7 Ways To Strengthen Your Relationship
Love, romance, long-term relationships, and marriages aren't always like they appear in the movies. They unfold in real life, with both the positive and not-so-great options. It's easy to get caught up in the romanticized versions we see on screen, but the truth is relationships are a journey with ups and downs, just like in real life.
But regardless of your relationship status, duration, and situation, wanting to strengthen your bond and improve your relationship is admirable.
The daily grind, the repetitiveness of life, and everything else you have going on can impact your relationship, making it seem like you don't have the relationship you once did. But remember, these challenges can also be opportunities for growth. These tips and tricks can enable you to work towards a healthier, stronger relationship.
Get Therapy
Therapy isn't for everyone, but it's a normal and healthy way to work through any issues one or both partners have. Talking to a neutral party who is trained to help you move past problems, find resolutions, and assist you in improving your relationship can be an eye-opening experience. It allows you to express yourself and your needs, fostering better communication and a deeper understanding of each other.
You can choose couples therapy, get therapy alone, or look at sex therapy to help you work through intimacy issues you might have.
Take A Break
While this might seem counterintuitive, spending time apart might be able to help you assess what you need and want from your relationship. You might be spending too much time together in a bid to boost intimacy and togetherness, which will have the opposite effect. To be compatible and grow your relationship, you both need to know who you are as people and have lives outside of each other to allow you to understand who you are so you can align this with what you need as a couple.
Schedule Time Together
If life is getting in the way or you simply don't have any time to spend together, scheduling some time together with no distractions or disruptions can help you reconnect, forget the world, and focus on you both as a couple.
Whether you turn off all devices and have a quiet night on, book a date night, overnight stay at a hotel, get a babysitter to spend the day together, or do anything else, make time in your schedule, book it in, and make it a priority to spend time together alone to work on your relationship.
Sleep At The Same Time
If you've fallen into the trap of going to bed and falling asleep at different times or not sleeping in the same room, it might be time to address this and try coordinating sleeping patterns.
One sleep coach suggests that 75% of couples don't go to sleep together, which negatively affects their relationship. So, talk with each other about what length of sleep you need and what a mutually beneficial time to sleep is. Commit to downing devices and books, turning TVs off, etc., and falling asleep together. This can foster a sense of togetherness, provide an opportunity for intimate conversations, and ensure you wake up at the same time, ready to face the day together.
Be Vulnerable
Expressing your needs and wants is crucial in a relationship. You might expect each other to know you and know what you want, but if you're not expressing yourself, it might not be visible or noticeable. If you're constantly avoiding each other's wants or not paying attention to each other and how your actions are reciprocated or received, you might not be noticing what you need to. Being vulnerable and open about your needs can open the door to increased intimacy and a deeper understanding of each other, especially in longer-term relationships and marriages.
Over time, i's likely you have changed, and if your behavior toward each other hasn't changed to accommodate this, it's time to get vulnerable and open up about what you want and need.
Do not be afraid to leave it all on the table. If you feel you can't do this verbally, you need to do so in other forms of communication. Either record a video and send it to your partner or write it all down.
Novel Experiences
Why not try to create some fun and novel experiences in your life? Book a dance class together, have a spontaneous night out, do something different but together, and experience new things in life. You could also try a new hobby, visit a place you've never been to, or even cook a new recipe together.
This can be a great way to break free of your usual routines and create some excitement. You can plan things together or surprise each other, ensuring what they can handle is within their limits. For example, if your partner is scared of heights, bungee jumping or skydiving could be out of the question, but maybe booking a boat trip or day cruise could work instead. Whether it's a comedy night, a new restaurant, or a day trip to a theme park, add fun and spontaneity to your life to break the repetitiveness of daily life.
Listen and Pay Attention
You can listen to the words you are being told, listen to what isn't being said, and pay attention to the more physical clues in your relationship to get a complete idea of each other and where you are in the relationship.
The trick to listening is simply that. You don't need to interject. You merely need to hear what you are being told both verbally and via actions and behaviors. You might notice changes in them when you are directly interacting or not, so you can change your own behavior and words and how you communicate. It might be that you uncover information that can help you further strengthen your bond by being more aware of each other and your actions. But if you are serious about your relationship, you need to listen to each other and pay attention.
