In 2024, two Canadian behavioural Dr. Emily Impett at the University of Toronto and Amy Muise at York University, questioned a still-current concept that first gained popularity many decades ago — did sharing any of the “five love languages” first described more than 30 years ago by Baptist minister Gary Chapman have any effect on the couples’ relationships? The researchers found that people in relationships who shared the same “love language” style did not necessarily fare better than those who did not. Instead, they found something much more intuitively true and much less formulaic: that keeping a healthy relationship is like following a healthy diet. We need all forms of love expressions, including touch, emotional support and words of affirmation.
Listening to Canadian music icon Chantal Kreviazuk share her perspective on love, family and what constitutes a strong relationship reminded us of this study.
Kreviazuk’s ability to embrace positive emotions amid challenges big and small was vividly demonstrated on the day we met. We’d arranged for the photo shoot and interview to take place during the brief time she’d be in town from Los Angeles for a friend’s wedding, which meant she’d be arriving on-set at 10:00 p.m. on a Saturday evening, already a big ask. Well, life never goes as planned, and thanks to Google Maps she drove to a wrong address an hour- plus away, which meant she was now going to arrive closer to midnight … our hearts sank, and delivering the news to Chantal that she was in fact at the wrong address we all held our breath, assuming she would rightfully cancel the shoot.
And we heard her say she would be there.
To be able to meet her in person and be in the presence of such positive energy was truly a gift. Here was a Canadian music legend, a woman who had accumulated countless accolades, who’d chosen to spend the next four hours in our company despite all the inconveniences and obstacles. Not the heavy rain, not the distance, not the late, late night deterred her from showing up — and showing up with a smile, looking effortlessly elegant in both dress and demeanor.
Too often we struggle with not feeling enough. It is a gift when the Universe brings people into your life who make you feel that you are enough just as you are. Perhaps Brené Brown, another expert on courage and vulnerability, says it best when she says we need to embrace the full spectrum of our emotions rather than numbing them: when we numb our darkness we numb our light, too. So, the challenges of that evening have only made us smile and be even more grateful for what we were able to achieve and bring to you, our readers.
We are all drawn to individuals who choose to bring goodness into the world, whether through their words, their acts of kindness, their financial support of worthy causes, their gentle touch or thoughtful gesture or gift of time or patience.
We hope you enjoy this latest edition of Dolce Magazine, and as you read through it, we hope you will discover ways to live your own complicated life with renewed inspiration and gratitude.
