Simple acts of kindness can revitalize your relationship

Creating a healthy relationship with someone else starts with knowing yourself. Your attitude is the key to understanding yourself and the world you live in. It’s up to you to make the mental shift from a negative to positive perspective which allows you to see the possibilities in your life. ‘Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.’

Sara Blakeslee of Marriage and Family Therapy Institute said “You should be in touch with your emotional side and be able to communicate those feelings in a constructive manner.” Most people are looking for a trustworthy companion who they can spend time with and have fun with. Sometimes the small, daily challenges in a relationship can have you focusing on the problems instead of the positive aspects of your relationship.

Blakeslee’s new book, 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great, gives simple steps on how to enhance your marriage or relationship. “Expect less, get more; give incentives and rewards; have daily briefings; implement change; and keep costs low, benefits high.” Another suggestion the book states is to build communication with the use of “affective affirmation” or speaking nice and affirming words to your spouse. This positive interchange will initiate the necessary alteration that can transform a relationship instantly.

Acts of kindness

Simple acts of kindness can rekindle feelings of love, respect and admiration in a relationship. “It’s not about the elaborate trips or expensive dinners,” motivational speaker Jay Forte explains. “Rather life becomes an event when you pay attention to the details that show you care.” Celebrate your relationship this week by recreating your first date, pull out old photos to recall fun memories or dance to music from your dating years. Surprise your partner with filling their car up with gas, unloading the dishwasher or purchasing a book by their favorite author. These thoughtful gestures let your partner know you are thinking about them and display the behaviors that say, “I love you.”