“How deep is your love?”
Yep, I’m totally riffing off an old Bee Gees song here but bear with me.
When two people have deep feelings for each other, it can seem as though their souls are intertwined. There’s a powerful emotional connection where you both feel understood, cared for, and appreciated in your relationship.
It feels like everything.
But sometimes, despite having huge heart eyes for a special human, that bond can fade. And you’re left wondering:
“How can I feel close to [X] again?”
One tried and true way to rebuild an emotional connection with a partner is through relationship journaling. All you need is quality alone time, a pen, notebook, and a selection of couple journal prompts.
I’ve got you with the prompts.
Related Articles:
- 48 Relationship Journal Prompts to Help Rekindle the Spark
- How to Start a Relationship Journal
- 31 Couples Journal Ideas for Inspiration of What to Write)
- 25 Activity Books for Couples (From Guided Prompt Journals to Quizzes)
What is Emotional Connection?
Emotional connection (or emotional intimacy) is about much more than just being ‘in love’, having sex, or physical touch.
Rather, it’s that super important, yet hard-to-define feeling of closeness you share with your partner where you both feel seen, heard, and understood on a deep level.
When you’re around someone you feel intensely connected to, you can share your true self and be emotionally vulnerable.
You simply trust they have your best interests at heart.
And that is the glue that cements a healthy relationship.
Along with good communication.
The Thing About Emotional Connection
Is that it can take a while to realise it’s slipping away.
But at some point, you’ll definitely notice.
You won’t feel as close to your partner as you once did.
Things they say, or do that you used to find adorable, start to grate on you.
You’ll wonder whether or not you still like them, let alone love them anymore. And that’s hard to admit because it feels like a betrayal.
But this disconnect can happen to anyone, in any relationship.
The key is to be aware of these feelings and keep cultivating emotional intimacy. And that means communicating in an open and honest way1.
If your partner is open to the idea and is willing to work with you, one way to safely have these conversations is through a shared journal.
Regular couple journaling will help you become more intentional about discussing aspects of your relationship in an open, and honest way.
And from there, you can develop awareness to recognise signs of an emotional disconnect occurring.
How to Use Couples’ Journal Prompts
Below are 71 relationship-focused writing prompts for couples’.
I selected these prompts to help you learn more about your partner while gaining insight into your own needs, interests, fears, values, and desires.
Take turns asking each other these questions.
Write down the responses and really listen to the answers. Try not to judge. Defensiveness will only hamper the process. Just be curious about your partner’s inner world and watch them open up to you.
Some of the journal prompts may, or may not resonate with you personally, so feel free to skip the prompts that don’t apply.
Ready to get vulnerable?
71 Relationship Writing Prompts for Emotional Connection
1. What personal values are most important to you?
2. What was something you did or had as a child that you miss doing or having now?
3. What were you curious about as a child?
4. What are you curious about now that you’re an adult?
5. When you were young, who was your favourite person? What did you most appreciate about them?
6. Tell me about a childhood experience or event that was painful for you. How has this experience shaped the person you are today?
7. What were you like as a teenager?
8. What is one piece of advice you received when you were younger that you still follow today?
9. If you could implant one piece of worldly wisdom into the brain of a newborn baby what would it be?
10. What is your favourite memory from your early dating days?
11. What do you appreciate the most about being in a romantic relationship?
12. How often do you experience happiness? What does that feel like to you?
13. Are you living a life that represents the truest version of yourself? If not, what needs to change?
14. Describe the perfect day from when you wake up in the morning until you go to bed at night.
15. What makes you feel sad?
16. When you’re feeling sad how do you like to be comforted?
17. When was the last time you asked for help? Who did you ask? Why?
18. What is something you have never told anyone before? What would make you feel comfortable about sharing that experience?
19. What is something you haven’t yet forgiven yourself for? When and how do you think you can get to a place of forgiveness?
20. What three things are you thankful for right now?
21. If you were a piece of fruit, what would you be and why?
22. Finish this sentence: I could never be happy without…
23. Finish this sentence: I feel vulnerable when…
24. What initially attracted you to me?
25. In what ways do you think we are alike?
26. In what ways do you think we are different?
27. What do you consider to be the foundation of a happy healthy relationship?
28. If you inherited a million pounds on the condition that you had to spend it all within a year, how would you spend it?
29. Think about your longest-standing friendship. What is it about that relationship that has led it to last so long?
30. As you look back on your life, what moment stands out as a turning point in how you feel about yourself?
31. What qualities or personality traits do you most admire in others?
32. What are your favourite ways to express your love for someone?
33. What small acts of kindness make you feel loved and appreciated?
34. What does honesty mean to you? Describe what your idea of honesty looks and feels like.
35. What makes you feel angry?
36. In which situations do you feel you can truly be yourself?
37. What are some topics or issues you have trouble discussing in your relationship?
38. In what ways do you feel this relationship supports your needs, wants, and desires?
39. What do you consider fun?
40. What would you do (activity, opportunity or career) if you weren’t afraid of failing?
41. What sort of person would you like to be in the future?
42. Where do you want to be living and what do you want to be doing 10 years from now?
43. Which part of the world have you always wanted to visit but never got around to going?
44. What are you worried about or afraid of right now?
45. What concerns do you have about this relationship?
46. What have you learned about your capacity to love and be loved?
47. What do most people misunderstand about you?
48. Under what, if any, circumstance(s) is it OK to break the law?
49. When was the last time you felt anxious? What provoked the anxiety?
50. What would the teenage version of yourself think about the person you’ve become today?
51. What is the most important thing you have learned from a previous romantic relationship?
52. What three pieces of advice does your future self need to hear?
53. What do you consider deal breakers in a relationship (romantic as well as platonic)?
54. What are some things you would like to know more about?
55. What top three things would you like to cross off your bucket list?
56. When was the last time you cried sad tears?
57. When was the last time you laughed so much your cheeks hurt?
58. What situations do you find challenging or difficult to deal with?
59. What makes you feel safe?
60. What do you want more of in this relationship?
61. What do you want less of?
62. In what ways can you improve communication with your partner?
63. What aspect of your life are you most proud of to date?
64. What do you love most about your personality?
65. What part of your personality are you most afraid to reveal?
66. What special gift would you most like to receive this year?
67. What is the worst thing someone could say or do to you?
68. What is a cause or charity worth supporting? Why?
69. In what ways have you changed over the last five to 10 years?
70. How do you feel about the way your life changed over the last year?
71. What do you hope will be your legacy to others?
It’s easy to fall into a rut over time.
We get comfortable, settle into our everyday routines and lose touch with our partners. But by taking the time to reflect on our relationships, we can deepen our emotional connections and strengthen our bonds.
So go ahead and take a few minutes out of your day to work through these couples’ journal prompts.
Which prompt stood out the most for you? Let me know in the comments.
Footnotes
- Bloom, L., & Bloom, C. (2013, March 21). Emotional intimacy. Psychology Today.
