“Talking To You Makes My Day,” said Your Partner

If you ask anyone that is in – or has ever been in – a healthy relationship what the secret ingredient was to their success they will tell you it’s communication. Okay, some may tell you that their short-lived love affair with Pablo was down to something else [cough, passion] but most will tell you it is communication. The tricky thing is knowing what you should be communicating about.

Don’t worry, that’s where we come in. We have spoken to a few relationship experts and couple’s therapists and they have given us their top topics to help your relationship grow even stronger, and here they are:

Just What You Did Today

The most important conversations you can have with your partner are not the ones that are going to change the world or completely blow their mind. No. Talking to each other about what you did today is the most important conversation you can have. Tell them about what you had for breakfast, or the fact you hit the snooze button half-a-dozen times, the fact you thought about getting back into running, or what you and your colleagues laughed so hard about all afternoon. Why is this important? It lets your partner understand what you do when you aren’t together. It’s nice.

Don’t Let Bygones Be Bygones

There are two parts to this statement. The first is about the past you have shared with your partner. It is great to reminisce and reminisce about the good and the bad. Laugh about that time you took the wrong ferry and ended up having to sleep rough on the wrong island for a night before finally getting to the hotel you actually booked, but talk about the rough stuff too, your miscarriage, or your sister’s battle with alcoholism. Talking helps. The other part is this; you had lives before you met one another and that is something to cherish, something to converse over and share; it is a way to truly get to know one another and how you have become who you are.

Collect Moments Not Things

One of the best things you can talk about is places you want to travel because this conversation is endless; it is a conversation that sparks new thoughts and new topics and new interests. It could be that you want to travel to your grandfather’s house in wherever it is, or to your childhood holiday location, or it could be travelling the world, one safari at a time. It doesn’t matter where, just that you share these pulls on your heart. Adventure is out there, but it starts with a chat.

Money Matters

So many couples steer clear of talking about money; there is this weird taboo around it. This is unhealthy. In fact, those who find themselves in financial difficulty tend to come from families that didn’t talk about money, or debt, or loans or credit cards; there was no advice or forewarning. So talk about money. Discuss your budget, your savings and spending habits. Talk about combining your finances. Talk about your financial goals. Talk about what you would love to save up for, and how you can reach those goals, and talk about any financial concerns you have. Trust us on that. Things are better when we share.