5 Tips To Strengthen Your Relationship

Relationships are living, breathing, ever-changing dynamics. They need constant love, dedication, and attention in order to thrive. If your relationship is not one of your top priorities, it will suffer. In my practice as an online mental health therapist, I have spent a lot of time working with couples to improve their relationship’s dynamics. In honor of Couple Appreciation Month, I wanted to share with you some of the best tips and tricks I’ve learned for keeping your relationship healthy and strong.

5 Tips To Improve Your The Dynamics Within Your Relationship:

1. Practice Honesty
I’ll be honest – honesty is rarely easy. However, when it comes to maintaining a successful intimate relationship, it truly is the best policy. True honesty has two components: honesty with yourself and honesty with your partner. Be clear with yourself about what you need and how you feel first, and then communicate your needs and feelings to your partner. Remember that you do not have to be forceful to be honest; you can communicate your feelings clearly and calmly, without raising your voice.

2. Make Your Relationship A Priority
Life is busy. Work commitments, children’s school and extra-curricular schedules, family responsibilities, doctor’s appointments, and countless other tasks consume our schedules before we even realize it’s happening. In order for your relationship to survive and thrive during life’s busy seasons, it’s important to set time aside specifically for your partner. Even if it’s as brief as a game or a movie after the kids go to bed or a coffee date in between meetings, it will make a world of difference.

3. Never Stop Dating
In the early stages of a relationship, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of it all. We text our significant others frequently, telling them how much we enjoy them and asking when and what our next date will be. After years spent together, however, it’s easy to fall into a routine. We become so accustomed to having the other person around that we may neglect to tell them how much we appreciate having them in our lives. Even if you’ve been married for thirty years, make it a point to act as though you were still dating.

4. Perform Random Acts Of Kindness
When is the last time you went out of your way to do something nice for your partner? Not only that, but when is the last time you went out of your way to do something unexpected for your partner? If you get home from work early one afternoon, try tackling a household task that you know your partner hates to do (dishes, laundry, etc). If your spouse loves a certain food, surprise him/her with it for dinner. Even a small gesture can make a big difference.

5. Embrace Face-To-Face Communication
As mobile technology tightens its grip on our world, face-to-face communication is becoming a rarer and rarer commodity. Texting is easier than saying something out loud, and many couples succumb to the temptation of texting their partner about issues rather than talking to them in person. When it comes to relationship maintenance, however, you should never have important conversations over text. Talking face-to-face may be harder, but your relationship will benefit exponentially for it.