Respect, trust, love, and effective communication are the basis of a healthy relationship. You should practice and strengthen practical communication skills to better understand your spouse in different situations. This article introduces you to 11 valuable exercises to strengthen marital relationships. Stay with us.
Why is practicing effective communication necessary for couples?
One of the most common beliefs of couples is that “we talk a lot and are really nice.” Honest communication is more than just talking to each other. Usually, when your spouse comes home, you typically talk about your day together, but what about your feelings, needs, and other topics that you rarely discuss?
We should share our feelings and needs with our partner and be receptive to his feelings and needs. Of course, the situation doesn’t always work out in such a way that we can communicate well with our spouse, but practicing effective communication also makes us perform better in these situations. Trying to improve the relationship makes you aware of each other’s needs, recognize each other’s weaknesses, and solve relationship problems well.
These communication exercises help people express their thoughts and feelings correctly. Numerous studies have shown that couples who know how to communicate with each other have happier and longer-lasting relationships than couples who communicate poorly.
Best effective communication practices for couples
1. Relaxing conversation in an intimate place
Imagine yourself and your partner talking by the fireplace or any other safe and intimate place; it’s fun. Try to use any safe space to have a heart-to-heart with your spouse. In this conversation, stop discussing differences in personality and behavior and stop blaming your spouse. You will not get a good result if you try to bring negative behaviors like blaming your spouse into the conversation. Talk about your hobbies, childhood, dreams and goals, and interests.
2. Sharing feelings
One of the couples’ most essential communication exercises is learning to share their feelings appropriately. Maybe you say to yourself that it doesn’t matter! But talking about feelings is the hardest thing for some couples. If this is difficult for you, try to go slowly.
Choose a time to talk when you are both relaxed and not tense. Are you sad, anxious or confused? Or, on the contrary, are you excited and delighted? No matter how you feel now, it is essential to communicate it to your partner correctly. By talking about your feelings, you feel like a burden has been lifted off your shoulders, and you feel a little lighter.
3. turn talking
One of the most practical communication exercises is turn-taking. Of course, to do this exercise, you should both be fresh and excited. One of the most important things we learned in the discussion of effective communication is that everything is shared, and we should take care of our spouse as much as we care for ourselves.
In speaking, each person determines a short period, for example, 3 to 5 minutes, and then talks by turning on the timer. At this time, only the person whose turn it is to say and the other party can show their acknowledgment, understanding, or empathy with nonverbal signs. This seemingly simple exercise teaches couples to respect their spouse and actively listen.
4. Ask open questions
Open-ended questions are those that have more than one “yes” or “no” answer. For example, instead of asking your wife, “Did you have a good day?” Ask, “How was today?” Asking this question strengthens your relationship and lets your partner know that you care about whether their day was good or bad. You may think these questions are pointless, but they play a fantastic role in bringing intimacy back into your relationship.
5. List each other’s strengths and weaknesses
In this exercise, you and your spouse should write down three positive and three weak points of each other and then talk about them. When discussing your partner’s strengths and weaknesses, praise him for his good qualities and address his shortcomings calmly and constructively. Be careful not to blame your spouse for negative traits. This method is one of the most effective exercises to strengthen couples’ communication.
6. Starting sentences with “I” instead of “you.”
Starting the sentences addressed to the wife with the word “you” makes her feel threatened and defensive. Even if you don’t mean it, the way you start the sentence and your tone will make the discussion more complex, and your spouse won’t listen to what you say. For example, instead of saying, “You’re always late.” Say, “I’m really sorry you didn’t come on time.”
7. Looking into each other’s eyes
Looking into each other’s eyes is one of the exercises that we usually see in couples therapy, but you can easily do it at home. Put two chairs facing each other, sit on the chairs, do not say anything for 5 minutes, and look at each other without any jokes or laughter. Focus on your thoughts. How do you feel at this moment? After 5 minutes, talk about your feelings and thoughts together. Practicing eye contact may seem trivial, but it reveals feelings and thoughts crucial to better understanding couples.
8. Thinking before speaking
Sometimes, words are sharper than swords! Most husbands and wives always remember the insulting, uncomfortable, and mocking words they heard from their spouse, Even if it has been several years since those words were said.
To do this exercise, write down some of the most upsetting things you’ve heard each other say. Then, talk about the destructive effect that word has had on you in the past and now. Let your wife speak and listen to her words. Do you see how cruelly you upset each other sometimes without even realizing it? Make a promise to each other that from now on, you will think before you speak and stick to this promise.
9. The game of trust and listening
You and your partner will start an interesting two-person game in this exercise. One of you must place some obstacles in a particular path, and the other must close his eyes with a blindfold or a cloth. Now, the person who closes his eyes stands at the beginning of the path and starts moving by listening to his wife’s verbal cues. If you listen to the words and signs on this good path, you will never hit any obstacles and reach the finish line successfully. This fun exercise aims to strengthen active listening skills.
10. Talking about goals and the future
This exercise is no longer a game and entertainment but a relaxing activity. Lie in bed and talk about your goals in this soothing space. Avoid talking about annoyances; discuss your shared motivational goals in this situation. Whatever these goals and plans are, the important thing is that they foster effective communication between the two of you. By doing this, in addition to presenting your plans, you will also be informed about the goals and wishes of the dearest person in your life.
11. Planning for travel
Travel is one of the best ways to strengthen couples’ effective communication. Many times, the monotony of life causes distance between husband and wife. Exciting activities like traveling will help you escape everyday worries and appreciate your time together more.
final word
Every relationship is sweet and hearty initially, and gradually, it becomes subject to everyday life and loses its former color. Have you separated from your spouse and think your problems are increasing daily? Think momentarily that this person is the one you chose one day with utmost happiness. Try to improve the relationship and return intimacy to your relationship.
What advice or practice do you have to add to our list? Please share your valuable comments and experiences with us and our dear users.
