They say love is all you need, but when life throws you curveballs, keeping up that love can be difficult. Your love for your partner, just like your love for yourself, needs to be nurtured. This Valentine’s Day, put love first with these tips to help you love yourself and your partner.
Communicate
Communication is the key to any successful relationship. Practice talking openly, whether there is an issue that needs to be addressed or you just want to tell your partner how much you love them. Remember, you and your partner are a team. Make sure you are communicating to get to a resolution together and not just trying to be right.
Make time for yourself
Whether you have been together 3 months or 3 decades, that feeling of being in love and being happy with someone can be all-consuming. There’s a reason they say love is blind! It can be easy to get so wrapped up in your partner that you forget yourself. You need love too! Why not take time out of your day for a long walk or take yourself on a spa day. Another great way to show love for yourself is to book a solo photo shoot with a high quality portrait photographer to help you memorialize how good you look and feel. As the years go by, you will be glad you documented yourself with a professional photography session, so that you have something to look back on, for all those future walks down memory lane.
Keep an open mind
There is no such thing as perfect compatibility. People are complicated, so naturally, loving someone takes a lot of patience and willingness to try to understand another’s point of view. Michael and I are very compatible. However, in some things we are total opposites. He is very type A when it comes to schedules, but I love to go with the flow. Even these small differences can be opportunities to find balance. For us, Michael helps remind me that concrete plans can be helpful, and I help keep him flexible.
Nurturing empathy for your partner means keeping an open mind, during good times as well as during disagreements. Compatibility is important, but sometimes, what is even more important, is how you deal with incompatibility. Will you refuse to compromise? Or will you take a step back and try to see where your partner is coming from so you can work towards a solution?
Keeping an open mind takes practice, but it is a key element to making a relationship work.
Prioritize quality time
Of course, it is always important to enjoy spending time with your partner. Life can get hectic, which makes it extra essential to make sure you are setting aside time to reconnect. Quality time could mean a monthly date night, or it could mean that every week you turn off electronics before bed and have tea together. Michael and I love to make time for each other by sharing the cooking duties. During a busy week, when I am working in the studio, he might be at home trying a new recipe so that we can enjoy it together when I get home! As long as you are taking time to give each other your undivided attention and be present, you will find ways to fall deeper in love and commitment.
Show your appreciation
Celebrating the good times is important for your relationship too. My years of experience as a family portrait photographer has taught me how special it can be to have something to look back on through the twists and turns of life. Photos taken in the moment on your iphone are nice, but the best family photographer knows just how to make sure the light hits you and your partner at just the right angle to make your love shine. Book a romantic photo session on the beach, in the studio, or in Central Park. Or, if you have children, why not include them in a session to get that perfect family portrait to hang on your wall? Those magical moments with your partner and your family deserve to be frozen in time and a photo shoot with a professional portrait photographer can be a great way to honor your relationship for years to come. If you want to save the portraits for a later date, like when the weather gets warmer, a gift certificate for a photo session is also a great Valentine’s Day present.
You will always look back on your images. Five years later you will say “ I looked pretty good then” !
Keep these tips in your back pocket while you’re making your plans this Valentine’s Day. If you want to show appreciation for yourself and your partner, booking a photo session with me now is a great start! We would love to be part of making your Valentine’s Day special.