Does it seem that you and your spouse spend more nights than not lounging on the couch, watching reruns of the same show?
Is it nearly impossible to find something to talk about at the end of a long week?
Have you forgotten what it feels like to anticipate a night out together?
Although many look forward to reaching the ‘comfortable’ season of a relationship, it is possible to get a little too comfortable. A marriage can become stale quickly when two individuals stop progressing as people. While a night spent mindlessly lounging may be refreshing after a busy day, it can also create a rut.
Marriage shouldn’t be the end of dating. That initial spark of romance should be protected and preserved throughout your years together. By making new plans, finding a foundation of common interests, and utilizing the wisdom of a relationship expert, your relationship can flourish for life.
Consider some basic strategies to draw nearer together today:
(1) Date your mate
Make it a point to schedule regular outings together. Rather than relying on old routines, seek out different experiences together. Consider how new challenges develop character! In the same way encountering new things as a couple can deepen your relationship. It offers the opportunity to learn more about one another and enhance your connection. New experiences can initiate new discussions, pull new people into your network, and inspire new memories. A date doesn’t need to break the bank to be memorable. Consider these inexpensive options:
- Pack a picnic and explore a local hiking path. Enjoying nature together offers a chance to connect in peace without distraction.
- Eat a meal together that you’ve not had before. Try to prepare for your night out with the care you took on that first date, so long ago.
- Join a pottery class or take up painting together. Creativity can be personally refreshing and stimulating as a couple.
- Learn together by visiting academic lectures or book readings. Consider going out for coffee afterward to discuss the topic further.
- Get active! Try walking, running, or biking as a pair. Facing physical challenges together can promote personal healthy and re-energize the relationship.
(2) Find common interests
Whether you and your partner have plenty of shared hobbies or none to count, supporting your partner’s endeavors encourages intimacy. Make it a point to ask your spouse questions about the subjects closest to the heart. Offer to tag a long and learn a thing or two at the next marathon, cooking class, or volunteer opportunity that your partner signs up to do. Remember that while you may not love the same activities, they do make up the character of the person your love.
(3) Find a relationship coach or counselor
Don’t wait for a breaking point to seek outside sources to strengthen your relationship and receive wise insight. It is far easier to build healthy habits to safeguard the relationship early on than to recover after establishing poor habits. Even a once-monthly counseling session may provide a dose of healthy accountability and direction to weather the highs and lows of life. Furthermore, when conflict does arise, you will have guided practice in communicating with a purpose.
Are you a little too comfortable? It may be time to shake up the routines in your relationship. Safeguard the future of your marriage by applying these three simple ideas today!
