1. Keep fit, and take care of yourself.
Always take care of yourself.
A happy marriage is all about good sex.
People love to see what is attractive.
Stay fit and healthy.
Think about the way you look when you’re in front of your partner, even at home.
Old jogging pants and oversized T-shirts are a no-no.
A well-built body and comfy yet sexy loungewear? That’s a big yes.
This rule applies to both men and women.
2. You spend some time apart
Alone time is healthy.
People need time to decompress and have physical space to themselves.
The amount of alone time you need can vary from person to person.
Taking an afternoon or a day away from your partner is completely normal, as well as going on trips with friends.
Being okay with time apart can also be a sign of trust in your partner. In a healthy relationship, the other person isn’t at home wondering ‘did he/she really go out for coffee?’
3. Physical intimacy
Intimacy often refers to sex, but not always. Not everyone enjoys or wants sex. Your relationship can still be healthy without it — as long as you’re both on the same page about getting your needs met.
If neither of you have interest in sex, physical intimacy might involve kissing, hugging, cuddling, and sleeping together. Whatever type of intimacy you share, physically connecting and bonding is important.
If you both enjoy sex, your physical relationship is most likely healthy when you:
- feel comfortable initiating and talking about sex
- can positively handle rejection
- can discuss desires
- feel safe expressing your interest in more or less sex
Healthy intimacy also involves respecting sexual boundaries. This includes:
- not pressuring partners about sex or specific sex acts when they say no
- sharing information about other partners
- discussing sexual risk factors
4. You’ve Become Isolated From Your Support System.
If you aren’t sure if your relationship is toxic, ask a friend.
There are often red flags too hard for you to see from deep inside the dynamic.
Or ask yourself, has this person pulled you away from your family and friends?
Isolation is an attempt to control, especially in abusive relationships.
5. You speak kindly.
What words and tone of voice do you use with your spouse or partner?
Do you sound detached, irritated, sarcastic, or demeaning?
If you cherish this person, then speak to him or her in ways that reflect that.
It’s so easy to take the other person for granted and to lash out at them when we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
If you do this enough, your words create deep wounds and undermine the intimacy of the relationship.
Always speak kindly to the person you love.
Do so even if they speak unkindly to you.
Your words have more power than you can possibly imagine.
6. The lost key that unlocks the closest thing to a true (modern) fairytale romance.
Modern man’s sense of meaning and purpose has historically rested on a strong foundation. That foundation was the way his family unit depended on him as a provider. His greatest challenge in life was to provide for and protect the woman he loved, and eventually, the children they loved together.
Sadly, his chivalrous instincts have been forgotten. Forgotten in an age where knighthood has become nothing more than a token formality bestowed by a queen who is nothing but a lingering remnant of ages past.
A man’s sense of well-being is derived from adventure, challenge, and the need to prove his worth. Without these challenges, he feels lost.