Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

There are many simple ways for your relationship to become deeper without sex

Today, things all seem to boil down to sex when it comes to relationships. It's kind of sad, really, that a relationship between two people in love (or not quite in love) is judged on the quality of their sex life. Yet, love-making is only as strong and good as the emotional bond between the two lovers is. As a result, maybe it's time that some couples take a break from sex and begin to bond on mental and emotional levels as well.

Before anybody's head explodes, I will help you out. Here are a few ways that couples can bond emotionally and mentally together that will ultimately enhance lovemaking.

Play Games Together
Any game that involves asking each other questions, even if it's pointless trivia, will give couples an insight into their partner's mind and help establish their likes and dislikes. Competitive games like Monopoly or even Checkers can bring out a child-like competitive spirit that can be both fun and invigorating together.

Go For Walks
This doesn't happen near enough anymore in the cyber age. Yet, couples who go for a walk (on the beach, through the park, just down the street) tend to be able to talk more about a variety of topics, get closer to one another, and have a lower stress level about life in general – which will benefit the relationship as a whole.

Enhance Your Spiritual Life
Couples should either go to church, study the Bible (or your Holy book), or just debate spirituality together to open up lines of communication to a very intimate part of your own lives with each other. Even atheists can do this by talking about what they do and don't believe in, and why. Learning to accept and respect your differences in this area can help build trust and acceptance in others, including your sex life.

Take Time Apart
This one might sound a bit weird, but couples need “me” time to enjoy their own hobbies and interests that their partners might not like as much. Try to plan the alone time a few hours every week at the same time (like when he is watching a football game and she wants to go hang out with her friends for lunch), and it will give both a chance to unwind. It will also have the added bonus of actually making them miss one another just a little bit. If you don't know how that can enhance love-making, then I can't help you.

Build Up to the Big Day
Part of love making is the anticipation. If you can go without being spontaneous for a while, make plans for a romantic evening together. Keep the days leading up to it without sex of any sort, but slowly build up the anticipation. Buy her some sexy lingerie, buy him some sexy silk pajamas, buy her some new jewelry, buy him some new cologne; anything that will help build the level of desire as the day gets closer. Just remember Christmas morning as a child, and how fun it was to look at those presents under the tree in the week before, counting down the days until they were unwrapped.

Above all, just remember that sex is not the same as love-making, and sometimes abstinence makes the heart grow fonder.