The “Monthly Date Day Idea” is a bonding experience that is meant to be practiced with another person. Whether that be a family member, friend, sibling, significant other or all of the above, it’s worth a try! The idea is where two people practice alternating months either being the “giver” or the “receiver” for a day…
The Role of the Giver…
The role of the “giver” is to plan the entire day and supply all of the things they want to provide. Examples include things like food, events, driving etc. This is an opportunity to gain confidence in being a leader and practice giving without expectation. If this feels overwhelming at first, it’s okay to let your partner know you are going to start simple.
The Role of the Receiver…
The other person is the “receiver” of the day and along for the ride; this isn’t as comfortable as it seems. They are sometimes blind to the day if the giver wants to surprise them. This allows practicing receiving with love and acceptance for the other persons decisions whatever they might be. Allow yourself to trust and be taken care of in this experience.
Establishing Boundaries with your Partner
Furthermore, it might be beneficial for you and your partner to establish some boundaries before you start. For instance, if the giver needs a little bit of financial help from the receiver during their day, it’s important to communicate this beforehand. Likewise, it’s equally as important for the receiver to be understanding of this.
As the giver it is your responsibility to communicate the events of the day if you know that the receiver is going to be stretching their comfort zone a lot. This situation requires consent beforehand so that the receiver isn’t completely misled. Sometimes rescheduling or skipping a month is necessary and that is completely okay. The giver and the receiver are both responsible for establishing a safe space for exploration.
Find a way to Connect Deeper
To continue, the “Monthly Date Day Idea” is an active approach to connecting deeper with yourself and others. I wrote a post called How to Feel more Connected in your Everyday Life, that I would definitely recommend checking out before you get started as well. Once you and your partner have established trust then you have given yourself permission to become more vulnerable.
In addition, an amazing series on Netflix called “Sex, Love & Goop” gives lots of wonderful practices to try with an intimate partner. Oftentimes couples have different communication styles that if learned, can blossom into a beautiful feeling of unity.
The Benefits of Balance
The monthly “Monthly Date Day Idea” is not meant to be easy at first, especially if you are more comfortable with one or the other. I believe It’s important to balance these out in life and sometimes that means penciling it in on the calendar each month. When we feel what it’s like to be on the other side we are able to relate more with others. Likewise, we are likely to discover things about ourselves that could potentially create a more joyful life.
When we learn to feel closer to others through giving and receiving we will start to feel more connected with everything around us. This practice can allow for people to get out of their comfort zones and try new things together. You can start simple and then slowly become more creative and elaborate with them.
In addition, the “Monthly Date Day Idea” can also create more gratitude, compassion, and effective communication. I do this with my sister and boyfriend often and it has definitely brought us closer. It has taken practice but it’s always something we look forward too…
Go Here to find ideas to practice feeling more connected in your relationships!
I am very passionate about the “Monthly Date Day Idea” and believe it has the potential to strengthen many relationships around the world. I challenge you to try this out! 😉
