While a dream wedding might feel like the ending to a happy fairytale, it’s just the start of a long, fulfilling relationship. Mindfulness can be used as a helpful practice for maintaining a connection with your partner over the years, so it’s a great thing to explore together as you embark on this journey. Below, we’ll dive into what exactly mindfulness is as well as 7 ways mindfulness can transform your relationship for the better.

What Exactly Is Mindfulness?

While there isn’t a set definition for mindfulness, it generally refers to becoming more aware of one’s present environment, either through the use of mediation, exercises, or quiet reflection. Many people find it helpful to practice mindfulness every day, even if it’s just for 5 or 10 minutes to help reduce stress and feel more present.

This can be as simple as taking the time to focus on your breathing patterns or admire the nature around you. It’s also a great activity that you can do individually or with your partner for the benefit of yourself and your relationship.

7 Ways Mindfulness Can Benefit Your Relationship

Practicing mindfulness can be beneficial for any couple, regardless of whether or not you’re married. Here are a couple of ways you can expect mindfulness to improve your relationship.

01.  Learning The Art of Fighting Fair

When it comes to being in a relationship, conflict is inevitable. Therefore, learning to fight fair is imperative. What I mean by that is truly taking your partner’s thoughts and feelings into account without invalidating your own emotional experience. This can be a difficult task to accomplish, but consistently practicing mindfulness is a good place to start.

By practicing mindfulness, we become more self-aware of how we act, in both good ways and bad. Just like our partners, we understand that we’re not perfect, but we can learn to forgive those mistakes in exchange for developing a closer relationship with someone else.

When conflict arises, it’s natural to let our emotions overtake our sense of what is happening. Mindfulness can make it easier for us to take a step back and process our emotions before unloading how we feel to our spouses or partners.

With the added benefit of reflection time, we are often able to get a better sense of what we’re experiencing, how we can move forward, and most importantly, what our partners might be feeling. Instead of going straight to unwarranted attacks and irrational action, mindfulness can bring us closer by demonstrating how conflict can help individuals grow as a team.

02. Becoming More Present With Our Partners

One of the best parts of mindfulness is that it can help us become more in tune with the present. That sometimes equates to shutting off our phones, electronics, or just the noise of the world to become more involved with what we’re experiencing.

Not only is this great for individuals, but it can also give us more time to be there with our partners and focus with our full attention.

03. Regulating Our Emotions

Mindfulness makes it easier for us to choose our battles and gather a deeper understanding of what makes us tick. We can apply this understanding to our relationships by choosing to address issues before they fully manifest and making a commitment to offering unconditional acceptance. It’s easy for us to love the strengths of our partners, but mindfulness can make it easier for us to accept their weaknesses as well.

04. Increased Empathy

The act of mindfulness makes us more attuned to what’s happening around us. This can translate to developing a greater sense of empathy, allowing partners to help support each other on a deeper level. For example, you might notice that your partner is having a particularly bad day. With the help of mindfulness, you may be more inclined to ask how you can better support them as a selfless act of care.

05.  Being Honest With Ourselves

When we’re honest about our shortcomings, we can work to truly improve ourselves. Mindfulness opens up the door to productive self-reflection. As you work on yourself, you unintentionally work on your relationship.

06. Focused Listening

With the distractions of today’s world, it can be difficult to stop and take in what our partner is trying to communicate to us. Mindfulness makes taking a break from our lives’ busyness a part of our routine. As a result, we’re more emotionally and mentally available to the people we love most.

07. Creating the Opportunity For Intimacy

Emotional and physical intimacy is an important part of any relationship. Both of which take a great deal of regular work. Part of those relational responsibilities is being available to our partners. By engaging in mindfulness activities, we create the opportunity for intimacy to flourish in our relationships.

How Can I Practice Mindfulness?

Mindfulness can be practiced in a wide range of activities. All you need to do is find a way that you can focus entirely on the present moment. Here are a couple of ways you and your partner might want to explore mindfulness:

• Focus on your breathing

• Go on a nature walk

• Pay attention to your senses

• Truly listen during a conversation

• Meditate

• Journaling

Again, there’s no right or wrong way to practice mindfulness— As long as you’re focused on feeling more present, you’re on the right path. Enjoy becoming closer with your partner and yourself with the help of a mindfulness mindset.