Most people find it difficult on how to keep their relationship up and running. AccraLately has come up with 15 amazing ways to kick-start and refresh your relationship as long as you put them to practice.
1. Laugh a lot
According to Robin Dunbar of the University of Oxford, laughter releases endorphin that help us bond with one another. So quit nagging about the car you couldn’t afford and watch funny videos and comedies together.
2. Go soft
You can go soft by starting to respect and acknowledging your partner’s opinion and then gently bringing up your own. This could help sparkle harmony between you people in the relationship.
3. Make a love map
An easy and rewarding way to rejuvenate your relationship is to make what Dr. John Gottman calls a love map. This is a detailed road map of your partner’s inner world: what she likes and dislikes, her hopes and dreams, her worries and stresses.
4. Talk responsibility for your own happiness
Its time to put a stop to those who have been blaming their partners for their feelings of stagnation and boredom. Relationships thrive when both parties take responsibility for their emotional well-being.
5. Hang out with happy people
There is an old adage that goes, “Show me your friend and let me tell you your character.” The possibility of you being happy when you hang out with happy people will also make you happy.
6. Have an attitude of gratitude
A study sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health recently showed that expressing gratitude for your partner increases “relationship connection and satisfaction the following day, for both recipient and benefactor.” So tell your honey what you appreciate about her and see how much happier you both feel.
7. Try something new together
Both of you can bake a cookie together, go on a picnic, you know do something out of the ordinary together. I bet you this will really light up and sparkle your relationship.
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8. Tell the truth
Trust your partner enough to engage in healthy, respectful conflict when you need to. Your relationship will be stronger in the long run.
9. Reach out and touch people
Studies have shown that non-sexual touch reduces cortisol (a stress hormone) and increases oxytocin (a stress-reducing hormone). Hugging your beloved, or even just holding hands, lowers your blood pressure and heart rate. So the next time you feel stressed, grab your sweetie and hug it out.
10. Make plans for the future
11. Take responsibility for your part of the problem
Nothing shuts down a negotiation faster than one party blaming the other for everything. No matter what the issue, it takes two to tango. So suck it up and acknowledge your role in the conflict.
12. Let it out
We all know people who hoard small resentments like ammunition, then unexpectedly explode at a minor provocation. Don’t be that person. Air out your resentments and sour feelings—respectfully—as they occur.
13. Think small
Knowledge has trained us to glorify the grand romantic gesture, but one grand gesture looks pretty puny compared to a lifetime’s accumulation of thoughtful, meaningful moments. Instead of a dozen roses each Valentine’s Day, give your partner the gift of your loving attention on a daily basis.
14. Create traditions
If you don’t already have a tradition established around celebrating your connection, make one. Relationship expert Ellie Lisitsa says, “Establish a ritual of connection in your relationship. By returning to the same restaurant year after year, or by watching the same movie, you form a lasting tradition that you look forward to. This tradition also gives you the opportunity to look back on your relationship and reminisce about years past, reminding you of how strong your bond has become.
15. Communicate your desires clearly
Few things feel as vulnerable as fully owning your desires and assertively asking your partner to meet them. But the payoff is huge: healthy trust and intimacy—not to mention all those fulfilled desires. And even when your partner doesn’t meet your needs, you just might find that honesty is its own reward.
Credits: Amy Leigh Morgan
