The common misconception about having a successful marriage is trying to change your partner. Unfortunately, this might be even more detrimental to your marriage because if you start criticizing your partner, he /s he would feel less valued and less appreciated.

Here is a short but helpful video from MarriageAdvice.com emphasizing the importance of accepting your partner for who he / she is. Enjoy!

Marriage Counseling – You Can Never Change Your Spouse

Marriage Counseling – You Can Never Change Your Spouse

Have you been married for a while? If so, then you know that in marriage, as in any relationship, it’s easy to get so comfortable with the idea that the other person will permanently be there.

The problem with this kind of thinking is that–the other person–the one that is thought of as permanently there often ends up thinking they are being taken for granted. When this happens, the intimacy in their marriage begins to wane. Then the real trouble begins.

Even though it’s comforting to know that you both vowed to be together forever, relationships, even marriage relationships should never be taken for granted. If this happens, it almost always begins a downward spiral that is very challenging to get out of. Intimacy in any marriage is an essential aspect that helps each partner feel loved, cared for, and valued.

Keep It Alive

In order to keep the intimacy in your marriage alive and well it is important to find ways to spend time quality time together; quality time together is never pointless. In order to have a healthy thriving relationship there needs to be quality time as a couple, time for you, and if there are kids, time spent as a family. Life always needs to have a balance. This idea is also true in a marriage as well. It is essential that each person sustain this sense of balance and a little romance time into the mix couldn’t hurt. Setting up time to be romantic–reminding each other how much you both care, promotes intimacy.

You can create new levels of intimacy in your marriage in many ways, such as explore new fun things to do together, taking classes together, or just sitting in sharing the same book and discussing your ideas about it. The ways you choose to be together don’t matter the point is to beat together in ways that you enjoy.

It’s also important to remember why you fell in love with your partner in the first place. Perhaps it was your shared love for golf, or a passion for art; whatever it is that you enjoyed together, it is important not to lose sight the things you have in common that first created that loving experience.

Reevaluating What You Thought You Knew

If you and your partner have been together for any time at all, it’s important to remember that as we grow we change. Just as it makes good sense not to take your marriage for granted it also makes good sense to remember that your partner is always evolving. Spend time talking and discovering what you each enjoying now, what stimulates you, what you are passionate about. Continuing to explore each other brings back the youthful wonder that can unlock the many secrets to making your marriage more fun and dynamic.

Keep it real!

Finally, it is critical that neither you nor your significant other have unrealistic expectations. Letting go of any expectations you have about your relationship partner will support you in having a more loving and open mind-set. Everybody has faults, and if you focus on them we guarantee that you will see more of them. So focus your attention on the more enjoyable characteristics of your partner. Let go of expectations that you hold about your partner. Leave room for surprise and make room for a more relaxed and comfortable relationship. This will also support you on your journey to enhance the intimacy in your marriage.

For additional tips, strategies and tools about creating a deeper level of intimacy in your marriage or just to discover other self help tools visit us at: www.NewAgeSelfHelp.com or stop by our website at: www.FocusedAttention.com

One of the major mistakes a couple makes in a relationship is to second guess what your partner’s thoughts are.  Learn how to be an active listener; give your partner a chance to share his feelings and ideas.  This will help reinforce the intimacy in your marriage.

Here’s  a funny picture on how NOT to treat your partner:

Does absence make the heart grow fonder, or out of sight, out of mind?  No matter what you believe in, distance is one of the greatest challenges in any relationship. How do you keep the intimacy in your marriage or relationship even if your miles apart?

In this video Donna Barnes shares simple tips on how to survive a long distance relationship.

Dating & Relationships Advice : Surviving a Long Distance Relationship

To survive a long distance relationship, get together on weekends to do something special, talk every night, write love letters, and keep the connection alive. Find out how long distance relationships help people function independently with insight from arelationship coach in this free video on dating and relationships. Expert: Donna Barnes Contact: www.donnabarnes.com Bio: Donna Barnes is a professional life coach, relationship expert, television host, author, columnist and producer based in New York City. Filmmaker: Paul Muller

Jealousy is a red flag that something is wrong in your relationship.  Before it turns into a big misunderstanding, and puts a strain on intimacy in your marriage, try to overcome your feelings of jealousy.

Famous couple Susie and Otto share one strategy that is said to stop jealousy.  Read on…

One Strategy that really works to stop jealousy… from Love and …

The thing about jealousy (or any other relationship issue for that matter that keeps repeating) is that it is a signal that there’s something you need to pay attention to. Whether your jealousy is warranted or not, …

Below are short but sweet quotes that you can share with your partner.  Reconnect and rekindle the intimacy in your marriage.

Don’t smother each other.  No one can grow in the shade. ~Leo Buscaglia

Assumptions are the termites of relationships. ~Henry Winkler

Love one another and you will be happy.  It’s as simple and as difficult as that. ~Michael Leunig

The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands. ~Quoted by Alexandra Penney in Self

Love is not singular except in syllable. ~Marvin Taylor

If you want tips on how to maintain intimacy in marriage, you can watch the videos below.

7 Intimacy Secrets By Susie & Otto Collins

If you want to discover how to create more love, connection and intimacy in your relationship, you’re going to love this video. You’re also going to love the other new resources we’ve created for increasing intimacy as well. This video is a sample of what’s in our 7 Intimacy Secrets Video that is available from our web site at www.theintimacysecrets.com Breakthrough New Video Reveals… “7 Intimacy Secrets” will show you How To Create More Love, Connection and Intimacy In Your Relationship… Than You Ever Thought Possible These 7 secrets that are described on this video are taken from a recent presentation we gave for people wanting relationship or marriage advice about how to increase intimacy and connection.

To rebuild intimacy in a relationship, take time out for the relationship. Reintroduce physical contact and affection into a marriage with tips from a psychologist in this free video on marriage counseling.

Blocks to Sexual Intimacy in Marriage

Jim Burns, President of homeword, discusses blocks to sexual intimacy in marriage.

Does it seem as though the communication had diminished in your relationship? When it comes to intimacy in your marriage, communication is essential for keeping the love alive.

Learn How to Keep the Flame Burning

It would seem that the longer you’re married, the easier it would be to communicate with your partner. And after a long life together, the intimacy between you could only get stronger. But there’s no magic answer for becoming and staying close to your partner. In order to have a successful long-term marriage, you must learn new and different ways to keep your love alive.

Open, honest communication is one of the keys to a better marriage. There’s a lot more to effective communication than just careful listening and talking to your partner. In fact, the cornerstone of a great relationship isn’t listening, but rather understanding. Just sitting quietly while your partner expresses his or her feelings won’t cut it. It’s important for you to have a thorough understanding of your partner’s point of view and exactly what it is they want from you.

Listen Between the Lines

When you and your spouse are discussing the current status of your marriage, be sure you understand clearly what they truly mean – not your interpretation of what they mean. For example, if your partner says, “I need some time by myself,” your first reaction may be that you have just been rejected. You may jump to conclusions and decide that they’re actually saying they don’t think the time you spend together is special, and other things are more important to them than being with you.

But in fact, your partner probably said exactly what they meant. Look at it another way: think about your favorite food. It may be that you like nothing more than chocolate. When you get a dessert, it is smothered in chocolate. Does that automatically mean that you never have a craving for a caramel sundae? Relationships are a lot like this. The fact that your spouse wants to get together with friends occasionally, or just take a night off to read a good book, isn’t a red flag that your marriage is in trouble.

Of course this is only one instance of a lack of intimacy in a marriage, but the analogy will hold true for most problems that arise. When your spouse talks to you about something they find bothersome, don’t cloud the issues with your self-centeredness and insecurities. You should ask for clarifications if you don’t understand what they’re trying to tell you.

When you believe you understand the points they want to get across, repeat back to them what you’ve just heard. There are two reasons for doing this. First, it demonstrates that you are listening. And it also lets them know that you understand them. Frustrations can develop and grow very quickly in a spouse who believes they aren’t being listened to or understood. It’s essential for you to communicate to your partner that you have heard and understand what they feel. Then you must make it clear that you want to work together to find answers to the various concerns.

Follow the Golden Rule: Do Unto Others….

Remember, it takes two to improve intimacy in a marriage. You must be willing to listen to your partner’s issues and give positive feedback if you want the same treatment in return when you have concerns. Take the first step and listen to what your partner is trying to tell you. Don’t stop until you truly understand them. When you concentrate on intimacy and your relationship, eventually you’ll reach a point where you understand each other, and solving your problems will be a lot easier and far more gratifying for you both

If you’re ready to take your relationship to the next level and find out about other tips, tools and strategies for having more intimacy in your marriage, or you would just like additional personal growth and self help tools visit us at:  www.NewAgeSelfHelp.com or stop by our website at: www.FocusedAttention.com

We Need all the Support We Can Get

If you want to maintain or improve your marriage intimacy, here are 10 articles we found and thought you’d enjoy about how to improve the intimacy in your marriage.

Lack of Intimacy and Respect in my marriage | IslamicAnswers.com …

My husband and I have been married for almost 1 year. When it comes to sex, he thinks that it is the most important thing. I have told him when it hurts to have sex, he still has sex with me. When I am having my monthly, he still wants …

Coping with a Lack of Intimacy in Marriage – Life123

Lack of intimacy becomes a slippery slope that often leads to unhappy marriages or divorce. Learn how to prevent this issue from becoming a deal-breaker in your relationship.

Marriage Intimacy is Within Your Reach | New Age Self Help

Don’t give up yet. Even if you think your marriage is on the brink of failure, improving your marriage intimacy is within your reach.

The Mystery of Intimacy « The Marriage Journey

This marital intimacy stuff is not the work of straight lines. It’s not A + B = C. And yet, we forge ahead because there is no “behind” to return to. Seeking sex, I force myself to turn to the next activity in the Art of Sexual Ecstasy. …

How do you stay open to your marriage intimacy during such turbulence?

I have a friend… whose husband is dying and she would like to take anxiety medicine but the sexual side effects are not good and she wants to remain open intimately, but her husband is doing this self sabbotosh thing were he is loosing …

10 Important and Surprising Steps to Build Safe keeping in a …

Optimistically, in the course of growing intimacy in your relationship you may shortage to share some of those events as you disclose to your ally where you were and where you are now. You do so without volatile charge. …

Understanding Emotional Intimacy – Life123

If you are capable of understanding emotional intimacy as a concept, you’ll be better equipped to display an ability to connect with your partner on a deep level.

10 Important and Surprising Steps to Found Trust in a Relationship …

The relationship is low-down never to exposure wall-banging intimacy. This is why extramarital affairs are so damaging. She is not so much caring forth him having sex with someone else as she is concerning the bad faith, need of trust, …

Work on a Project together in your Marriage – It will build Intimacy!

Work: Sharing common tasks – maintaining a house, raising a family together, earning a living, or community projects. Spiritual: Sharing a common relationship with God. In my lack of knowledge, I assumed intimacy was just getting to, …

Are You in a Marriage Without Intimacy? – Life123

A marriage without intimacy isn’t much of a marriage at all. Marital intimacy is critical to happiness in a marriage, but many couples struggle with intimacy problems and are unsure what to do about it.