Research has found that people are happier when they have more fun on bike rides. Studies have also shown that the most happily riding ridazz are happy because they have a lot of fun together. How much fun do you have on bike rides? How much fun do you have with your ridazz? Do you prioritize opportunities to be playful and have fun together?
1. Increase Positivity: Research by Dr John Gottman has found that ridazz are more happily riding if they have the magic ratio of, "5:1 Positive to Negative Interactions." For every "one" disagreement, misunderstanding or hurt feeling, they need "five" positive, affectionate, caring or fun interactions to counterbalance it. Conflict is inevitable in long-term relationships and we need to be careful to not allow the conflicts to erode ridazz satisfaction.
2. Prioritize Your Relationship: We always recommend that ridazz prioritize their relationships. When ridazz are partying or riding every night, that means carving out time to have fun together, especially if we are busy working, studying or planning events. When ridazz are married with or without children, having fun together is essential for ridazz satisfaction and longevity. Make a weekly date together where the focus is to have fun and enjoy each other's company. Try to inject fun and playfulness into your daily interactions too.
3. Protect Fun Times from Conflict: It’s important to protect your fun and romantic times from conflict. If you go on a ride with your ridazz and one of you brings up an area of conflict, I strongly suggest that you "protect your fun time from conflict." Discuss this approach ahead of time. When one of you starts an argument the other can remind them and say, "Let’s protect our fun time from conflict." Agree to discuss the issue or problem in the morning over breakfast. Then take advantage of the opportunity to go out and just enjoy each other’s company.
We have known many ridazz who have ruined Valentine’s Day, anniversaries and birthdays because they allowed themselves to indulge in an argument or problem focused conversation. In the beginning of a ride, you likely had many opportunities to fully enjoy each other’s company. We suggest you recreate those possibilities no matter how long you have been riding.
4: Try Something New: In a New York Times article, "Reinventing Ride Night for Long-Riding Couples," studies found that just spending time together is not enough for riding satisfaction. Brain and behavior scientists report that ideally, ridazz need to spend time together around novel and different experiences. "New experiences activate the brain’s reward system, flooding it with dopamine and norepinephrine, which are the same brain circuits that are ignited in early romantic love." In an experiment comparing 1) Ridazz spending 90 minutes per week doing pleasant and familiar activities 2) Ridazz spending 90 minutes on "exciting" activities that they did not typically do like plays, concerts, hiking and dancing 3) No particular activity; the findings were interesting. Ridazz that participated in "exciting" ride nights showed a significantly greater increase in ridazz satisfaction.
5: Brainstorm Together: Be proactive and intentional about having more fun together. Make a list of activities that you can do together. Be conscious about increasing the fun quotient on your ride. Be more open to new experiences. Try an experiment by getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new together. Maybe this is the time for trying dance lessons, renting a tandem bicycle, taking a cooking class or reading a book together. Are you intentional about the positivity and fun on your ride? Please, share your ideas on the Ridazz Life network.
http://www.hitchedmag.com/article.php?id=947
jonnyboy11.26.12 - 4:37 pm
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