This Habit is one of the 10 Habits of Happy Couples Tina and Michael LeBlanc write about in their blog and in their book released in Fall 2022. To check out the other Habits, check the index. To really use these Habits to work on your relationship, you can access their book – The 10 Habits of Happy Couples – which gives you complete examples of each Habit and exercises that you can do with your partner to develop these Habits in your relationship.
About the Authors
Tina and Michael LeBlanc are, co-founders of Better Yourself 365, Licensed Counselling Therapists, Authors of relationship books, and a happily married couple. All of their services are tailored to busy, overstretched couples. Tina and Michael help couples work efficiently as a team by teaching them the essential habits to create a strong, loving connection.
Sex is very important in a healthy relationship. It’s the one thing that separates romantic relationships from other attachment relationships. It makes us feel bonded and special to our partner.
It doesn’t look the same between couples. Some like to experiment more, some swear by frequency, some are into fantasy, and others are okay with less sex. But the important thing is that it works for both partners.
A consistent observation we have when working with couples is that when they go through a rough relationship patch, they seem to have less sex. This makes sense as sex and emotions are connected.
So often, as they work on the other emotional dimensions of the relationship, a couple’s sex life automatically gets better. And the opposite can be true in some relationships, too! Some couples have a pack to have sex more regularly when they feel themselves sliding into disconnect.
It is well understood that having sex is important, but we also know that it can be a very difficult and sensitive subject for many couples. This is why Habit #7 is to talk about sex. Sex can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss for some couples. If sex becomes a taboo topic, this will just put more pressure on both partners and make sex complicated.
There are other complicating factors that can get in the way of a healthy sexual relationship. Sexual dysfunctions are more common than people expect. Things like low libido, vaginal dryness, and erectile dysfunction are some factors in many relationships and dealing with them can be challenging for couples.
Sex can be a complicated and sensitive topic at times. A couple can do things to ensure their sex life is kept healthy in their relationship.
First and foremost, don’t wait until sex is a big elephant in the room before you talk about it. Talk about it at a different time than in the “moment” when emotions or pressure are high.
When you do talk about it, focus on these two things in your conversation:
Be sensitive to the challenges your partner might face with sex, and don’t put all the pressure on your partner to resolve your sexual issues. Check-in to see how your partner feels about it and try to understand their feelings.
Try to problem-solve together and make a plan of things to try, accepting that there will be learning from trial and error (sound fun!). Experiment with solutions instead of taking things personally.
Seek medical or counselling help for sexual issues if necessary. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and making progress can really show your partner that you are committed to resolving this issue. (Remember Habit #10? That’s often the only thing a partner needs to see… effort).
Sometimes you need to let go of the “intercourse” part for a little while so you can resolve some sexual issues while taking the pressure off performance. Just pretend you are back to the beginning of your relationship before you were having sex and be playful with each other. It’s amazing what sometimes happens with a couple once the pressure of intercourse is reduced.
Psychologist Carol Dweck introduced the concept of a Growth Mindset, which is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and view mistakes as opportunities for learning. We believe this concept can also be applied to and improve your relationships.
This includes being firm when necessary, setting boundaries as an act of self-care. These elements, when combined, form the foundation of a strong, resilient relationship.
Individuals have preferred ways of connecting with their partners, such as physical touch or deep conversations. We stress the importance of understanding and accommodating each other’s styles through open communication, fostering mutual respect and harmony.
Understanding and openly sharing core emotions like sadness, fear, shame, loneliness, hurt, surprise, and joy can lead to deeper connections in your relationships.
Attachment, a term often used by researchers to describe the emotional bonds we form with significant others, is the foundation for how relationships function. In this blog post, we explain the intricate dynamics of adult attachment styles, and how they shape the way we feel and act in our relationships.
Better Yourself First refers to how stronger individuals lead to a stronger couple. A healthy relationship needs two healthy individuals. This is a core belief for us here at BetterYourself365. Our whole philosophy as a company is based on this.