This is a fun little piece of trivia that may lead to some of your own special planning with your partner. Would your partner prefer to spend an entire day in their pajamas marathon-watching comedy specials, or would their ideal day be spent at an amusement park? Don’t be afraid to share your perfect day with them, too, so that the two of you can try to make them happen someday. If that is happening in your relationship, it may be time for a new type of dialogue to bring back the innovation and novelty you experienced when your love was new. Encourage each other to challenge some of the opinions and behaviors you’ve been afraid to address.
Flirting is essential, especially if you want to maintain the honeymoon phase for weeks, months, and even years into your relationship. Refer back to this roundup of flirty questions to ask your boyfriend when you want to reignite the spark. If you’d like to learn more about relationship insights, check out our in-depth interview with Alysha Jeney, MA, LMFT.
When crises come, as they do, security-oriented couples move as quickly as they can to restore equanimity. In doing so, they miss the opportunity to uncover and upend their buried dissatisfactions. If, instead, they use disruptions to transcend the limits of their prior relationship, they can reclaim the passion and intrigue they had when their love was new. The goal of any relationship should be to continually balance certainty with the excitement of new ways of looking at their connection. It never hurts to fish for compliments every once in a while.
Communication Style
Understanding your partner’s communication style is crucial for a healthy relationship. Some people prefer direct and straightforward communication, while others may be more passive or indirect in their approach. It is important to have open and honest conversations about how you both prefer to communicate to avoid misunderstandings.
Love Language
While you’re picking out sheets and stocking the kitchen, be sure to have a chat about the actual process of living together and blending your daily lives. The better you prepare yourselves, the less likely you are to bicker over the little things. Becoming acquainted with the broad strokes of your boyfriend’s past romantic life can help you better understand his behaviors, interests, and hesitations in your current relationship. Particularly if animals are important to you, and/or you plan on having pets in the future, it’s integral you get to know your partner’s attitude toward animals. Sharing the happiest memories of our lives is a beautiful way of getting closer to our partners while opening the door to creating new happy memories together as a couple.
Each person has a unique way of expressing and receiving love. Familiarize yourself with your partner’s love language to strengthen your connection. Whether it’s through acts of service, quality time, physical touch, words of affirmation, or gifts, knowing how your partner feels loved can deepen your bond.
Or the loss of childcare may require one parent to step away from work, as many families have experienced in the Covid-19 pandemic. “Would you support your partner walking away from a job to follow their dreams, even if it means sacrificing family income?” says Wiley. “Gaining a solid understanding of your partner’s beliefs about both of your careers helps prevent you from being blindsided in the future, if they see their career growth taking priority over yours.” These questions range from casual and fun to deep and serious to romantic—everything you need to get to know your significant other on a different level.
Values and Beliefs
Understanding your partner’s values and beliefs can help create a strong foundation for your relationship. Discussing topics like religion, politics, family, and future goals can reveal important insights into your compatibility and shared values.
The research suggests that in terms of relationship satisfaction, those who had low levels of emotional intimacy with their partner felt uncertain and dissatisfied with their relationship. Because of their relationship dissatisfaction, they were more likely to engage in infidelity. To help build this understanding, you might want to ask more than just the typical “how are you?
Emotional Triggers
We all have emotional triggers that can impact our reactions and behaviors. Knowing what triggers your partner and how to support them during difficult moments is essential for building trust and empathy. Take the time to understand each other’s triggers and work together to navigate challenging situations.
Life Goals
Discussing your individual life goals and aspirations is key to ensuring you are on the same page. Whether it’s career ambitions, travel plans, or family goals, understanding where your partner envisions themselves in the future can help you align your priorities and support each other’s dreams.
