Communication is one of the most important things in a relationship. It's not something that can be overlooked, no matter what stage you're at in your relationship. If you want to build stronger relationships with your partner or spouse, then it's time to work on improving your communication skills. In this blog post, we will share five ways couples can improve their relationships by strengthening communications!
Before we begin it is important to consider that communication is both verbal and non-verbal. I find that both genders often assume that the other one simply assumes that their partner knows what they want. The challenge here is that most men are transparent with what they like or don't like, or simply don't care. On the other hand, women often expect that men are paying attention to them at all times and can pick up on subtle clues.
As such, with these ways that couples can help enhance their relationships by improving communication, we're going to look at activities and adventures that a couple can do together that combine important elements of both verbal and non-verbal communication. By combining these, it will ultimately create a wonderful experience that both partners will appreciate.
Seek Professional Help Through Couples Counseling
One of the best things that couples can do to improve their communication is to seek professional help through couples counseling. This is a great way for you and your partner to learn how to effectively communicate with each other, as well as learn about yourselves and your relationship. Often times there are underlying issues that may have led to problems in communication, which can be addressed and resolved in counseling.
Couples counseling doesn't have to be dark and scary, it doesn't even have to be something where you are adversaries trying to solve a problem. While there are psychologists that are excellent at helping to bring couples away from the edge of divorce, other options such as attending retreats and seminars are a great way to improve communication too.
Plan A No Tech Road Trip
Planning a road trip together is a great way to create conversations about what someone likes, what they aspire to do, and ultimately it is an opportunity to create memories together that will be shared for a lifetime.
Unfortunately, it is all too easy to take a trip where one or both partners spends too much time glued to their phone, checking sports scores on the internet, playing games, or simply watching the news or favorite TV shows. By eliminating phones and laptops you can bring the conversation between the couple closer together and create a uniquely personal experience.
Attend A Cooking or Wine Blending Class
Another great way to get closer to your partner is by cooking together. Not only will you learn about their likes and dislikes when it comes to food, but you'll also have the opportunity to cook side-by-side which can create some intimate moments.
An example of how this can work beyond simply cooking a meal is what Heather and I did on a recent cruise with Holland America Line's Koningsdam where we created a wine blend together. Before we began the two of us talked about what we were interested in creating together and then during the process we tried different levels of the various wines being put together. However, the final output ultimately allowed us to share what we liked and didn't like, as well as forcing us to resolve disagreements while ultimately creating a wine that we both very much enjoyed drinking.
Try Something New That Involves Trust
Trying something new together is always an exciting prospect. Sometimes it is a bit scary other times it is sensational maybe even scandalous. Picking this something is the first level of conversation with your partner and reading clues about what they may be interested in and more importantly willing to do.
For instance, you might try something relatively easy like trying a new type of ethnic cuisine that is exotic such as dim sum or for other couples it could be something more intense such as exploring kinks and fetishes.
You might think we've gone crazy here but while sexual activities like BDSM or even light bondage may seem sensational, it is a practice that actually involves a lot of trust, planning, and communication. After all, one party is quite literally placing their safety and security in the control of the other. This means that the dominant party needs to be able to look for cues from the submissive one that they are doing the right things --- as well as paying attention to pre-established safe words.
If you've never tried this before, starting with something basic like leather cuffs or a ball gag is a good place to start, and then if you enjoy things, building up from there.
Attend A Seminar Or Workshop Together
There are many opportunities for couples to attend seminars and workshops that focus on improving communications. From anger management courses to learning about different relationship styles, there are plenty of topics that can be covered in order to help strengthen your bond with your partner. Often these events provide wonderful opportunities for socializing with other couples who may be going through similar challenges in their own relationships.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways that couples can help their relationships by improving communication. By utilizing these five ideas, such as seeking professional counseling or planning a no-tech road trip together, the two partners will be able to strengthen and enhance their relationship in many different aspects.
