Hey! Can Iย ask you to stop for a second and let's have a quick heart to heart? This is important, because you are important!โฃ
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Are you running from one thing to the next?โฃ ๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ
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Juggling work deadlines? In a job that pays well, but still leaves you feeling overlooked and burnt-out?โฃ ๐ฃ
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What about those chores? Meals for your kids, homework, activities, and those social events?โฃ
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Trying to get some you time inโฆ sure, you shower daily, and practice the basic musts of hygieneโฆ ๐ฟ๐ชฅ
But you can see your haircut is long overdue, perhaps your body aches from months longing for a massageโฆ or maybe it is just the desire for 3 hours of undisturbed quiet, if you can just get that...โฃ Or a date night... even once a month...โฃ
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All of these demands have taken a toll, and continue to extract a pricey sacrifice from you. โฃ๐ตโ๐ซ๐ง
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If you can just get one thing to work the way you want, that would be a good start... And if that one thing is keeping and growing the closeness with your spouse, then that would be BEYOND GOOD!โฃ ๐
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Then you stumbled on a post that promised some useful tips, but a quick scroll to the end says it is waaaaaayyyy too long and you just donโt have the time to read it now!
So off you go again to the next thing thatโs screaming for your time, energy and attention...โฃ๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ๐๐ฝ
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Meanwhile, the joy and fulfillment continue to seep away... โฃ
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How did life get so crazy, and where is the fulfillment that all this effort and activity promised?!โฃ
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Well, I know you are busy, stressed, working hard to be the best you can be in every area of life. โฃ
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Breathe... At the very least, look yourself in the mirror and say,
โโ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐โ๐บ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ... ๐โ๐บ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น. ๐โ๐บ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐.โ
โฃBut hang on just a minute more... ๐ค๐ฝ๐ค๐ฝ
โBefore you go, can I also share some quick tips you can use with your partner? This will help you to keep your partnership a sweet sanctuary, even if the rest of lifeโs demands are clamoring for your attention:โฃ
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๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐โ schedule it and make it non-negotiable!
Start with once a month if that is all you can manage for now. But set it and keep the commitment. Make sure the kids are either with a sitter, at family, or if they are old enough, let them know this is a โ๐ฑ๐ผ-๐ป๐ผ๐-๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฏโ time and zone (except in life or death situations).โฃ
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Make a habit of ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ when you talk (except when driving!).
Donโt look at screens, the newspaper (are those still around?!), phones... Our eyes reveal our hearts, often more than words... So look at each other more, after all, another way to convey intimacy is into-me-see... Practice really seeing each other.โฃ
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Reignite passion by being intentional with ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ก๐ appreciation to each other, for each other.
Make it a daily ritual ofย ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ย your partner one thing you admire about them, or that you are really thankful for about them. (I call this the โdaily honorโ... my husband and I have been practicing this for over 12 years so I can say with certainty, it works!)
Clearly, I am emphasizing that this is about expressing, actually communicating the appreciation. Too often, we think our partners should know we appreciate them. And sure, they probably know... but think about how you will make themย FEELย when you express it! โฃ๐ฅฐ๐ค
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I kept it to three tips because I know youโre busy and I did not want you to miss this by scrolling past if it was just too long...โฃ
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So there, now go book that first date and tell your partner one thing you love about him/her. Yes, take action now! Your partnership is one of the most important relationships and priorities, so act with the urgency it deserves! โฃ
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Can I let you in on another secret before you go? When we start to improve in one area of our lives, that positive change starts to spread into the other areas too... Life is multi-dimensional. To be the best person we want to be we have to look at all areas of our lives. Start in the area that matters most to you.
Iย shared here about protecting the partnership with a spouse or life partner, because that is usually one of the most important relationships we have. But even if you are single, or divorced, you can still apply these principles to improve the important relationships in your life. The quality of relationships we have nourish our lives, and helps us to be the best versions of ourselves.
So give it a try! โฃAnd let me know how it goes, I'd love to celebrate your win with you!
