself are together and that you belong to each other. These days, the most public displays of affection are in your social media platform where you have the attention of hundreds, thousands, and possibly even millions of friends and followers.
Why and When Should You Make Posts
Often couples will recognize each other on birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s/Father’s day and so on, even if the other person is not on social media. Why would someone do that you might ask? Is it because we don’t want other people to think that our partner is not important to acknowledge? Will our spouse/partner think that we don’t want to acknowledge them? Some people have a longing to be acknowledged in public and for everyone to know that there is someone that loves them. There isn’t anything wrong with giving the people you love a special shout out. It’s social media, that’s pretty much how we share our lives now. The key is to remember the motives behind your posts.
Ask yourself if it is important for your spouse or partner to feel acknowledged and why? Is there an underlying issue that may be causing some insecurity? Make sure that the person feels secure in the relationship outside of social media. Be sure to tell them how much you love them face to face. Give them the physical affection that they are yearning for in person first. Take them out on a special date and take pictures and though it can sometimes be hard to resist, try waiting until after the date to post the pictures on social media to give your spouse or partner some undivided attention. In the end, it’s important that they know they are special to you even if you don’t post your feelings about them to the world.
Proceed with Caution
Remember, it’s okay to let the world know how you feel about your loved one. As with everything on the internet use caution with what you share. Once you hit send, it’s out there and there is no turning back. Share the best about your spouse/partner during those special times, and make sure they know they are special all the time.
