COUPLES ON A JOURNEY TO BRIGHTER LIFE
Recently there has been several studies that suggests what you may have known in your heart all along: It’s easier to make healthy changes such as quitting smoking, getting more exercise, and losing weight if your significant other changes too.
In fact, the study shows that individuals are more likely to be successful if their partner changes with them 
than if their partner were practicing healthy habits all along. More than 60% of inactive men and women increased their physical activity after their inactive partner became active. This compared with only about
25% who increased their physical activity while their partner did not.
Making lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to our health making healthy choices can lower your risk for disease i.e. heart, diabetes, stroke, and chronic pain.
HOW DO WE GO ABOUT MAKING CHANGE?
Everyone wants to have meaningful relationships, whether it’s with family and friends, a business partnership, or an intimate relationship. Yet, finding that special someone who is both your best friend and soul mate, and who can fulfill the gap of everything in between, is one of the most fulfilling experiences you can have. So how do we make that happen?
This requires you taking and making the effort for self evaluation. Contemplation if you are in a relationship now how that is going and how it makes you feel or are you hoping to find the person with whom you want to build a mind, body and spiritual connection. To do this, first know who you are and what you want.
Rule of thumb, grab a notebook and answer these basic questions:
- List your basic life beliefs, what is important to you?
- What are your intentions and desires, what is important to you?
What practices do you have that keep you connected to it? Number in
importance to you. - What are your viewpoints on religion or spirituality? Is this important in a
partner? Do you practice and your form of devotion daily? Monthly?
Occassional? - Do you have a demanding family life or religious faith or community you
are committed to? - Is it important having conversations about spirituality and higher
consciousness? Are you looking for likekind relationships? - Last but not least.. child(ren) and pets; these to elements are and can be
major issues down the path but seriously should be considered upfront if
they exist. What are your feelings on this matter?
Key to successful relationships, CONVERSATION.
Having a meaningful conversation with the person in a relationship with, asking him/her the same questions you’ve just asked yourself above. If you’re single and dating, don’t be shy to have this conversation up front. Share with him/her your own viewpoints and then ask them where they stand in their beliefs and practices.
It is important to find out what is in their thoughts and understand why. See if the two of you are on the same path—or are willing to step onto the same path together. This doesn’t mean you have to be exactly the same in your thoughts,beliefs, and practices, but there should be enough similarity that you’re on the same page.
Second key to successful relationships is TIME.
Finding more time for “we time” ,, “date night” is a hot topic these days, and spending more of it meditating together is a great way to bring more mindfulness to your lives and focus to your days.Establishing and maintaining intimacy in your relationship enables you to bridge the gap between the physical and the spiritual realms.
The energy that flows throughout the various layers of your being becomes ignited and merges as one when we you engage in intimate experiences with your partner. When practiced with awareness, intention, and reverence, the act of being physically intimate has the potential to unfold highly spiritual experiences and even awakenings.
Intentions, seriously take the time together to discuss what the primary intention of your relationship is will keep you both anchored to your purpose for being together. You may find that the primary intention of your relationship is to know yourself and one another better so you can evolve and grow together. Or, perhaps your intention for being a couple is to experience greater happiness, joy, and connection in your life. When you both agree on the primary intention of your relationship, it’s important that you set aside time (remember the second key to success)
in your day or week to cultivate it.
At the end of the day, you enter into relationships for your own reasons. It should not be an obligation or to please another. Then with some dedication, love, focus on where you are placing your attention and intention, you can create something really healthy and spectacular.