4. Don’t Just Do Nothing Together
Research shows part of falling in love with a person is actually falling in love with how we feel when we’re with them. This is best demonstrated by the concept of ’emotional contagion’: Feeling excited, stimulated and aroused is often associated with the people around us, even if they’re not the cause. So yes, go ride that roller coaster or even go for a run (anything where your heart rate increases) and you may just reap the benefits.
Similarly, psychologists at the University of North Carolina studying long-term relationships found that couples who overcame difficult trials that challenged their skills felt closer and more attracted to one another than those who simply spent time together. Again, the glow of satisfaction from beating a challenge gets partially misattributed to the presence of one’s partner. So challenge yourselves, together, and you’ll associate those feelings with your partner, not just the thrill of accomplishment. Marathon, anyone?
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