5 Ways To Deepen Your Connection With Your Partner
Most people in relationships would like to discover more love, passion and better communication with their partner. In this blog, I'm going to go through 5 ways that you can build the relationship you want
When your relationship is going great, you feel great.
When there are challenges it can affect all areas of your life.
One thing is certain in any relationship.
There will be challenges!
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Challenges could be in your communication, arguments, health, money, and other issues.
How you face the challenges can make or break your relationship.
Ignore the issues and they will only get bigger.
Blaming will also make them worse.
Facing the challenges will allow you to build a deeper connection with your partner.
So in this blog, I'm going to discuss 5 ways that you can strengthen your relationship and handle challenges more effectively.
- Learn to really listen.
In my work as a psychotherapist, one of the biggest complaints I find from people struggling in their relationships is that their partner doesn't listen.
Listening requires really paying focused attention to your partner.
It also doesn't involve trying to solve your partner's problem.
That can be a major revelation for many people. When you hear your partner is facing challenges, is your first instinct to try to offer a solution?
If so, make sure you hold back and just listen.
Actually listening to your partner with empathy can help them express what they are really feeling. That expression can be far more powerful that trying to 'fix' the problem.
2. Learn how to communicate better and handle conflict more effectively.
Most people think that they communicate well. However if you asked your partner how well you communicate, what do you think they would say? If you're not sure, ask them!
Communication doesn't involve just expressing what you think is important, it is also about taking into account the feelings and perspective of your partner.
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The phrase 'the meaning of the communication is the response you get' is particularly relevant. If you communicate something and your partner doesn't respond in the way you expected, step back and examine how you communicated the message. You might need to spend some time reflecting on your communication and developing more flexibility to help your partner really understand what you are saying.
3. Don't play the blame game.
When things go wrong, you you tend to blame other people or even yourself? Particularly in your relationship, do you find that you tend to blame your partner?
Blaming never gets people anyway.
Except maybe into increasing levels of isolation!
Nobody likes being blamed. When you blame your partner, they will immediately go on the defensive. They might get upset, angry or even pretend to go along with what you are saying. But at the end of the day, they are never happy when you blame.
Find a way to communicate what you want to say without blaming. Start your communication with phrases like 'I feel....' and avoid phrases like 'you make me angry/you never...' etc.
4. Learn to appreciate your partner.
Make time every day to reflect on some of the things you appreciate about your partner. Whether they seem like small or large things, reflect on them daily. It could be things like how they show their affection for your, little things they regularly do for you, or how great they can make you feel.
It can become all too easy to take our partner for granted, so regularly take time to think about the things you really appreciate about them. And make sure you express this to them
5. Spend time with your partner.
Life can get busy. With long work hours and if you have kids it can seem even more the case that you never seem to have time.
But it is so important to make time with your partner.
Have a date night once a week. Whether it is going out for a meal, going to a class together, or a walk in the park, make sure that you spend time alone with your partner. And make sure that in that time your attention is focused on each other.
These are just a few ideas that can help deepen your relationship. Head over to our main website to find out more.
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