Neighbor News
Lasting Romance: A Look at the Numbers
Romance expert Greg Godek shares his relationship insights with The Jewelry Box of Lake Forest team!
As part of our on going series on keeping a long term relationship exciting and romantic, author Greg Godek shared some of the amazing love statistics he discovered while researching his best-selling book,1,001 Ways to Be Romantic.
“Some people are very analytical. But even analytical people fall in love,” Godek says. “And for these people, it’s very helpful to have a numerical understanding of how romance works. For example, to keep that spark between the two of you vibrant and alive, spend 10% as much time kissing as you do watching TV every day. It’ll do marvels for your relationship.”
One word of caution: if you’ve been binge-watching on Netflix, attempting to meet that 10% kissing benchmark may result is some seriously sore lips! Here are some of Godek’s other recommendations that may be slightly less perilous:
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Generate 33% more laughter in your relationship. “Couples who laugh together stay together,” Godek explained.
Reduce your complaining by 50%. “This is good for your romance, but it’s also good for you,” Godek said. “Research has found that chronic complainers experience more health problems, including aches and pains, than people who have a more optimistic attitude. And who wants to be romantic when you don’t feel good? Give up the complaining if you want more passion in your relationship.”
Increase your jewelry purchasing by 27%. Okay, Greg Godek didn’t say this. We did – but you certainly can’t blame us for trying!
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Back to Godek’s wisdom: “If you’re talkative by nature, try talking 20%less and listening 20% more. And if you’re the quiet one, try speaking up 20% more than you currently do. “ Changing the communication patterns in a relationship can be challenging at first, he added, but it often adds a new level of awareness and understanding between partners.
The final recommendation is to spend 10% more time with your partner. “That’s only a recommendation,” Godek said. “You may find that 10% more is just not enough for the two of you – and there’s nothing wrong with that!”
