Finding Inspiration in Your Partner

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Katie Vannier

Inspiration can be found everywhere. In nature, media, people, and your own thoughts. A life filled with inspiration is one filled with passion, happiness, and a desire for more.

fidning inspiration in your partner

Relationships are the perfect place to become inspired. Being able to find inspiration in your partner allows you to continually see their positive qualities and for you to grow as a person.

Too often we are confused and mix up jealousy and inspiration. Learning to turn something about your partner that makes you jealous into something that inspires you, can be a game changer in your relationship. Turn their successes or skills into motivation and inspiration instead of competition and jealousy.

A couple that is continually inspired by each other is a couple that will never get bored, stray, or feel confined by their relationship. Here are some of the many reasons you need to start getting inspired by your partner.

Learn From Each Other

Although you shouldn’t strive to be exactly like your partner, being able to admire their talents and want to learn from them is a great way to stay connected.

Is your partner an amazing cook? Spend a day every week cooking together, with your partner showing you all their favourite dishes and techniques. Eventually you can cook them something special and they can appreciate you taking such a strong interest in their skills.

Chris’s love for good flavorful food runs deep in his Italian blood and he has turned his love for food into a love of cooking up amazing meals for two. When I started cooking I needed to follow recipes exactly. Chris has taught me to follow my gut and my taste buds. He is always teaching me new techniques and introducing me to new flavors. I will always be learning from him in the kitchen and I love that about him.

Help Each Other Grow

Relationships grow stagnant when partners stop growing both independently and together. Being able to see your partners strengths and get inspired by them allows you to keep growing in the right direction and brings you closer together.

The cheesy saying “You make me a better person” is only true if you stay inspired by your partner and continue to grow throughout your relationship.

When Chris and I started dating we were both physically active with sports but never quite fit. We both decided we wanted to get healthier but weren’t sure where to start. Chris is much better at portion control and healthy eating then I am, whereas I took the lead in the exercise department. Together we encouraged each other to improve in each area of fitness and we became healthier as a team. Now I can be the one who makes a veggie fueled meal and Chris pushes me to get my butt in gear and work out.

finding inspiration in your partner

Appreciate Small Positive Traits

It is too easy to get caught up in the small negative behaviours of your partner and forget all the amazing traits they have to offer. If you aren’t feeling inspired by your partner take a look at some of their greatest qualities. Are they generous, family oriented, hard workers?

Actively thinking about ways your partner inspires you will not only lead you to improving your own life, but remind you to appreciate your partner again. Check out our Little Loving Things exercise if you need help remembering how awesome your partner is on the daily.

After a busy week at work I can feel stressed out and get easily annoyed with everything. Coming home to see the dishes still not done or supper not made can get me thinking a million negative thoughts about Chris. When I start only seeing negative, I take a step back and recognize that he makes supper more often than I do, and he always gets me a piece of chocolate or a glass of wine after a hard day of work. Not everything is always perfect but when I can see all the positives along with whatever negatives I might be feeling it all gets better.

Discover Positives in Every Aspect of Life

finding inspiration in your partner

It can be hard to look past one overwhelmingly inspiring trait about your partner. They could be amazing athletes or have great work ethic, but do you see the other qualities they have? You may not have realized how comforting they can be when you have had a bad day, or how confident they are in bed. Get inspired by their hidden talents.

Try out our 7 Days of Inspiration exercise to discover something amazing about each other in every aspect of life. Their kindness, health, sexuality, and everything in between.

When I first met Chris, I recognized how hard of a worker he was. He was young, with a great career and was always talking about his next big business idea. At first I would have said this was his most inspiring personality trait. As time has passed I am able to see all the other parts of him that are inspirational as well. He cares deeply about his family, he is a great friend, he is concerned about his health and staying active. All these traits were originally overpowered but the deeper I looked, the more I found.

Opposite Traits are Awesome

They say opposites attract, but for some couples those opposites are what can also tear them apart. If your partners strengths are your weaknesses, don’t get mad, get inspired!

We have had so many Couple of the Week entries that feature couples who have learned to play off of each other’s strengths and grow as a couple. Your partner is easy going and your more organized. Recognize that both of these traits are strengths and you should look to each other for guidance when one is needed over the other.

As I said above, Chris is a hard worker. He loves fleshing out new ideas, starting projects, and making his plans come to life. On the other hand, I am pretty simple when it comes to working. I do my job and I do it well but don’t usually look past that. It was a little intimidating when Chris would share his big ideas with me. I would just follow his directions and get scared when having to make my own decisions. But he has motivated and inspired me to take charge, enjoy the process, and see the bigger picture. I have grown so much because of the inspiration he has given me.

Inspiration comes from so many places and in so many forms but being able to get inspired from your partner and with your partner is the ultimate relationship goal. If you never stop learning from each other you will never grow apart, you will only become a stronger couple.

Image courtesy of Nenetus and Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tags: couple, inspiration, inspire, learn, life, motivation

Authored by: Katie Vannier

Katie is a baker, nature enthusiast, and lover of naps. She brings a female perspective to LoveTripping with a focus on romance, approaching arguments rationally, and strengthening bonds. Katie believes both partners need to give 100% and be willing to compromise for a relationship to work.