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If you’re married for any amount of time, you know marriage can be hard, and it takes constant work for it to continue to thrive. We have been married for 15 years, and have had many ups and downs. Many of the ‘downs’ were because of our lack of ‘connecting’ with each other.
I am sharing 10 ways to connect with your spouse that have been helpful to us. You can easily do these today. I hope it will help your marriage thrive in a new way.
1. Plan a Date Night for this Week
Go out, just you two, or plan a romantic night in.
2. Send a Sweet Text to Your Spouse
Express how much you love them and how grateful you are to be married to them.
3. Touch Them Every Hour When You are Together
At some point… every hour, give them a kiss, rub their back, or touch in some meaningful way.
4. Bring Them a Simple Surprise
This could be their favorite food, flowers, or even a candy bar.
5. Have an Electronic-Free Night
Put your phones away, turn off the TV, and spend quality time together. Play a game, catch up in a more detailed way, and set some goals together.
6. Be Intimate
Yep, this is so important in marriage. Make a choice to be romantic and enjoy one of the best parts of marriage.
7. Express Thankfulness
Take some time to intentionally list to your spouse the things you love and appreciate about them and how they contribute to your life and/or your family. Encourage them.
8. Pray Together
Share with each other what you need prayer for and take some time to hold hands and pray with each other. Many times this will open your eyes to the real issues your spouse may be dealing with.
9. Make Intentional Eye Contact Every Time They Speak
Stop what you’re doing and give them your full attention. Put the phone down.
10. Make a Meal Together
Put on some music and work together in the kitchen to prepare a meal.
It is so easy, over time, to take each other for granted and not to invest the energy into deepening your friendship and romantic connection. These simple tips have made a big impact on our marriage and help both of us feel loved and appreciated.
I encourage you to pick a few and intentionally do them today. Being intentional is everything in marriage. The more effort you put in, the better it is for both people. Everyone wants to feel loved, cherished, important, and special. Finding ways to do so are essential for a joyful marriage that will last a lifetime.
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Jehava Brown.
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