You might be missing out on certain things in your relationship that are vital and which strengthen bonds with your girlfriend.
How many times did you forget to text her during the day to wish her good luck with something important? Or just let her know you are thinking about her?
Too often.
Communication is essential to a loving and lasting relationship, and if you don’t strive to make it a priority with your partner, you’re risking disaster by ignoring a fundamental aspect of your relationship.
Here are 15 creative ideas that will help you to improve communication with your girlfriend.
1. Start texting with “Hello”
“Hello! Do you want me to get you anything from the store?” sounds so much more engaging than, “Want anything from the store?” It’s all about little things that make a difference, so if you text her first, don’t forget to start with a greeting.
2. Send a romantic bedtime story
Do you live apart? Or maybe you are traveling with work quite often? Instead of sending a mundane “Goodnight” message, text her a short romantic bedtime story so that before she goes to sleep at night, she gets a reminder of who her knight in shining armor is.
3. Compliment her every day
Everyone loves compliments, and that includes your girlfriend! It’s not a vanity thing – it makes her feel wanted and secure. Make sure that your compliments are genuine (and not necessarily based on her looks). For example: “Having you by my side makes me feel calm and relaxed.”
Everyone loves compliments, and that includes your girlfriend! Click To Tweet4. Dedicate a song to her
Dedicating a song is something your parents probably did in the days before Spotify and YouTube, but it still works. Pick a song that best describes your relationship, request it on the radio, and ask for the host to include a heartfelt message.
5. Send her a handwritten letter
Regardless of the two of you live miles apart, or in the same town, take the time to pen a handwritten letter and pop it in the mail. The fact that hardly anybody sends letters today will make it stand out (in a good way).
6. Keep a love diary
Did you score tickets to her favorite concert? Save them. Have you just had your first vacation together? Keep a boarding card. Create your very own “love diary.” Include everything in it, from love letters to lists to photographs. Relationships are built on shared experiences. Surprise her with your momentos diary on a special occasion.
7. Ask about her goals
How often do you ask your girlfriend about her life’s ambitions? Now is the time to take an interest. A solid partnership comes from aligning your goals or at least respecting and understanding what your partner feels is important. And to do that, you need to find out what the goals are. Start asking.
8. Look her in the eyes
Put down your PlayStation controller or cell phone and look your girlfriend in the eyes while you talk to her. She’ll appreciate it, and it will build a stronger emotional connection between you two.
9. Invent your own language
For something romantic and exclusive whenever you’re out and about with friends, why not invent a secret code or language that only the two of you know?
10. Tell her you’re sorry
If you’ve messed up recently, instead of brushing it under the carpet, admit that you were wrong. Saying that you are sorry takes courage, but it an essential building block for healthy communication.
11. Make her a priority
Women think about their men pretty much all the time, and we’d like nothing better than knowing that you think about us, too.
Okay, you’ve got a busy day at work. We all have. But your girlfriend needs to know she’s the priority in your life, so why not take five minutes out to send her a creative, thoughtful message that makes her feel loved?
Better yet, start sending her “thinking of you texts.” Every. Single. Day.
12. Listen to her
Too many of us don’t listen to our partners. Usually, the reason is that we’re too busy coming up with a response. From now on, spend some time listening to what your girlfriend is saying to you. Don’t multitask. Don’t zone out. Be present and pay attention.
From now on, spend some time listening to what your girlfriend is saying to you. Don't multitask. Don't zone out. Click To Tweet13. Tell her jokes
Ask a lot of older couples what keeps them together, and you might be surprised to hear “humor.” Don’t be afraid to be goofy by making her laugh with a silly joke.
14. Take a couple’s quiz
How much do you truly know about one another? Find out by creating a series of questions! Better yet, ask your partner these 36 questions that are almost guaranteed to increase intimacy (and some say make the other person fall in love!).
15. Make a video or send an email
Got something you want to say to your partner while she’s out of town? Create a video message and send it to her when you know she’ll be ready to receive it. She’ll be super excited.
Sure, you usually only use email for your colleagues and clients, but why not break free from the norm and brighten up your lover’s inbox?
The key to excellent communication is changing it up. Don’t be an all-text guy or an all phone call kind of man. Send emails, call, text, Skype, FaceTime, write handwritten notes, leave a voice message. And, of course, make sure you spend some quality time with your lady face to face.
Like anything worthwhile in life, communication takes energy and commitment. There’s no quick fix nor golden rule on how to communicate better with your girlfriend, but you can start today by adding a few of these creative communication activities to your relationship and watch the sparks fly!