Emotional intimacy is the main ingredient of a healthy relationship. When there is no emotional intimacy, a relationship can deteriorate. However, being able to sustain and nurture emotional intimacy in a relationship needs effort and awareness. Rebuilding emotional intimacy in a relationship may be challenging than having to maintain it throughout. Let us discuss what emotional intimacy entails and how it can be improved in a relationship.
Emotional intimacy is usually explained as a nearness between partners where they both feel connected, stable, have trust and they have open and free communication with one another. When a couple is emotionally intimate with one another, they tend to feel as though they know each other’s souls, knowing each other's aspirations, ambitions, and fears. A strong relationship helps you become a better version of yourself both personally and as a partner.
Emotional intimacy can be shown in different ways. It can out itself through you and your partner enjoying holding long and meaningful conversations that include talking about your aspirations, fears, goals. It also includes always looking forward to catching up after a long day of work, talking about how your days went and trusting each other with expressing true feelings. Both partners dedicate time to spend together and enjoy each other’s company. Emotional intimacy entails being able to empathize with your partner, being supportive and being there for your partner.
Most couples tend to overlook things that show a lack of emotional intimacy in a relationship. It may be surprising for one when their partner suddenly wants to leave the relationship. However, if one looks closely enough, the signs will be visible and clear. These may entail when there is no support in the relationship, feeling lonely even though they are together, the couple not disclosing important aspects of their lives, when there is less physical affection in the relationship and there are more disagreements.
Not having emotional intimacy can lessen the couple’s physical intimacy and make lessen the couple’s joy in the relationship. It is possible for some couples to have emotional intimacy in the beginning of their relationship and lose it as time goes on. However, some couples do not have it to begin with. For any relationship to be healthy and successful, both partners need to put in effort to ensure that they build and maintain emotional intimacy. They also both need to be emotionally available.
In order to create and sustain emotional intimacy in a relationship, the couple needs to spend more time together. This means setting time aside specifically to spend with their partner. When you are together, it is important to minimize distractions. This includes switching off computers, video games and putting away cell phones. It is important that couples spend their quality time talking and getting to know each other better, disclosing your goals and dreams.
Long-term couples end up knowing what their partners like and what they do not. Caring and loving partners want their partner to feel loved, appreciated, valued and respected and safe. When partners feel safe in their relationship, that is when emotional intimacy will flourish. It is important to be self-aware and know your toxic traits that may be preventing the relationship from being emotionally intimate. One needs to work on these unhealthy traits in order to be able to form a strong bond with their loved one.
Sharing a hobby together can help strengthen couples. Things such as reading a book together and talking about it can help the couple build a stronger bond. You can try reading different kinds of books together like self-help books, biographies or even motivational books. Discussing what you read and including your opinions can strengthen the relationship. Doing this will increase the trust and improve the communication in the relationship. Sharing personal thoughts and feelings will help the couple know and understand each other better, therefore building intimacy in the relationship.
In order to be a fun and healthy person in a relationship, each partner needs to be fulfilled and happy as individuals. This means that they need to individually continue engaging in their own personal interests and hobbies. Take care of yourself, go out with friends and family and continue having a full healthy life apart from your partner. This will make you more fulfilled and happy as an individual and will allow you to add value in your relationship.
