Be present. In our digital age, technology is amazing, but is also a hinderance in our lives. Cell phones — while dangerous on the road — are also be dangerous in a home. Disconnect from your phone and log off of social media when you are with your partner. Otherwise, you are dividing your time between communicating with your partner and your phone. Your significant other may even think that you’re choosing your phone over them.
Communication. This may take some creativity, and it for sure takes commitment — mutual commitment. Seek to meet your spouse’s romantic needs. How can you do this? By talking to one another. Men and women view romance through entirely different lenses. Meeting your spouse’s romantic needs involves much more than understanding these differences. It involves remembering what pleases him or her and sacrificing your own needs to meet those of your spouse. Selfishness and romance don’t mix well, and to ensure selfish behavior doesn't destroy the romance, you need to communicate.
Maintain eye contact. If eyes are the windows to the soul, than eyes must be the window to intimacy. When you gaze into your partner's eyes, you’re doing more than being attentive and present. You’re being intimate. One of the key components to how we socialize with one another is eye contact. It’s an extremely important aspect of creating an intimate relationship with a person — romantic or otherwise.
Spiritual. Strong spiritual intimacy with your spouse creates an extremely powerful foundation. From being in the world together to praying for one another, you can find spiritual intimacy in many facets of your life. Even if you are not entirely religious, you can be spiritual. Making a conscious effort to love the people around you, making connections with your higher consciousness every day and doing things for others without expecting anything in return can straighten your spiritual health — especially if you involve your partner.
Physical. It is scientifically proven that being physically affectionate with someone releases oxytocin in our bodies, which makes us feel good. Even small gestures, like holding hands, cuddling or hugging, can produce oxytocin.
Emotional. Sharing your experiences with one another creates emotional intimacy. Men have a hard time with this because their emotional vocabulary is limited. They tend to be less comfortable with emotionally-laden speech and shy away from it on most occasions. Regardless of any limitations, men should embrace emotional intimacy because, according to science, it’s what women respond to the most.
Intellectual. From lighthearted to serious topics, you can reenforce your relationship core when you engage in mental exercise with your spouse. Get to know one another again. As time passes, couples often assume they know exactly how their spouse thinks on nearly every issue, and therefore they avoid exploring each other’s intellectual realms. Debate on a political topic or talk about the genesis of a movie. Engage one another!
Recreational. By performing activities with one another, you can create (or strengthen) a bond. You can do something small, like finishing a puzzle together, or something extreme like hang-gliding, regardless of the activity, it is the mutual enjoyment that reinforces a couple’s connection. Step outside of your comfort zone and go on an adventure with your significant other!
Have manners. Don’t let chivalry die. Open the door, pull out that chair and show your spouse just how much you respect them.
Accept unconditionally. If there are things you wish you could desperately change about your partner, maybe you shouldn’t be with them. If you love them, however, accept that they are who they are and you cannot force them to change. Forcing your spouse to get that haircut or toss out those old band T-shirts can create serious obstacles to intimacy. Acceptance goes hand-in-hand with encouraging another person to share the most intimate details of their life, such as their hopes, dreams and personal history. Of course, there are times when change is necessary and important, but you should always base change on trust and acceptance — not judgment and criticism.
Be supportive. There are multiple levels of support. Emotional and physical support, esteem support, informational support and tangible support. Share with them, listen to your spouse, give them advice, offer self-esteem boosts and aide them in additional responsibilities, as these are all forms of support. The trick is supplying the right kind of support to the right situation. Do this by communicating, mentioned earlier in this post.
Laugh together. Laughter is contagious! Besides being an indication that we think something is humorous, laughing is one of the ways we bond with other people. Laughter is universally understood and can be a "social lubricant." Watch a funny movie or go to a comedy show — the laughter will boost your mood and boost your bonding.
Be spontaneous. Everyone loves surprises. Keep things fresh by sending her flowers or making dinner one night. Schedule a babysitter for the kids if you need to and surprise your spouse with an evening all about the two of you.
Public praise. Praising your spouse in public will create intimacy and have them see you in a softer light. Praise — especially public praise — really boosts self-esteem and intimacy.
Make them feel noticed. Tell them how good they look — especially when they take extra time to do so! Everyone craves attention, and your spouse is no different. Pay attention to when they go the extra mile and let them know how much you appreciate them.
No comments:
Post a Comment