April 1, 2022 | Relationships
Every relationship requires a certain level of intimacy. In romantic relationships, intimacy creates closeness, compatibility and higher levels of relationship satisfaction.
Intimacy is a difficult concept to understand. It can be characterized as the willingness of two people to be vulnerable, open, and honest with one another. Intimacy necessitates a high level of transparency; the only way to be intimate with someone is to be open about yourself and connect on a deeper level with them.
Intimacy is commonly misunderstood to mean only physical intimacy. In a relationship, however, having physical intimacy is inadequate. Any romantic relationship must have emotional intimacy in order to thrive – Couples who are willing to share their flaws, disappointments and insecurities, as well as their goals, dreams, and achievements, are more likely to be happy together.
How can you build emotional intimacy?
There are many strategies to increase intimacy in your relationship.
Do something meaningful together.
Try to come up with ways to spend more time with each other. Do something that makes both of you feel calm, comfortable, and entertained while also involving both of you equally. Play games together, try out a new hobby or create a meal together. Make sure you and your partner turn off notifications and put your electronics away when you set aside time to spend together. You’ll be able to spend more quality time together as an outcome of this.
Try something with new ideas.
It’s likely that after some time has passed in a relationship, you’ll find yourself caught in a cycle. You can explore something new to add some variety, joy, and excitement to your life. This may involve enrolling in a class together. It could also mean doing something your partner has suggested in the past but you have shied away from. Allow yourselves to indulge in new activities together and create memories.
Invest in yourself.
Even when you are in a relationship, you are still your own person. It is essential that you set out time for yourself and concentrate on the things that are important to you. This could include your job, personal development, relationships, health, and overall well-being. Create new habits that you enjoy, like reading a new book every month or working out twice a week. Understand that your partner could be your favorite part of the day, but not take up all of it. Spending some quality time with yourself nourishes your relationships with others too.
Communicate assertively.
Sometimes when there are issues in a relationship, partners don’t understand how to communicate effectively. It’s critical that you learn how to speak and express yourself without coming out as aggressive or passive. This also involves paying attention to one another before providing suggestions or advice. You can work together to solve the problem once you’ve identified it. It’s important to remember that in a relationship, it’s never you vs. your spouse; rather, it’s your partner and you vs. the problem.
Identify their positives.
There can be times when everything about your partner starts to bother you, especially during an argument or conflict. Make a conscious effort to list all of your partner’s good qualities and things you enjoy about them during these moments. You can either write it down or say them to your partner out loud. This will make you feel more connected to them right away, and it may even bring emotional intimacy to the forefront.
At the end of the day, no relationship is ideal. You and your partner may not always agree on everything, you may argue, and you may even damage each other’s feelings at times. This, however, is an inevitable part of being in a relationship. Making your relationship a priority and committed to making things work might help with the development of an emotional connection between you and your partner. Remember that trust, vulnerability, and communication are the foundations of any successful relationship.