How to Keep Your Romance Alive Through Good Communication
When you first fall in love you are filled with romance and life cannot get any better. Communication is easy and you are in touch with each other's thoughts and feelings.
By working at developing good communication with your partner you can maintain or even rebuild trust and affection in your relationship that can allow your romance to flourish. Good communication is essential to an ongoing loving healthy relationship.
Communication skills improve with practice
No matter how difficult you find developing good communication with your partner, it does improve with practice. Keep finding time to talk with your partner every day. Don’t stress about it being deep and meaningful immediately, just enjoy asking them how their day is going and the small but interesting things that you are both going through. With practice, you will both develop a confidence that can allow you to share more deeply. It also keeps the communication lines open so that small issues can be sorted before they develop into large problems.
Focus on being constructive rather than the negative
Talk about what you both want rather than what you don’t. Your conversation is much less confrontational when it focuses on solutions rather than problems.
If you are upset about something, ask questions about the issue rather than make a direct statement. Statements can come across as judgmental with no room for discussion on your partner’s part. It can seem as if you are not interested in hearing your partners view.
Enjoy touch when you talk to each other
When you touch each other in a romantic way it opens trust and affection. It helps you both to approach your conversation in a calm and relaxed manner and to show respect and affection for each other. Discuss how you feel about your concerns rather than blaming your partner. It leaves your partner able to tell you how they feel and allows room for open healing discussion.
Make sure you go out on regular date nights with your partner
This is especially important for couples with young children or busy work schedules.
Keep in touch with the fun side of your relationship and create fun reasons to communicate and good memories to carry you through the harder times.
Choose a good time to talk
Your partner will be unlikely to be open and responsive to meaningful communication if they have just walked in from a busy day at work or they are in the middle of an important game of sport on the TV. You may find it helpful to schedule regular time to catch-up with each other, and build in fun constructive conversation rather than it always being negative niggle sessions.
Take the effort to understand your partner's nonverbal cues
Spend time learning your partner’s body language, when they are tired, stressed, or maybe needing some space.
When you can support them when they are stressed and tired or you are able to give them space when they need time alone you will be communicating your love and care for them. Choose times when they are able to engage fully with you, be more receptive to conversation and more likely to listen and take on board what you are talking about.
Let them know in a positive way if your partner has missed your cues.
Keep telling them that you love them
This is such a powerful statement. It is the glue that can help rebuild a troubled relationship and hold a healthy one together.
Allow yourself to be spontaneous and tell your partner you love them when they least expect it. When you make your partner a coffee or meet them in the hallway. Look them in the eyes and say “I love you”.
All relationships require ongoing work from both partners to maintain the spark and intensity of the relationship. It may not be easy to rebuild good communication at first but it is well worth the effort. You will be making a worthwhile investment in your ongoing relationship.
