Although many of us will confidently say that our relationship is the most important thing in our life right now, far too many of us forget to do the little things that help to forge stronger bond and keep us connected with our partner. Often, we don't get to spend as much time with our boo as we'd like.
Although this in itself can damage a relationship, many of us are scuppering what we have even more by forgetting the small things that can easily and significantly improve our love.
If you feel as though your bond has been falling by the wayside of late, here are 10 love tips that will boost your relationship instantly.
Go to bed at the same time
If you're worried that you guys never have a free moment together anymore, you could be wasting the best chance to spend some quality time side by side – huddling together underneath the sheets at the end of a long day.
It's fairly common now for couples to go to bed at different times. Perhaps you have to be up earlier than him, so you hit the hay sooner, or maybe sometimes you prefer to stay up later watching television, while he just wants an early night. It's not always easy to find the right balance.
However, it is important that you go to bed at the same time, because this is a great opportunity to strengthen bonds. You can indulge in pillow talk, kiss, hug and fall asleep in each other's arms.
Prioritise your relationship
Maybe you've got to work late tonight or you've got plans with a friend. As such, you can't see your partner this evening.
Only, you couldn't see them last night neither – or the night before. Meanwhile, the evening before that they were busy.
For a relationship to be strong and fruitful, it's fundamental that you both put it first and foremost before anything else. Be prepared to be flexible and break prior plans if necessary.
Make them a cup of coffee
It's so easy to think that the only way to declare our love for our partner is to hit them with the grand gestures, such as tickets to the theatre or an expensive romantic retreat.
These gestures can only come around once in a while because they're so pricey, but did you also know that the best way to show someone you love them is by treating them to frequent smaller gestures?
One of the best ways to brighten up their day and show them that you love them is to make them a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Lots of people take these small acts of kindness for granted, but whenever you carry them out your partner notices them.
Laugh about funny times from your past
Without a shadow of a doubt, the best memories are the hilarious ones. You and your partner will have shared your funny moments together, and reminiscing about them is a great way to improve your connection and light a spark in the here and now.
Couples who laugh together stay together. Moreover, couples who have awesome memories that they enjoy looking back on always stay positive.
And according to Doris Bazzini, Ph.D.: “Laughter reminiscence packs an additional punch because people relive the moment by laughing again.”
Listen to your partner's perspective
Here's the thing: You are not always right, and neither are they. Nothing is ever black and white, but is instead grey and nuanced.
To truly get the most out of your relationship, it's important that you listen and understand where your partner is coming from. If you don't, you could feel cheated, blamed or unfairly treated, which can in time create conflict.
Hug your partner
When was the last time your man hugged you? More to the point, when was the last time you gave your man a hug?
Hugging is just as important as getting intimate underneath the duvet. You can do it often, anywhere, and it helps to keep your relationship healthy.
The problem is that many of us forget just how potent a hug actually is, but the more you touch your partner, the more comfortable you will both feel around one another. Hugging can calm someone down, cheer them up, and remind them of your love and care.
Ask new questions
When you first start dating someone, there is always so much to ask because you're getting to know someone new. Eventually, the questions fizzle out and we remain reliant on the good old “how was your day?” line.
When you stop asking questions, a relationship can start to feel as though it's winding down. For this reason, it's important for the progress of what you guys have got that you keep coming up with new questions.
Ask your partner about anything and everything. What are their hopes and dreams? What would they spend a million dollars on? What's their favourite childhood memory? Where do they want to live?
Always be curious and throw away the assumption that you already know everything.
Switch off your devices
In 2016, we live in the age of inexpensive technology. As such, many of us own at least 3 devices from which we can communicate with people from anywhere at any time. If we switch off our laptop, we still might be tempted to pop onto our tablet. If we refrain from using our tablet, there is always our phone.
To make sure that you get to spend more quality time with your partner, it's important that you switch off your devices now and then. Mobile phones and laptops can be addictive and they can alienate us from our partner and make us distant even when we're in the same room.
Although innocently using social media is not cheating on your partner, it can damage your relationship in other ways by robbing you both of precious time.
Hold hands
Like making your partner a cup of coffee and hugging them more often, holding hands is another small but incredibly powerful gesture that strengthens your connection.
Holding hands when you're out and about in public is symbolic of your unbreakable love and affection for one another. As time goes by, couples tend to forget about this sweet gesture – so now is the time to resurrect it.
Learn to forgive
Lastly, holding a grudge against your partner because of something they did a few months ago is surefire way of creating unnecessary tension and damaging your relationship.
For a better future, it's time that you both learned the power of forgiveness and how to move on from the past.
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