Schlagwort: communication

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship, Uncategorized

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 65

sean

Maintaining the Vibe

Allowing

Sean again! And, here we are continuing our exploration of ourselves, our motivations and our methods to achieve relationship, acceptance, and lust in our HHIA relationships.   

In other words, we are pondering who we are and who we want to be with each other on our path towards luv, desire and gratitude.

True love brings up everything – you’re allowing a mirror to be held up to you daily.

Jennifer Aniston
Photo by Catherine Ekkelboom-White on Scopio

Giving Permission

When we look at and explore our wants, wishes and needs, we have the opportunity to better understand ourselves. This includes who we are, what we want and what we need in relationship with others.

On the one hand we are each individuals with unique interests, longings and aspirations. On the other hand we are all members of the same family and share similar fundamentals. To be healthy, we all need and crave:  

  • Food
  • Water
  • Air
  • Sleep
  • Shelter
  • Exercise
  • Physical Comfort
  • Intellectual Stimulation
  • Social Connection
  • Intimate Experiences
  • … All of these in an infinite variation.

Admittance

Starting with admitting and acknowledging our needs and desires, we learn to accept and express our interests and atractions. Through our expression and attempts to discover and achieve our intimate desires and fantasies, we experience a variety of responses. This interaction with both us and others intellectually, physically, emotionally and intimately, we learn to care, consider, share. At the same time, we also experience the boundaries of fantasy, reality, body and mind.

Frank and earnest examination and consideration of these aspects of our lives can inform our expressions and efforts to achieve our desires. Simply put, we begin to recognize and consider the attraction and interests of ours and of others in the world.

Photo by Karina Zamora on Scopio

Everything is a negotiation. Everything is a little bit of give and take.

Lamman Rucker

Give and Take

If, for example, I know myself and allow myself to experience and express my love of, desire for and attraction to anything or any one, I can learn to enjoy and share my thoughts and feelings with myself and cautiously with others.  

Sharing

Through respect, reflection and kindness, we can begin to share and learn from one another. Simultaneously, we begin to find commonality and uniqueness in bot ourselves and the others. These things can become the basis for rapport and relationships.

Acceptance

Most importantly, in relationship we are also able to:  

  • Better understand
  • Modify
  • Intensify
  • Reduce
  • Expand
  • Focus
  • Communicate
  • … Our hopes, needs and dreams.

Ultimately this exchange of mundane, intimate and confidential desires can increase our intimacy and bonding. This increases as long as we do it with consent and permission of all involved.

The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.

Nathaniel Branden
Photo by Pablo Nidam on Scopio

That’s all for now!

This is Sean. Try allowing yourself (and those who are important to you) to just be this week and see what happens.

(For more concrete suggestions, contact me at kontakt@praxis-wiebersch.de .)

Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19–20–21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33–34–35–36–37–38–39–40–41–42–43–44–45–46–47–48–49–50– 51– 52–53 –54– 55–56 –57–58–59–60 – 61–62–63–64

German Blog-lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 64

sean

Maintaining the Vibe

Priorities

Photo by Javier Sanchez Mingorance on Scopio

Why are we here?

“Energy is what I believe all of us are. We’re just conscious awareness dancing for itself for no other reason but to stay amused.”

Jim Carrey

Sean here! And, we are continuing our study of communication and our journey towards rapport, closeness, and enthusiasm in our HHIA relationships.   

In other words, we are reflecting on who we are and who we want to be with each other on our voyage together towards love, desire and understanding.

And while we are on our way, it is good to think about where and with whom we are actually going:

  • Where are we heading?  
  • Where do we want to be?
  • Who are we?
  • Who is by our side?
  • How do we get what we want?
  • Who do we want to be?
  • How do we keep things fresh and interesting?
  • When is enough enough?
  • Are we having a good time?
  • Why are we doing what we are doing?
  • Are we happy?

All of these questions are constantly being asked and answered consciously and unconsciously. In our relationships we find a version of ourselves reflected in our partners eyes and referenced in their comments. At the same time they find themselves reflected in our eyes and referenced in our comments. 

Photo by Pablo Nidam on Scopio

Wants & Needs

You don’t get what you want. You get what you are.

Wayne Dyer

It is important for us to look and listen to our partners and ourselves in our relationships. On the one hand we want to be sure that we are being fair and honest in our expressions. On the other hand we want to our partners to understand and appreciate us as we are. In other words, we have the responsibility to take the time and make the effort to allow our partners and ourselves to understand and appreciate:

  • Who we are
  • What we think
  • How we feel
  • What is important to us
  • Why we do what we do

We can communicate these things through both words and actions. Actually, more important than taking the time is making the time and being in the moment. This allows us and our partners to comprehend and communicate clearly without misunderstandings. Being present allows us to hear, listen and process the thoughts and feelings of our partners and ourselves simultaneously.

Here & Now

Do not wait for life. Do not long for it. Be aware, always and at every moment, that the miracle is in the here and now.

Marcel Proust

Simply put, being in the moment and prioritizing ourselves, our significant others and our relationships helps us to appreciate and sustain the precious gifts we share with one another.  

Time, effort, intimacy, understanding and focus are the rewards we receive from one another when we allow and offer them ourselves. HHIA relationships are where we have the opportunity to explore, share and grow together.   In this vein, we find both our others and ourselves in relationship.

Photo by Karina Zamora on Scopio

That’s all for now!

This is Sean. Try prioritizing yourself (and for those who are important to you) this week and see what happens.

(For more concrete suggestions, contact me at kontakt@praxis-wiebersch.de .)

Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19–20–21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33–34–35–36–37–38–39–40–41–42–43–44–45–46–47–48–49–50– 51– 52–53 –54– 55–56 –57–58–59–60 – 61–62–63

German Blog-lessons:

1–2–3

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 63

sean

Maintaining the Vibe

Romancing

Romance:

1) to exaggerate or invent detail or incident

2) to entertain romantic thoughts or ideas

3) to try to influence or curry favor with someone through flattery, personal attention and/or gifts

4) to carry on a “love affair”

paraphrased from Merriam Webster

Sean, back again! We are expanding our investigation of our exchanges and quest for connection, affection, and passion in our HHIA relationships.    

In other words, we are considering who we are and who we want to be with each other on our journey towards love, lust and appreciation with one another.

Our relationships are more than just making date, hanging out, and fooling around. Actually, a big part of our time and effort in our relationships is, at least in the beginning, about creating a feeling, encouraging affection, comfort and attraction of/from our significant partners and love interests. ?

Photo by willow mcdonough on Scopio

A tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful of romance and adventure.

Charlie Chaplin

Romance Recall

Most of us refer to or recall this as romance! On the one hand, the romantically challenged do their best not to miss romantic gestures completely or mistake them for humor, satire or sarcasm. On the other hand, the romantically gifted find flattery attention and gift giving to be an art and honor whether they are on the giving or receiving side of things at any given moment.  

However, most of us fall somewhere in between “challenged” and “gifted”. Put simply we find ourselves walking the fine line between fanaticism and fatigue where we find romance in all of its glory and gore! This puts us in the awkward and often unclear social, cultural and historical expectations which none of us can actually achieve and find ourselves falling short while at the same time our others find our efforts, errors and excitement quite endearing. These can include:

  • Lovenotes
  • Petnames
  • Flowers
  • First Date Recreations
  • Counting & Celebrating Days, Months & Years
  • Homemade Gifts
  • Chocolate
  • Selfie Shots
  • Ice Cream
  • Silly Kissy Faces
  • Birthday Surprises
  • Little Gifts
  • Grand Gestures
  • Emoji Love Spells
  • Intimate Texts
  • and so many other “love-bytes” we share

As our HHIA-Relationships devlop and transform from dating to living together, from living together to building a life together, and form building to sharing and maintaining a life together, things change. Some of the little things that brought us together can fall to the wayside as we saddle up and ride off into the sunset together.

Photo by Pablo Nidam on Scopio

Romantically Resistant

Kiss me and you will see how important I am.

Sylvia Plath

Ultimately, this process can leave us feeling more bound and tied to one another than feeling connected, joined, or coupled. In other words, our united fronts and fixed relationship roles can leave us feeling unseen and isolated in our relationships and time together which can begin to suffer from an absence of expressed appreciation and spoken approval or voiced affection. 

Romantic Revival

When this happens, we are being invited to inspire ROMANCE in ourselves and our significant others! We are invited to again:

  • invent incidents
  • exxagerate detail
  • entertain romantic thoughts & ideas
  • flatter
  • give personal attention
  • and “curry favor”

with & from both our partners and ourselves.

This is not an instantaneous event or automatic effect. But there is great potential for fun and creativity, when we choose to make the effort. We can remember and reignite our passion potential.

I’m very romantic, I’m extremely romantic. I date my wife.

Alice Cooper
Photo by ethereal lenswork on Scopio

That’s all for now!

This is Sean. Try to remember romance for yourself (and for those who are important to you) this week and see what happens.

(For more concrete suggestions, contact me at kontakt@praxis-wiebersch.de .)

Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19–20–21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33–34–35–36–37–38–39–40–41–42–43–44–45–46–47–48–49–50– 51– 52–53 –54– 55–56 –57–58–59–60 – 61

German Blog-lessons:

1–2–3

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 62

sean

Maintaining the Vibe

Courting

To Court: to seek, to gain or achieve; act so as to invite or provoke seek the affections; to win a pledge of marriage; perform actions in order to attract; to seek an alliance.

Paraphased form Merriam Webster
Photo by Damira Nagumanova on Scopio

This is Sean , back again! We are furthering our exploration of our interactions and search for rapport, love, and romance in HHIA relationships.   

In other words, we are pondering who we are and who we want to be with each other in our hunt for passion and appreciation from one another.

Courting is much more than just working for an engagement. One the one hand we are seeking attention and approval. On the other hand we are acting on the behalf of the object of our affection, hoping to prove to them that we are the best peron for them to spend their time, affection and emotions on/with. Our goal is to create an environment where our dates, partners, lovers, and/or in spouses choose us to occupy a special place in their hearts and lives.

Princes, Princesses & In Between

Wine, like food, is so emotional. If you think about it, so much of the courting ritual is surrounded by wine and food. There’s a built-in romance to wine.

Padma Lakshmi

Ultimately, our search for that special someone turns into a dance to attract and amuse them. This is true whether we dance alone or in concert. In the best of circumstances, this dance becomes a lifelong event which we choose to participate in with our significant others. Throughout this process we are encouraged to remember this and keep “dancing” for and with those who are most important to us.  

Luckily, we have more than one tool or technique in our arsenal to attract and keep the attention of our loved ones. We have and develop:

  • Performance
  • Romance
  • Talent
  • Affection
  • Conversation
  • Skills
  • Appearance
  • Interest
  • Humor
Photo by Pablo Nidam on Scopio
  • Support
  • Style
  • Loyalty
  • Individuality
  • Presentation
  • Trust
  • Intimacy
  • … Among others   

Kings, Queens & In Betweens

In other words, our courtship rites and rituals develop in to the scenery and context of our lives together. Put plainly, this is what we call a relationship. Our relationships continue to grow and mature just as we do over moments, minutes, days, weeks, months, and years.  

Historically, courting and courtship would come to an end as soon as the ink was dry on the contract. Marriages were ironclad and unbreakable treaties spiritually, culturally and legally for a better part of our history. However, today the rules have changed and we are free to pursue our happiness as individuals, couples, throuples or moresomes ?. This is a great thing for you, me, us and our relationships.

Photo by NOELLE MILES on Scopio

Fools for Love

Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.

David Wilkerson

Simultaneously, this new truth and freedom comes with the challenge to keep our relationships fresh, funny and fulfilling. Maintaining a happy, healthy and intimately enriching and supportive relationship is both a goal and an accomplishment each day.

That’s all for now!

This is Sean. Try a bit of courting for yourself (and for those who are important to you) this week and see what happens.

(For more concrete suggestions, contact me at kontakt@praxis-wiebersch.de .)

Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19–20–21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33–34–35–36–37–38–39–40–41–42–43–44–45–46–47–48–49–50– 51– 52–53 –54– 55–56 –57–58–59–60 – 61

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship, Uncategorized

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 61

sean

Maintaining the Vibe

Keeping

Life’s like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending.

Jim Henson
Photo by Aakash Pal on Scopio

Sean here. We are continuing our study of communication and the quest for companionship, love, and affection in HHIA relationships.   

In other words, we are considering who we are and who we want to be with each other in our pursuit of passion and approval from one another.

Simultaneously, creating and developing our relationships includes a bit of maintenance, care and prudence in our actions and expressions towards our significant others. 

Firsts

Relationships go through a lot of steps and stages, milestones and special moments from…

  • First… 
    • … glances
    • … smiles
    • … words
    • … coffees
    • … dates
    • … dinners
    • … touches
    • … kisses
    • … caresses
    • and…

Our firsts are all very exciting and often quite intimate with just the two/three of us exploring and experiencing each other in a private and protected environment. In other words, we have the opportunity to give and receive attention and affection often with focus and intention and without distractions or other opinions.

Photo by ethereal lenswork on Scopio

Seconds

For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Often after a relatively brief “honeymoon” phase, we expand our focus. Our expanded focus tends to include:

  • Friends
  • Family
  • Pets
  • Home
  • Neighbors
  • Work
  • Colleagues
  • Parents
  • Associates
  • Health
  • Habits
  • Hobbies…

On the one hand we get to learn more about both ourselves and our partners through this expanded focus and input. On the other hand, we can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed by the influence and weight of both our own expanded input and that of our paramours.

All of these influences can begin to color our experiences with one another and distract us from our purpose and aspiration to create a HHIA relationship which supports and enriches our lives both individually and together.

Photo by Erik Kubill on Scopio

Thirds

Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.

Walt Whitman

Keeping, preserving and sustaining our relationships, feelings and affections are as simple and complicated as we experience them. One of the best ways to do this is to start at the beginning and remember to be:

  • kind
  • complimentary
  • caring
  • creative
  • communicative
  • collaborative
  • constructive
  • consistent
  • comforting
  • and so on…

Most importantly, we can support and encourage our relationship growth and stability through expressing and believing in our beauty and our bond. Simply put, “We are on the same team and always want the best for each other and ourselves.” With this in mind, we can persist and persevere in healthy happy intimate adult relationships with one another.  

Photo by Nicola Simoncini on Scopio

That’s all for now!

This is Sean. Remember to be kind to yourself (and with those who are important to you) this week and see what happens.

(For more concrete suggestions, contact me at kontakt@praxis-wiebersch.de .)

Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19–20–21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33–34–35–36–37–38–39–40–41–42–43–44–45–46–47–48–49–50– 51– 52–53 –54– 55–56 –57–58–59–60

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship, Uncategorized

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 59

sean

Remember

Photo by Juan Algar Carrascosa on Scopio

Motivation

This is Sean here. And we are exploring how we communicate and develop while searching for companionship, dedication, love, and HHIA relationships.   

In other words, we are contemplating who we are and what we share with each other.

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.

Zig Ziglar

Our entire lives, we have been in relationships. (1)

First with our:  

  • Mothers
  • Fathers
  • Parents
  • Sisters
  • Brothers
  • Siblings
  • Families
  • Cousins
  • Grandparents
  • Teachers
  • Neighbors
  • Classmates …

Simply speaking, we have been learning and creating relationships the whole time without awareness, intention or effort. 

Photo by Lynne Bookey on Scopio

Reimagined

On the one hand we have been absorbing and experiencing relationship all around us. On the other hand we were never really given the opportunity to learn how to create the relationships we want and need.

The knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create and develop the relationship that encourage and support our individual growth, success and happiness.  

Additionally, we experience social and cultural pressure to perform and present our personalities and achievements, rather than express and trust ourselves honestly and openly with vulnerability and openness.

Photo by Pablo Nidam on Scopio

Out & About

As adults we are coaxed into leaving our parental home and explore the world, outside our comfort zones and our familial security. In this time of growth and discovery, we find ourselves yearning for understanding, comfort and support from those around us. 

Consequently, we begin to create new relationships and deal with both ourselves and others. All the while we are seeking approval, love and affection.

Our experience with ourselves, others and the world around us can be challenging and less than perfect. Ultimately, most of us discover:

  • Insecurity
  • Fears
  • Anxiety
  • Nervousness
  • Worries
  • Angst
  • Concerns

These in turn are expressed in our relationships to others and towards ourselves. In their expression we often experience unsatisfying and uncomfortable conversations and interactions with others which can reinforce our negative expectations. With practice, we can learn to communicate, trust and release the above as our awareness and relationships mature.  

Photo by Pablo Nidam on Scopio

Simply put, our understanding of the world and ourselves blossoms and we strive for a stable foundation on which we can create new communication skills and approaches which support and encourage our happy healthy adult intimate (HHIA) relationships

That’s all for now!

This is Sean. Think a bit about your motivations (and the motivations of those who are important to you) this week and see what happens.

(Contact me at kontakt@praxis-wiebersch.de for more concrete suggestions.)

Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19–20–21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33–34–35–36–37–38–39–40–41–42–43–44–45–46–47–48–49–50– 51– 52–53 –54– 55–56 –57–58

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 53

sean

Setting the Tone

Presenting

If you’re presenting yourself with confidence, you can pull off pretty much anything.

Katy Perry
Photo by Anastasia Casey on Scopio

This is Sean! Here we are again! After exploring our senses and our sensibilities!  

We have spent quite a bit of time looking at our preferences and considering our potential and our partners in our relationships.

Express yourself

Now, we are ready to talk about us! In other words, how we express ourselves is our focus this time around.

Whether we are meeting someone for the very first time, hooking up, or spending time with our spouse, a big part of our experience has to do with how we present ourselves in the moment. 

Photo by Albert Morcillo on Scopio

Impressions

On the one hand we want to make a good impression, most of the time. On the other hand, we want to be authentically ourselves, most of the time. So the question is, how do we do that?  

Worth Repeating

Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.

Bruce Lee

Lets start with a few techniques that we have reviewed before (28), are still relevant and worth repeating:

  • Smile
  • Make Eye Contact
  • Ask Questions
  • Listen Actively
  • Make “I” Statements
  • Put Down Your Phone
  • Face your Partner
  • Pay Attention
  • Be in the Moment
  • Be aware of your Posture
Photo by Rafli Rangka on Scopio

By introductions and first meetings, repeating the other person’s name makes it is easier to remember!   

Overtime

As we get to know people better and more intimately our interest and attention tend to increase. At the same time, we are often being our “best” selves and making an effort to create rapport and build a connection.

Simply put, we are constantly creating and maintaining relationships with those around us. How these relationships develop is up to us and our “partners”.  

All of our words, actions and experiences accumulate of a life time to help create and establish each of us in our own uniqueness and individuality.

Photo by Anuj Pandey on Scopio

Who’s who?

How we are perceived by others is affected by us, our intentions, words, and actions. Consider the following: Do you..  

  • like
    • yourself?
    • your
      • home?
      • family?
      • friends?
      • company?
      • relationship(s)?
      • job?
      • body?
      • hobbies?
    • your life?
Photo by Shruti Sharma on Scopio
  • enjoy
    • yourself?
    • your –
      • home?
      • family?
      • friends?
      • company?
      • relationship(s)?
      • job?
      • body?
      • free time?
    • your life?

If we do, that is great. If we don’t, we might want to think about why not and if we want to make some changes.  

Photo by Maz Taymani on Scopio

I Feel you

Either way, we express these feelings in our voices, actions, and posture.

Our intentions can be lost or masked in our enthusiasm or frustration, when we are not clear and authentic with ourselves.

More next time, This is Sean. Share something special with yourself (and with those who are important to you) this week and see what happens.

(Contact me at kontakt@praxis-wiebersch.de for more concrete suggestions.)

Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19–20–21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33–34–35–36–37–38–39–40–41–42–43–44–45–46–47–48–49–50– 51 –52

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship, Uncategorized

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 39

sean

In Between

Photo by Michael Williams Astwood on Scopio

Living Space

Sean here and we are together again! Our last Blog-Lesson focused on making space for our relationships to grow and develop. Getting to know one another better.

Now lets look at making space and time in our lives when we are living together. Living a life together. After feeling each other out and deciding we fit together. In other words we choose to make a life together and begin to address some of the realer and truer sides of ourselves our partners and our lives.

Living Life Together

Subsequently, we begin to share a life. For some of us this includes moving in together and for some of us it means sharing two apartments, houses, living situations, and so. Either way we find ourselves sharing two lives. In this intimate phase of a relationship, we begin to form more routines and processes which begin to revolve around our daily lives, rather than around our building our relationships. 

Daily Lives

Photo by Bliss Floccare on Scopio

Often, the more time we spend together sharing our lives and our days, the more comfortable we become. People being creatures of comfort and habit can get really comfortable in our communal experiences. Our shared lives become “our life”. And if we aren’t careful our life can fill up with all the little things:

  • appointments
  • school
  • jobs
  • further education
  • commuting
  • traveling
  • shopping
  • cooking
  • cleaning
  • volunteering
  • gardening
  • errands
  • laundry
  • dishes
  • bills
  • taxes

„Like mothers, taxes are often misunderstood, but seldom forgotten.“

Lord Bramwell
Photo by Hayley Johnson on Scopio
  • parents
  • family
  • friends
  • holidays
  • pets
  • children
  • website/blog
  • career…

Leaving less time and less room for romance.

On the one hand “our life” gets bigger and fuller. On the other hand our HHIA Relationships can be left to fend for itself. And, without enough attention our relationships can get lost in the shuffle or be left out in the cold without us even noticing.

Putting „us“ first… or at least back on the list

Photo by harold polvorosa on Scopio

So, how do we make space and time for us this great big life we have created?

I know we have heard this before, and yet:

The simple truth is we choose to make time and space for each other. This is true in every relationship form: friends, family, romance, business, partnership and marriage from day one to our diamond anniversaries and beyond!

Communication is key: Check out Blogs 25, 26, 37 and 38 to refresh. ?

Science is not only a disciple of reason but, also, one of romance and passion.

Stephen Hawking

Five Minutes a Day

Here are a few 5-minute exercises to try together (daily, in silence, & preferably mobile/tablet free):

Just do something together in silence every day, when you can!

Photo by Javier Sanchez Mingorance on Scopio

Spontaneity is great! However, planning, scheduling and deciding together helps to create purpose intent and awareness which enhances the effect of our togetherness.

All of this helping to create, maintain, encourage and support a physical, bodily comfort and intimacy.  

This is Sean. Try doing something with yourself (and to those who are important to you) in silence for 5 minutes every day this week and see what happens.

(You can always contact me for more concrete suggestions.)

Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19 –20 –21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33–34–35–36–37–38

Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship, Uncategorized

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 34

sean

When, Where, How…

Photo by Chris Verster on Scopio

Back to the in Between (2)

…and we are back. Sean here with you reviewing our options and strategies for creating, maintaining and/or supporting (repairing) our HHIA Relationships.

Our current relationship status is irrelevant. It is important that we want to make our relationships a priority.

In Time

If we are not in a relationship, then we need to consider who we would like give our time and attention to explore the possibilities.

If we are in a relationship then we want to think about the focus of our time together and apart from our boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, and/or partners.

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On Time…

Time is as much a part of our relationships as love, affection and communication.

On the one hand the time we spend together allows us to share love and affection, as well as, to communicate and share ourselves on the other hand the time we spend together has both limits and boundaries and the quality of our time is affected by the choices we make.

For example, if we only have an hour together, do we:

  • Cook and eat
  • order in or grab a bite
  • watch TV
  • read silently together
  • read to each other
  • play a game
  • play music
  • drink a glass of ….
  • talk
  • have a laugh
  • make love
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No right or wrong 

There is no right/wrong answer. The right answer is what makes you feel closer to your partner: Do you like to play games? Are you foodies? Do you enjoy a good book or poetry? Is music your creative outlet? Are you both cineasts? Can you go on and on about… Are you always in the mood.

Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.

Theophrastus

As long as you are both “on the same page”. It brings you together. It is important to incorporate a bit of confirmation and communication to ensure that “our time” remains fresh and inspiring to both ourselves and our partners.      

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Quick Question

Sometimes just a quick:

  • Is this good for you?
  • Are you having fun?
  • Are you feeling this?
  • Would you like to do something else?

can be enough! These can go along way to ensure that our time is encouraging intimacy and togetherness rather than filling the void or space between us.

We can also talk about what we do and what we like and what is on our minds. This is especially true if we begin to feel like we are not enjoying our time an our togetherness as much as we used to. This is also true if we begin to wonder “why?”.

In other words, if we begin to get/be used to each other or our activities begin to be more habit than inspiration, we might want to change things up or at least discuss our feelings.  

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Attention

When we give out time the attention it deserves we can help to ensure that the time we are able and choose to spend with others encourages and supports the relationships and feelings we have about those with whom we spend our time.

Thus, time is as much an aspect of relationship building and intimacy as much as we allow time for our relationships and intimate experiences.

Using our time is one thing.

Making time is another.

We will tackle this next time.

This is Sean. Try just enjoying your time alone (and with those around you) for a minute, an hour, a day, a week, and see what happens.

Love to hear your thoughts. Till next time! Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19 –20 –21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31–32–33

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Healthy Happy Intimate Adult Relationship, Uncategorized

Healthy Happy Intimate HHIA Relationships 32

sean

Indirect Communication (3)

Signals

This is Sean. I am back and ready to continue with our discussion on HHIA relationships. We have been exploring communication, both direct and indirect.

Direct communication includes: Eye contact, I statements, asking questions and active listening. 

Indirect communication includes cues, hints, signs and signals.  

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One Two One

One the one hand, direct communication and active listening are ways to encourage trust and intimacy. On the other hand, indirect communication can create confusion, frustration and insecurity. These feelings do not encourage comfort or affection.

Ready, Set, Go

We are ready to take a look at some of the signals we are confronted with every day.  

The signals we send and receive every day include:

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Ring my Phone

Ring tones are great and there are lots to choose from. But what happens when we give different Apps and different people different tones. Hmm… Sounds like a lot. How do we remember who is who and what is what?

This can also happen in our relationships when we give and/or receive more suggestions and signals rather than clear statements or messages. This can cause confusion and misunderstandings in our intimate relationships.

Intensity like signal strength will generally fall off with distance from the source, although it also depends on the local conditions and the pathway from the source to the point.

Charles Francis Richter
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Red & Green

Then there are signals which we are all taught and learn to interact with. A prime example are traffic lights, right? So, traffic lights are “universal” – almost always red and green and often with yellow.

Cherry Green

Consequently, we all know what these lights stand for:

  • Red = Stop
  • Yellow = Caution
  • Green = Go

Ultimately, they are far from absolute in response or reaction. Many if not most people slow down when they see a yellow light. However, some, if not quite a few, people speed up “with caution” to get safely through the light. I even know a driver who believe in the concept „Cherry Green“. In other words, racing through the first seconds of the red light.

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Stop-n-Go

Our relationship, romantic and intimate signals can be equally recognized by others and yet be interpreted differently. Thus, we are helping ourselves and our partners when we are able to give clear and concise instructions/ expectations associated with the signals we give. This is especially important around Stop and Go (Yes & No) messages relating to issues of consent and comfort.  

Happy Faces

One last, and seemingly omnipresent, „signal“ in todays’ world are emojis. Love them? Hate them? It really doesn’t matter. As texting, SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media and message services on our phones, tablets and computers continue to increase, so do the emojis and like symbols in our daily life. And every so often more of them come into play.   

These can be quick and cute and confused. Everyone thinks they know what they mean and how to use them but, do we really? Do we really always know exactly what it being intended, inferenced or alluded to?

Eggplant Parmesan – A quick illustration.

  • A young woman texts her mom “What’s for Dinner?”
  • Her mom Replies: ?? ?
  • Girl Replies “?Yuck… that’s disgusting. We are not having ____ ______ !”
  • Mom Types “?What!!! We are having Eggplant Parmesan.”
  • Girl texts: “Mom you are never to use the ? emoji ever again! ?”
  • (The blank spaces are to comply with the family & google friendly standards. For the solution contact me.)

It turns out the eggplant emoji just as many relationship and romantic visual signals and cues can be interpreted or used for a variety of meanings, not just the obvious ones, by different groups and individuals we interact with.

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Cristal

Clarity and the ability to explain what we mean when asked can really support our comfort and tenderness with our partners. Maintaining a bit of humor and a cool head when giving or receiving explanations or corrections of our responses to signals also encourages tender and supportive communication.

Understandably, misinterpretations and a need for clear explanations can occur as we learn and adjust our signals and interpretations. This it true with new partners and with partners as we grow together and enter new phases of relationship.

This is me. Try being clearer with yourself (and those around you) for a minute, an hour, a day, a week, and see what happens.

Love to hear your thoughts. Till next time! Our earlier Blog-Lessons:

1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9–10–11–12–13–14–15–16–17–18–19 –20 –21–22–23–24–25–26–27–28–29–30–31