Relationship Tips for Being Happier
Even if there's great love between two people, one of the biggest problems in long-term relationships is a ho hum feeling and even boredom. This boredom can cause either or both people to ask themselves "Is that all there is?" and can even lead to infidelity or divorce.
If this is what's happening in your life, a good movie to watch is "Shall we Dance?" staring Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Jennifer Lopez.
Not only is the dancing fun to watch but it has a good message about relationships that we'd like to pass on...
In the movie, Richard Gere's character seemingly had everything--a great wife, very successful law practice, two great kids. You name it and he seemed to have it.
So if he had all of this, why did his life not seem to have any spark to it or aliveness?
The most memorable line in the movie that seemed to sum up his feelings was this--"I was ashamed of wanting to be happier." He was ashamed that even though he had so much in his life, he wanted more.
Because of his hunger for "something," he was attracted to the Jennifer Lopez character and ultimately to dancing. He came alive by learning to dance.
Now, we're not saying that the answer to your aliveness is that you learn to dance. What we are suggesting is that you search within yourself to find what interest or desire you may have shut off from your life and consider doing that thing that may seem uncharacteristic or even strange to other people.
Whether it's to rekindle your passion for your significant other or a long-forgotten interest that you may have buried in the past, we urge you to begin to get in touch with what can bring you more joy and more passion.
Music gives both of us a lot of joy and we own over 400 cds of a wide variety of performing artists. Both of us have discovered that we need and want to keep this passion for music alive and a major part of our lives. It simply helps us to be happy more of the time!
We also do things every day to keep our love, passion and connection alive between the two of us. Unlike the main characters in "Shall We Dance?" we make time for our relationship and to connect with each other. If you want aliveness and spark in your life and relationship, you simply can't take your loved ones for granted.
Maybe you don't have a clue what you may be secretly longing for or to do. We urge you to not continue as Thoreau said leading a "quiet life of desperation." We urge you to explore in healthy ways how to bring more aliveness back into your life.
Remember, we are the only ones in charge of our lives. Let's live this life to its fullest.
