5 Steps to "Spring Clean" and Recharge Your Relationship
Spring is upon us. Time to shed layers of clothing, mulch the garden and do the "Spring Cleaning."I curiously wondered about the origin of that phrase. Britannica.com says, in times past when houses were heated with coal, oil and wood, spring cleaning, (i.e., sweeping, scrubbing and washing down the walls of the house) removed the soot and ash from couches, chairs and tables. Though today most of us have central heat and air conditioning, we still have the urge to spring clean; to de-clutter, organize, and refresh our homes.
It’s also the perfect time to "Spring Clean" your relationship. Bob and I suggest that in this frantic life we all make time to retreat from the world; step back, breathe, and focus on the state of their relationship. But just what does that mean?Think about these slices of your partnership:
- Communication
- Dealing with conflict
- Connection
- Giving and receiving love
- Emotional and sexual intimacy
Here are 5 steps to "Spring Clean" your relationship and some questions to get you started:
- Clear out relationship cobwebs.
- What parts of our relationship feel old and dusty?
- Which areas need recharging?
- How well are we communicating?
- What is the quality of our connection?
- Are we feeling close emotionally and sexually?
- Sweep under the rug.
- What issues have we swept under the rug?
- What conflicts are not resolved?
- What resentments have gone unexpressed?
- Are we regularly giving and receiving love the way we need it?
- Which parts of our connection need more attention?
- Unplug.
- Are we spending enough quality time together?
- How much are our cell phones and computers interfering with our time?
- How plugged in do we feel and how can we improve upon it?
- What can we do to be more present in our partnership?
- What parts of our relationship are working and what needs a charge?
- Freshen up the bedroom.
- How are we feeling about our sexual relationship?
- What steps can we take to improve our erotic connection?
- How can we set the stage for our more passion?
- What props would create a warmer space for lovemaking - candles, incense, aromatherapy, calming music?
- What can we do that is new to bring some excitement into the bedroom?
- Set up a maintenance schedule.
- What can we put in place to check in with each other?
- How often should we retreat and clear any clutter that develops?
- What self-maintenance should we each do to be better partners?
- What new projects can we do together that will build connection?
- How can we bring new growth into our relationship?
Start this process by talking with your partner about clearing some time in your schedule for each other. Then use these steps to get the conversation started.For the next few weeks we will dive deeper into each step with ideas and suggestions to reduce the clutter and recharge your connection. Happy Spring!Image Copyright tomwang