Shared experiences are necessary in every relationship.
Ideally, we want to create life experiences that we can one day look back on and say “remember that time when we…?”.
These are moments that create real meaning in our lives, bringing smiles and laughter to our faces.
This Couple Appreciation Month, take time off from your life duties and put that time into bonding with your partner.
The idea behind the celebration of Couple Appreciation Month is for couples to thank each other for their love and support. But sometimes, simply saying “thank you” can seem robotic and unexciting.
Instead of sounding like a broken mixtape for saying thank you over and over again, how else can you honor your relationship?
Simple. Spend some quality time with your partner. Being together can help you create and share new experiences, which is the bedrock of successful and long-lasting relationships.
In a study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, researchers found that when couples did simple things together like attending an art class or playing a board game, they released oxytocin, a hormone in the body often associated with love and bonding.
When sharing experiences, the possibilities are endless. Here are some couple ideas to do with your partner:
If the path to the heart is through the stomach, then consider going to new restaurants.
Search online for restaurants in or near your area. You can search for what’s trending or the best restaurant there is and it will show you the results. Check for online reviews, they’re usually quite honest and convenient to read. You can also ask for word-of-mouth recommendations from your friends.
Going to new restaurants is usually a good idea. At the very least, you’ll have something to talk about when you do go there.
Not too many people consider museums and galleries as a first choice when planning out a date. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make good memories in them.
By visiting museums, art galleries, and historical monuments you will get a glimpse on the beauty of a particular place. You both will be amazed by what you will see there. You can exchange ideas and discuss the things that you find interesting.
There are so many classes that couples can take together. If you want to expand and hone your creative juices you can learn art or do a dance workshop. You can both enjoy learning new and fun things that are for keeps.
If there’s a new skill that you both want to improve, enroll in that program right now! Make your day productive instead of talking about the same topic everyday. It is a different achievement when the two of you get to learn a new skill. We never know that new skills might be a ticket to your success in life.
Speaking of learning experience, many say that travel is the greatest learning experience of them all.
If there is one thing that couples look forward to the most, it’s going on romantic getaways. Don’t just go to places you’ve been to over and over again. Go somewhere fresh and unfamiliar to both of you.
You can talk non-stop about the spots you are going to visit, food you are going to eat, and just about every other facet of your trip.
You should never stop learning. One way to do it is to read a book.
Books don’t just exist for our enjoyment. They teach us and encourage us to think and reflect. Some of our most profound beliefs come to us through books.
You can’t go wrong if you opt to read a book with your partner. Choose books that you both have an interest in. Stay in a cozy, well-lit corner of your house and bring along a wonderful cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
If you don’t want to go out, then you can always have a good time at home. You can play board games and try to compete with each other. Some board games you can both enjoy at home are jenga, monopoly, and scrabble. Make hilarious rules that are fun and work for the two of you.
Instead of curling up on the couch to catch your latest Netflix binge, try a board game. It’s more engaging and promises more laughs, giggles, and screams.
Sure, they might be a little bit out of fashion these days. But that doesn’t make them any less fun, especially when played with the people you love the most.
Big or small, it is important to always look for new experiences to share with your partner.
The shared experiences examples mentioned in this article aren’t just good fun, but they help you bond as well.
You don’t need to be with each other all the time, but you need to realize that in some moments you have to add a little twist to your routine and spend some quality time with your partner to create shared experiences.
Have you ever run onto an old friend from childhood who you share a long and rich history with? It’s often easy to re-spark that friendship simply by reminiscing on the good times you’ve had over the years.
This is the same with relationships, if your relationship is filled with stories to tell, it is easier to have a spontaneous conversation. We never know, these experiences can be the reason for spicing up your relationship. The benefit of shared experiences is that it will keep your connection in the relationship running deep and not boring, hence skipping from the fights and disagreements.
All relationships are stories. To keep your stories going, new chapters must be added. And the key to creating new chapters through shared experiences relationship. Meaning, a relationship that has a lot of sharing of new experiences.
