Do you remember the last time you and your partner ate dinner without screens or went for a long walk in the park under the stars? In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we often forget to celebrate the little things in our lives and our relationships. Rituals of connection are an important tool to regulate your relationship and cultivate the scheduled nurturing of your bond. Rituals, both large and small, can be a key element in helping to ensure that your love is a lasting one. Rituals have the power to strengthen emotional bonds, provide stability and create priceless moments that stay in the heart, much like the whispered secrets shared between lovers.
“Shared language and the terms of endearment you have with one another, the inside jokes, and made-up words, create a foundation of intimacy and creativity that you share with your partner. Through this process, you and your partner are actively creating a world and culture that is distinctly personal and intimate,” says Relationship Therapist Jordan Dann in her recent Instagram post. (Also read: Is constant bickering in your relationship getting out of hand? Here are 5 ways to help you de-escalate )
Importance of rituals in intimate relationships
Rituals can be big and small. Rituals can be daily, weekly, random, or seasonal. Here are a few ideas for rituals suggested by Jordan in her post:
- Greeting one another upon waking up and going to bed.
- Greeting one another upon returning home.
- Eating dinner without screens.
- Date night!
- Sharing a morning ritual of coffee and reading together.
- Share a 10-second kiss or hug.
- Seasonal or holiday rituals
“Rituals give purpose and meaning to your relationship. The rituals you create with your partner develop and sustain intimacy on the road to a lifelong partnership. Rituals can be seasonal events around holidays, religious observances, or a Friday night favourite meal to show you share. Rituals that you exchange each day are also key, such as how you greet one another. Building these rituals early in your relationship will habitualize your connection to one another,” says Jordan
Play and Practice
She further shared, тАЬInvite your partner to have a dialogue with you about what rituals he/she/they view as important. This dialogue can build awareness between you both. You may discover that your partner views something as a ritual that you didn’t before. Remember, even small actions can be meaningful rituals. These practices give you time and space to connect, shaping the rhythm of your world. Rituals bring play, fun, and deep conversations, strengthening your foundation. By talking openly with your partner about the rituals you both want to create and how you’ll shift your mindset from ‘I’ to ‘we’.тАЭ
