You’ve probably heard (and learned) that great relationships take work. A truly great relationship takes more than sustaining the status quo. It’s about growing as a couple and loving aspects of your partner that comes with shared experiences. While most couples step into my office when things are pretty bad between them, the ones who do manage to work out their issues often ask about way to improve their relationship. Just like daily physical exercise, you can do a world of good for your relationship when you invest in it daily.
Here are five exercises to improve your relationship:
1. Remind your partner how wonderful they are.
Since we live in such a digital world, you can program alarms on your partner’s phone with a message such as “I love your smile” or “Thanks for always being there for me” in their calender. You can program as many as you want and even repeat some of the messages. It’s always great to get a surprise message.
If you feel uncomfortable going into your partner’s phone, you can also create a post-it wall where you note things you like about each other. You can also assign a specific color post it so you can easily who wrote what.
2. Create a joint mission statement for the week.
Joint mission statements are important because it focuses your goal as a couple for the week. You can create a chalkboard wall using a type of paint and write your joint statement on it so it’s visible to the eye.
3. Do something active together.
Don’t worry if you’re not an athletic person, it can be as simple as cooking together. The idea is to get off the couch and join in an activity that will engage you and your partner.
4. Schedule one day a week for date night.
It’s easy to let things slip by when you’re busy but setting aside time and making your relationship a priority will do wonders in maintaining closeness.
5. Invest in a deck of Table Topics cards.
These cards are great for a get together and for couples. These questions will help you get to know your partner in a fun way using questions you might not typically ask. The card decks are also themed so you can pick one that stands out to you.
Amy Yew is a registered clinical counselor and relationship therapist. She is also the author of a fashion and lifestyle blog Style Du Jour. Tell us what you think and submit any questions you have to [email protected].
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