Relationships often develop routines of their own and it is not uncommon for them to fall into ruts. If your relationship feels like it could use a little reinvigorating, consider adopting a new challenge. In an experiment completed at State University of New York, Stony Brook by psychology professor Arthur Aron, couples who faced more difficulty with the task at hand reported that they felt more connected to each other at the end of the experiment than those couples who completed an easier task.
The science indicates that doing new tasks creates excitement, which causes the brain to release dopamine. Dopamine, used in the reward pathway of our brain, trains us to seek out behaviors that make us feel good, and excitement is often one of the sources. Not only that, but taking on new challenges with your partner will increase bonding by linking the feeling of excitement from the activity with your partner, even though the source stems from an exterior source. In this same study, couples who engaged in a new activity 90 minutes each week found themselves to be more fond of each other compared to those on their routine dates.
The next time you both find yourselves absent-mindedly heading towards the café, perhaps consider a change in plans and propose a new route. Who knows what exciting things you’ll find there.
Title: Banishing Relationship Ruts
Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: 5:16 PM
Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: 5:16 PM