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Relationships require effort for both partners to be happy and satisfied. Everywhere you look, people are handing out advice for a better relationship. But not all relationship advice is created equal. Here are a few things that have been proven to enhance relationships, provided to you by your Bethesda counseling experts.

Hold Hands

Holding hands with your partner in public goes beyond just a simple display of affection. In fact, studies have found that holding hands with your partner reduces stress and increases feelings of connection to each other. Holding hands is a great example of communicating in action; you are displaying love, warmth, and caring towards your partner.  Additionally, when you walk around in public holding hands with your partner, it lets anyone around you know that both you and your partner are taken. This is a great way to make your partner feel special and wanted.

Take Conversation to a New Level

It is easy for couples to get into a routine, asking the same basic questions every day. At the end of the day, most couples will ask each other how their day went, what’s for dinner, and other surface-level questions. You can break this routine by giving your partner your full attention, listening intently, and asking deeper, open-ended questions that can get you and your partner talking. When you do this, you’ll have more meaningful conversations with your partner and maybe even learn something new about them.

Go to Bed at the Same Time

If you feel like you and your partner aren’t as close as you used to be or that you are having difficulty connecting with each other, bedtime is the perfect opportunity to connect and spend quality time together. When couples share their bedtime routine, they are able to catch up on each other’s day and wind down together. It’s a great time for cuddling, which can lead to greater feelings of being nurtured, loved, and appreciated.

Display Your Togetherness and Love for Each Other

It is important for couples to have pictures of themselves displayed throughout their home. Also consider displaying souvenirs from trips you’ve been on together, items from your wedding day, and other mementos that display your love and affection for each other. When couples have these items on display around their home, they are reminded of happy times together and their love for each other.

Turn off Electronics

Being physically and mentally present for your partner requires minimal distractions. When you are scrolling through your social media feed, you’re not giving your partner your full attention. While it is fine for couples to have shows they enjoy watching together, it is important that you do things together other than watch television. Do not allow phones or other electronic devices into the bedroom, as they present a challenge for couples trying to connect and maintain intimacy.

Keep Dating Your Partner

This is probably the most important, and common, piece of relationship advice. Creative imagination is crucial in developing and maintaining adult intimate love; it sparks positive images of a desirable life with your partner. It is important for couples to continue to date, even after marriage. It is easy for couples to become comfortable with each other and stop going on dates. Remember all the fun dates and things you did when you first started dating and try to incorporate them back into your relationship. Plan fun date nights that show your partner how much you love and appreciate them.

When you take the time to invest in your relationship, you will grow closer to your partner and your relationships satisfaction will improve. While these tips are not a guarantee that you and your partner won’t have struggles and arguments, they will help you create a stronger foundation to get through the hard times. At our Bethesda counseling office, we see couples at differing relationship stages improve their connections by implementing these simple habits.