Prioritizing Fun and Adventure Can Strengthen Your Relationship

Building a life together takes effort, and this includes playing. According to Dr. John Gottman,* a renowned psychologist and relationship researcher, sharing moments of joy and humor with your partner is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your relationship.

Try asking your partner open-ended questions to understand what adventure means to them, such as:

How do you think we could have more fun together?
What are you most excited about or looking forward to right now?
What one-day adventure could you imagine us having together?

And don’t forget about the little moments. Even the seemingly mundane bits of everyday life are opportunities for joy. Emptying the dishwasher together? Take your loved one’s hand and dance around the kitchen. The possibilities for play are endless.

For more information on building strong relationships, go to Gottman.com.

* John Gottman co-founded the Gottman Institute, an organization dedicated to strengthening relationships and reducing marital instability. He is best known for his work on predicting marital stability and divorce through the use of scientific methods and has published numerous books and research papers on the topic.