77022 Rekindle the Love

As you face the challenges of every day life, it can be hard to remember to put time and energy into your relationship. With kids, work, and other duties, time can be hard to come by. As a couple, take the time to make a "Couple's Calendar". This CAN include your individual appointments, so that you can know what is going on in each other's lives, but I would recommend keeping it just to your relationship. You can use another calendar for your weekly events, if needed. John Gottman, Ph.D, speaks of creating "Love Maps". He uses this to refer to the part of the brain that keeps track of all of your spouses information. He suggests that this can greatly improve your marital satisfaction. Creating this calendar can give you an opportunity to do just that. You can read more about his love maps in his book, "The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work."

On this calendar, I would suggest scheduling time for a weekly date, for 15-30 minutes of quiet conversation a few times a week, and time for intimacy. It may sound strange to have to schedule time for intimacy, but we all know how important it can be in a relationship. Making sure that it is part of your life can be a pivotal moment in your relationship. I would recommend finding a quiet place to create this calendar, maybe on a hike, in front of the fire, or even in a quiet park.