When it comes to romance, Shakespeare has the best way with words. Rather than ask for a kiss directly, his Romeo wooed Juliet by suggesting they “let lips do what hands do.” Whether you are looking to form sensuous habits to fuel your passion for decades, or you need a way to reignite those passions, use this week to follow the Bard’s advice. For week 41 of 52 Love, let your lips do what your hands did in Week 3.
Pre-relationship kisses spark emotional fireworks and send your stomach aflutter. Once you establish yourselves as a couple, the frequency of those liplocks might dwindle. The chaos and stress of everyday life can overwhelm the strongest of people. Many couples find themselves pulled in several different directions. Kissing keeps you centered on each other by bringing you back together.
Regular kissing fosters security. Even a quick peck in greeting or parting restores your connection. It reminds your partner that whatever challenges the day brings, she is not alone. Think of your kisses as the glue that holds your partnership together. When words fail, you can still communicate your heart with your lips. Kisses are such a universal communicator of love that mammals who can’t speak our language use them to share their affection. In this way, use your lips to fortify your relationship against the world’s stressors.
Kisses create emotional intimacy. Through physical contact, you and your partner share your vulnerability in the comfort of each other’s space. Being so close physically lowers emotional barriers and builds a foundation of trust.
Habitual kissing can also produce hormones that decrease stress and calm your neural system. Dopamine release gives pleasure. Oxytocin promotes bonding. Kissing triggers both. Even if you are anxious before you kiss, the act itself soothes anxiety. Once your lips touch, your focus is on each other and the intense sensations your kiss sparks.
The combination of decreased stress and increased pleasure boosts your immune system. That’s right; kissing is good for your health! Unlike exercise or nutrition, which need time to take effect, the benefits of kissing are immediate. If one good kiss can affect you this much, imagine what a night of snogging can do.
Kissing is natural foreplay, but it doesn’t have to provoke more. When you practice this week’s lesson, treat the kiss itself as a sexual act. Lead into it. Take it slow to build excitement. Nuzzle noses. Mingle breaths. Brush your lips along hers. Tease with your tongue.
Go in for the kiss. Then back away. Make her want before you sate her craving. Then crash your mouths together in a mash of longing, lust, and love. Inhale her scent. Taste her tongue. Feel the passionate press of her lips. Then practice your kisses on other parts of her body. Let every part of your partner feel the depth of your love. When you’re through, you’ll ensure that those butterflies from your early days keep their wings.
If you try this intimacy tip or have a better recommendation, let me know in the comments. For weekly suggestions on how to show your partner love, sign up for my blog, 52 Love, in the sidebar.
