Ideas to help reconnect with DH

[Usethoseballsofjellyinyourhead]

Over 20 years married, we have been through a tough patch (usual culprits; young children, work pressures, elderly parents etc.) but are (hopefully!!) coming out the other side.

Our closeness has drifted, we've lost a lot of the affection in our relationship and have been more like housemates for a while.

However, we've talked and are endeavouring to prioritise our relationship and reconnect. Can you suggest ways to help us do this please?

Examples of suggestions I've thought of are:

• making sure we tell each other 'I love you' every day
• having a prolonged hug every morning
• going for a walk together in the evening to chat about the day
• sending each other little messages just to make the other person smile
• sitting beside each other on the couch rather than different chairs (or different rooms...)

What things help you feel close to your partner?

Sounds a bit stereotypically British but I really like going to the pub just the two of us and chatting away from home. We’re lucky that our local has a fireplace, and in the winter if we’re lucky the chairs by it are free and we can sit and look into the flames and let our minds roam.

We really like a long walk too.

Im a big ohysical touch person so many of mine are about that closeness. For ne when that's happening the other parts fall into place. But everyone's love languages are different, do you know each others? Tell each other 'I feel really loved when...'

For free-
Stroke his arm or get him to sit on the floor and massage his shoulders while you're watching TV (or other touch that you both like) hopefully he can repay the favour too.
Find a series to enjoy together. Maybe something that makes you both laugh?
Play games maybe scrabble or Azul or cards.
...if youre in a space where physical intimacy is enjoyable maybe wake him up in the morning with initiaing some intimacy..honestly that I think is my hubby's fave and makes us start the day feeling close and connected.
-Do little things as acts of service that make each other's life happier/ easier.

For paying -
Suprise each other ..his fave cake from a bakery, or maybe a nice coffee few craft beers/wine to try together.
A low pressure weekend away, could just be walking...or pottering about a new town/ somewhere you've always wanted to see.
A shared new experience, it could be tryijg a new cuisine or recipe together.
Talk a out dreams/ bucket lists...is there something you could work towards doing together?
Challenge of sending each other one photo a day of something you want to show each other?

Thanks for these, I agree that those little physical touches are so important. It's the small things that build each day, each week, each month that really add up over time. This is what we've been missing in recent years and what I really want to try to regain.