Is romance dead? Hardly! Marriage romance is the thing keeping the spark alive, so you'd better know how to use it.
Cooking together, expressing secret desires, taking a shared bath, and going through photo albums and reminiscing are all great ways to build romance in your marriage.
These habits will ensure you and your partner will feel fiery toward one another for many years to come.
Whether you’ve been married for ten days or ten years, there is always room for building more intimacy in a marriage.
Here are 6 ways you can spice up your marriage romance and do away with intimacy issues.
#1. Brag About Your Spouse
In any other circumstance, bragging can be totally annoying. But when it comes to your spouse, we say brag away!
Speaking positively about your partner's accomplishments, personality traits, or even their cooking skills can have a profound effect on marriage romance.
First, it gives your partner credit for all the amazing things they have accomplished.
Talking about your partner also shows your spouse how much you love them.
It is flattering when your spouse hears that you spoke positively about them to others and can remind them how special they are to you.
It says that you are so proud of them that you had to shout it out from the proverbial rooftops to anyone who will listen.
#2. Encourage Self-Care
One way you can build intimacy in a marriage is by encouraging your partner to take care of themselves. Everyone needs a little 'me' time.
It's what helps rejuvenate people mentally, emotionally, and physically.
It is sweet and thoughtful to encourage your spouse to pursue their own hobbies and goals.
You may also stress the importance of self-care by drawing your partner a bubble bath or giving them a massage.
This is a heartwarming gesture. Seeing that you care about their happiness will make your spouse feel loved, appreciated, and definitely a little spoiled!
#3. Plan Dates
One amazing way to build intimacy in a marriage is through a regularly scheduled date night.
Date night will take you both away from the drudgery of your weekly routine and encourage communication and bonding between couples.
There are more benefits to date night than simply boosting sexual chemistry and taking the night off.
Researchers studying the effects of prolonged marital stress found that positive stimulation can reduce stress.
In the study of 116 participants, results showed that prolonged marital stress is closely associated with short-lived positive stimuli.
So, not only will planning a fun night out will help remind you why you got together in the first place, it can also reduce stress and anxiety built up throughout the week- so get planning!
#4. Learn Their Love Language
One way you can do away with intimacy issues and strengthen your marriage bond is by learning your spouse's love language.
Author Gary Chapman came up with the 5 Love Languages in 1995 to narrow down the most common ways people like to give and receive love. These languages include:
1. Words of Affirmation: If your spouse has this love language, this means they respond strongest when you verbally communicate your love.
This could be through praise, words of affection, compliments, or regular communication.
These are also great ways to do away with any intimacy issues you are having.
2. Acts of Service: Who doesn't love it when their spouse cooks them dinner, gives them a foot massage or finishes a chore around their house? These fall under the 'acts of service' category of the love languages.
3. Quality Time: Spouses who are giving one another their undivided attention are likely to have 'quality time' as their love language.
4. Physical Touch: One of the ways couples communicate and build intimacy in a marriage is through physical touch.
This may mean snuggling, kissing, holding hands, hugging, or being intimate with one another.
5. Receiving Gifts: Not to be confused with materialism, some partners may feel the most loved when their partner is giving a gift.
They feel loved and appreciated knowing that their partner thought about them enough to go out and get a little gift to make them smile.
By knowing which love language your partner most relates to, you will know the best way to build intimacy and marriage romance.
#5 Be a Gentleman/Lady
Is there anything more romantic to a woman than a spouse who opens the car door for you?
There is something to be said for old-school chivalry where a man had manners, gave his coat to his wife when she was cold, and giving sincere compliments.
Is chivalry dead? Not in a happy marriage!
Doing these sweet, every day acts of kindness will make your wife feel special and endear her to you even more than she already is.
Women aren't off the hook, either. As much as women love men acting like a gentleman, many men like it when women act like ladies.
This means knowing how to dress classy, flirt gracefully, use manners (no passing gas in front of your spouse, ladies!), and using refined language (AKA not swearing).
#6 Plan a Surprise
A great way to build intimacy is to plan a surprise for your spouse. This can be as large or small of a surprise as you like.
Bringing home flowers or your spouse's favorite snack is a cute, simple way to surprise your partner with affection.
Other ways to build emotional intimacy is by planning a trip together or surprising your partner with a weekend getaway.
A study done by the U.S. Travel Association, results showed that couples who traveled together had better sex lives than those who didn't. This study also revealed that experiencing new things together helped deepen marriage bonds and kept the relationship feeling exciting and fresh.
Marriage romance is important for keeping the spark alive in your relationship.
Daily expressions of romance, even when small, can also reassure your partner of their importance.
Make your spouse feel special by building intimacy in a marriage, listening to your partner, learning their love language, and planning date nights.
Author Bio:
Sylvia Smith is a relationship expert with years of experience in training and helping couples. She has helped countless individuals and organizations around the world, offering effective and efficient solutions for healthy and successful relationships. Her mission is to provide inspiration, support and empowerment to everyone on their journey to a great marriage. She is a featured writer for Marriage.com, a reliable resource to support healthy & happy marriages.
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