Good things come in 3’s!!

What’s an added benefit to working from home? Snack time!😜

Spending QUALITY time together is all the more important these days. When you spend every waking moment together without the normal 8-9 hour escape, it can be taxing. The kids are all over the place and require so much, all while your home has become a jungle-themed all-in-one. It’s easy to fall into a routine that involves only survival. For a moment, I was focused on everyone’s sanity and reducing the stress of being stuck at home. As soon as I was able to climb stairs (and closer to feeling normal again after giving birth), there I was being Dr. Phil for everyone. I totally overlooked intimacy, playfulness and quality time for the “adults only”. There was no chill in the Netflix, ha, ha! Being married and being successful at a committed relationship requires effort, creativity, constant affirmation of feelings and being intentional. Spending more time together can spell disaster or become the building blocks to be stronger than ever before; it’s all up to you!! Let‘s thrive and reinvest in our love! How, you ask? Let’s start with these three!

Communication

This is huge!! The more time that’s spent at home, the more you will realize quirks that you overlooked before. That whole “don’t go to bed angry“ thing has to be in full effect, ha, ha!! Why? Because you may not be able to escape in the morning after the irritation has simmered. I knew we were different but being at home took things to another level. Not only did I see the differences but I noticed how they could quickly escalate into disfunction due to lack of effective communication. This time has forced us to deal head on with every single issue whether big or small; mostly when we aren’t in the mood to do so (The perks of quarantine, ha!). Communicating to resolve, with the understanding you’re on the same team, can look ugly at times before it’s back to bliss. The tough conversations must happen to grow. In the same, small instances that create big irritation should be discussed to avoid creating a mountain from what should’ve stayed an ant hill.

Affirmation

Letting your love know how you feel frequently can give your partner an additional sense of peace throughout the day. Spending large amounts of time together paired with the setting rarely changing can have you thinking all kinds of things. Reflection on what does and doesn’t work for you individually is something that often pops in your mind when you have more time on your hands. If you’re anything like me, cleaning house can mean people if I’m agitated enough, ha, ha!! I’m just being honest. Letting one another know you’re in this new normal together is an important way to continuously solidify your togetherness; during both the highs and lows. Sharing your appreciation, lending understanding and offering words from the heart are a great way a to create a secure love during uncertain times for the both of you.

“Creative Juices”

That sounded a little more risqué than I’d hoped, ha, ha! In all seriousness, the intimacy isn’t going to create itself and the adventure isn’t just going to appear. Finding creative ways to express how you feel about your partner is a great way to strengthen your connection. Try leaving notes, be intentional about having lunch together a few times during the week or even create happy hour for the both of you to unwind from work tasks before slipping back into the house routine. Putting forth conscious effort a couple times a week can make a major difference in how you relate. It will likely even lead to relati- ... moving on.

Choosing to start each day putting forth effort to love your mate the way they desire to experience your love can reinstate bliss and help you both get through these crazy times. Turning up the heat: dedicate your next Amazon order to finding something “cute” to wear, a fun game to play and anything else to shake things up. Just like your favorite dish, the spice can’t just be at the bottom!! Here’s to thriving and becoming stronger in our relationships!