When you’re in a relationship, it won’t go smoothly if you just leave it to its own devices. You and your partner definitely have to put some effort into making things work, and that requires commitment and time. Yet the pay off will be worth it, as you’ll have a much stronger relationship and one that will, ideally, stand the test of time.
One thing you can do to make things easier is to find shared activities and hobbies to enjoy together. When you do this, you’ll have fun, pick up new skills, and spend time together, which might not be something that happens all that often. Although it’s also important to have hobbies that you do separately, picking at least one to do together is a great idea. Read on to find out why.
More Communication
When you and your partner have a shared activity (or more than one) to enjoy together, your communication will improve. Over time, couples tend to speak less. This could be because they’ve grown comfortable enough with one another not to mind long silences, but it could also be because they feel there isn’t that much to say.
If it’s the latter, this isn’t a great sign for your relationship; it’s potentially damaging for you as a couple, not to mention your mental health. So, by choosing a hobby that you can participate in together, it means you’ll always have something to talk about (either when you’re doing the activity or afterwards, depending on what it is). Since you’ll both enjoy the hobby, these conversations will be positive ones, and should lead to more communication.
Less Stress
When you and your partner have shared activities to enjoy, you’ll find that you feel much less stressed and more relaxed. Hobbies are a great way to de-stress, and even if you have a hobby that you do by yourself, you’ll find that you feel more relaxed once you’ve done it because you’ll be living in the moment and therefore not worrying about whatever it was that was causing you a problem before. This is why it’s important not just to find a hobby you enjoy that you can practice mindfully, but to invest in the right equipment to do it safely — you’ll need the perfect seat for spending hours gaming if that’s the hobby you choose, for example, otherwise you’ll end up in pain, which will cause you more stress.
When you’re sharing that de-stressing feeling with a loved one, you’ll be able to just focus on each other (and the activity you’re doing) and become much less stressed as a result. This will mean that over time, you’ll become less stressed just by being with your partner, even if you’re not taking part in the activity.
Improved Intimacy
When you have shared experiences with someone, it increases your intimacy, and gives you a stronger bond as you both have the same good memories to call on and talk about. Not only this, but sharing these activities can improve your feelings of respect, trust, and understanding toward one another, ensuring the relationship becomes a lot stronger.
Remember that intimacy isn’t just about physical closeness, but also emotional closeness, and a shared hobby can promote both, making your relationship as strong as possible.
