When the word intimacy is ever brought up in a relationship, it’s likely that people automatically think of sexual activities. And don’t you dare deny it. Your mind was bound to wander to the idea of sexual deeds the moment that you read the word intimacy in this article. And no one can really blame you.
The fact of the matter is that sex comprises a huge part of what it means to be intimate with a person you’re in a loving relationship with. It’s an activity that the both of you can consider to be exclusively your own something that you don’t have to share with anyone else but yourselves.
It’s probably the closest that you’ll ever be to one another on a physical level. But you shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that intimacy can only manifest itself in a relationship through the form of sex. Intimacy takes its shape in various forms without you even realizing it.
You can build intimacy in a relationships in ways that don’t involve sexual acts at all. And in case you’re wondering how, you can just go ahead and read on until the end of this article:
1. You can get intimate by traveling with one another.
Traveling is a great thing. It’s just you and your partner thrust into a whole new world that you’re both unfamiliar with. When you travel to a place that you’re not familiar with, you will both be forced to really confront your true identity as a couple.
2. You can get intimate by just spending time with each other.
Time is the most valued thing in this world. It’s the one thing we can never ask for more of. We take what we’re given and we try our best to make the most of it. We take whatever time is granted to us in this world and we never waste it.
So think about what it means when the both of you deliberately devote your time to one another. This is time that you can’t take back or extend. This is the most valuable gift that you could possibly ever give another person. And when you give time to one another, you are bound to build on your levels of intimacy.
3. You can get intimate by being emotionally vulnerable to each other.
Emotional vulnerability is one of the most important aspects of growing intimacy in a relationship. When you just allow yourself to gradually open up to your partner about how you feel, you are slowly letting them into your world. You are giving them access to the most important and intimate aspects of your life You are allowing yourself to become an open book to them. Intimacy doesn’t always have to be physical. It can be an emotional practice as well.
Sometimes, it takes being surrounded by a group of people to really understand just how intimate you really are as a couple. When you box yourselves in constantly, you deprive yourselves of the interaction and perspective that you need from others. And so when you surround yourselves with other people once in a while, you further reinforce the notion that you’re just really meant to be with one another.
5. You can get intimate by overcoming problems and resolving conflicts.
When you are in a relationship, you aren’t always going to have things be easy. You are going to go through a few rough patches. You are going to go through your fair share of hardships. But that doesn’t mean that your relationship isn’t valid.
In fact, when you go through trials and difficulties as a couple, and you manage to overcome them, you often come out of these ordeals stronger than ever. You tackle these problems like a team, and in that spirit, you can get really close and intimate with each other.
6. You can get intimate by being physically naked around each other.
Don’t misconstrue this for sex. Just because you are naked around one another doesn’t mean that you’re automatically going to be in a sexual mood. However, a lack of a lust during this particular situation doesn’t automatically equate to a lack of intimacy either.
You are still acting intimate with one another by putting on display just how comfortable you are with being naked in each other’s presence. You trust and value each other so much to the point that nudity feels completely natural and liberating. You know that there is no judgement there.
7. You can get intimate by being silent with each other.
Another way to be intimate with your partner is to just sit in perfect silence with them. You don’t even need to be doing anything exciting. You don’t have to be saying anything sweet or romantic. You just have to sit there and enjoy each other’s company regardless of wherever you may be in the world.
8. You can get intimate with physical closeness to each other.
Physical closeness without necessarily being sexual can also be a great way to improve the physical intimacy in a relationship. For instance, you should never undermine the value of random hugs and kisses with one another in a romance. They can go a long way in building intimacy.
Talk to me
Do you agree? Talk to me in the comments below!
Thanks for this article, there’s some great tips here. I really struggle with allowing myself to be emotionally vulnerable, since each time I have, it feels as though I’ve been rejected, or my feelings are brushed off as unimportant by my girlfriend. It’s the main reason I found this article to begin with. Due to our history, being sexual with my girlfriend has lost it’s appeal. She has had no sexual desire at all for years after our first child. I feel regret over not having ended our relationship earlier to save us both so much heartache, as it feels we are now two different people. I realize I can’t change the past, and I can’t change her or compel her to follow the drs advice to get her libido back. The choice is reduced to being in a sexless relationship or being single as I don’t have the motivation, self esteem or desire to return to the dating world at 40. It may be a sad fact for some to face but I’ve finally now accepted my sexual endeavors will be dismissed or rejected, or I can be single and celibate. The desire issue especially has caused a great rift we now have to overcome by replacing what once was a beautifully loving an sexual relationship with other forms of intimacy, usually centered around our son. We have been seeing a sex therapist for nearly a year now, after both seeing relationship counselors and individual counselors for years. I was depressed, and was told my depression needs to be corrected first before any other progress, so now I’m on antidepressants, but I don’t feel any more hopeful our sex life will return… should I? My girlfriend is super optimistic about everything and says things like our sex therapist is building up to *something*. I feel our therapy has went on for so long, it’s now the status quo, and this is now what our relationship is going to be permanently. I’ve got other goals in life which I feel this problem has prevented me from pursuing, I regularly lose sleep over it… and I’m honestly not even sure what to do now, as my life has been derailed. In your opinion, should I stay in this relationship, continue to search for the silver linings, and try to stay positive, or will this eventually be detrimental? This is one of the hardest and definitely the longest relationship issues I’ve grappled with, and I don’t feel like it’s going to resolve itself anytime soon, if ever. Is it healthy to set an example of a relationship that constantly needs counseling and improving in order to one day possibly become intimately mediocre or tolerable? Is it healthy to hold out in the hopes a partner will change back to how they once were, given they promise, and optimistically hope for a better future without putting in the effort I perceive is necessary? Your opinion is appreciated. Thanks