Whether you're feeling disconnected, worried about losing your relationship mojo, or just want to be proactive in remaining happy with your love, here are 10 healthy relationship tips to help your love life thrive.
1. Actively discuss your satisfaction in the relationship with your partner. If you had to rate your current relationship satisfaction on a 1-10 scale (10=most satisfied), where would you fall? What does your partner rate it? Make it common practice to process your relationship by reflecting on how you’re feeling and how things are going—this will help you feel more connected.
2. Check in to see if you are meeting your partner’s physical and emotional needs. Are yours being met? Be open and honest, and try not to get defensive if your partner identifies things you can improve. Think about your needs for affection, sex, admiration, attractiveness, domestic support, recreational companionship, financial support, and family commitments.
healthy relationship tips for a thriving love life
3. Prioritize the relationship with special date nights. You don’t need to break the bank to have romance!
4. Send loving or sexy texts during the week to pique interest
5. Talk about your day when you get home from work—we are all busy and there is never enough time to get everything done! Make an effort to be present and in the moment with your partner by putting down your phones, turning off the TV, and physically orienting yourself towards your partner for conversation.
6. Increase physical affection—kissing, holding hands, back rubs, & cuddles all count. It’s important to touch outside of when you’re looking for sex!
7. Say thank you, express appreciation and gratitude. Create a bedtime routine where you each identify 1-3 things you were grateful for that day (it doesn’t have to be about each other). You can also thank your partner for thoughtful things, no matter how big or small, that he/she did for you that day during this time.
8. Exercise together—A couple who sweats together stays together! Even walking counts, and if you hold hands while you walk, that’s a double whammy of happiness.
9. Respond positively to your partner’s interests or comments. For example, if your husband shares news about his fantasy sports league, show some interest. Research shows couples who ignore each other’s statements are more likely to have problems and separate.
10. Find shared activities that you both enjoy doing together. Couples who go off to do separate hobbies the majority of the time don’t have the opportunity to bond and connect, which can lead to growing apart. Keep an open and enthusiastic attitude when trying each other’s preferred activities. Even if you’re not into ice fishing, don’t be a buzz kill!