At the beginning of a relationship, everything is exciting and you learn something new about your partner, every day. But, as time goes by, and you settle into more of a routine, rather than grow closer to one another, you can actually start to grow apart. This is no new phenomena, nor is it unusual, but there are things that you can do to bring yourself closer to your partner and strengthen the bond that you have with him. If you feel that you and your partner are starting drift away from one another, read these ten tips on how to bridge that gap that may be growing between you:
1. Catch up with each other, every night
Don’t lose the habit of asking each other how the day went. Catching up on each other’s day can really help to bring you closer. It means that those times that are spent apart are not like a life that is separated from the relationship, they are an integral part of it that you can share. You can share your daily experiences and even help one another with advice too.
2. Listen and encourage one another
Proper communication is one of the first things to fly out the window, when you start to grow apart. Be open and honest with one another and share your thoughts and fears and give encouragement where it is needed. Make the time to talk and to listen, and then you can give each other the support that each of you needs.
3. Celebrate your successes together
Do you just say something like, ‘that’s nice dear’, when your partner comes home with good news? If you do, then show a little more interest in your partners’ success, whether they be at work or in his hobbies. These things are probably important to him, just as your achievements are important to you, so be pleased for one another, when things go right and, perhaps, go out for a meal to celebrate or, break out some champagne to mark the occasion.
4. Get away from it all occasionally
Take a break and get away from the mundane, everyday hassles of life. Go for a romantic break every now and then, and spend some quality time with each other for a change. It doesn’t even need to be an expensive trip away, it’s just getting out of the home and doing something different together that counts.
5. Don’t nag each other
Nagging can become a habit, but continual nagging and digging at your partner will eventually get him down and drive a wedge between the two of you. Many people don’t even realise the damage that nagging can do to a relationship. Where’s the harm in telling him something wrong? You might think, but, when that same thing is repeated, over and over again, it stops being just a little thing and it can escalate into a big one.
6. Inject something new into date nights
Keep up the dating habits, even when you’ve been together for a long time and don’t always go to the same place. Try new restaurants, new types of films and experiment with new things to do together. Variety is the spice of life, so keep dates interesting or they too will become just another routine.
7. Think about what you are saying in a fight
The closer we become to someone, the more comfortable we feel about expressing our emotions. In the main, this is a good thing, but the down side to it is that it can also make us say things in a fight that we would never dream of saying to anyone else. Hurtful comments, said in the heat of the moment, will be remembered for longer than you think, so take a pause for breath, before you say something really hurtful.
8. Turn the TV off!
TV has become such an integral part of our lives that many of us switch it on, as automatically as we would switch on the lights, as soon as we get home. You might think that you can talk to each other, while the TV is on, but you won’t be paying real attention to your conversation. Switch it off sometimes and have a real discussion with your partner.
9. Do things together
You don’t have to be in different rooms and each of you have different chores to do. Why not do the chores together? There is no reason why he can’t help with the cooking and the cleaning and she can’t sit in the garage, while he works on the car. Sharing chores like this breaks the monotony of boring jobs and it gives you more time to talk.
10. Laugh together
When people laugh together, it strengthens the bond and brings them closer to each other, so goof around a bit have some fun. Go to a comedy club together and get your laughs that way, or just spend a night in reminiscing about some of the funny things that have happened through your relationship. Life is serious enough already, so bring a bit of laughter into your relationship and it will bring you closer.
What other things do you like to do with your partner that brings you closer?
Stay happy!
