Of Love And Dedication

It’s been thrilling to be on this adventure with my husband and love of my life, Luke DeSalvo. We are so excited to be celebrating our second wedding anniversary. There have been so many roads, unbeaten paths, and even spiritual avenues that we have traveled to get where we are now. My beloved Luke is my twin flame, my king, my rock, my teacher and beyond. Together anything is possible. There is so much that we do together as we seek to maintain a balanced lifestyle where we continuously seek to better ourselves and develop. Important themes that my husband and I have been focusing on include but are not limited to spirituality, self discovery, exercise, organization, learning, and creativity.

Spiritual Adventures and Growth

Luke and I have a daily routine which begins with deep meditation. Oftentimes we experience visions during our meditations which we share with one another, that often coincide and have shared imagery and themes. We read verses from the Bible and go to church and pray together. Our beliefs are the bedrock for our lives, and though we engage in spiritual activities together, much of the beauty of it is that we are both on our own journeys. Everyone is. “For couples seeking a lasting, meaningful relationship, spiritual intimacy can serve as the solid foundation that you need,” States Utah State University Healthy Relationships Utah Extension. 

Rediscovering Ourselves

My husband and I have experienced a lot of changes over time, and are different versions of ourselves than when we first met, and I do believe everyone experiences this to some extent in life. Change is not a bad thing however, we are all evolving. I have realized that although I’m nearly 40 years old I am still learning new things about myself and discovering who I am. Both Luke and I have come to accept the process of rediscovering oneself and embrace it, because it’s all part of knowing who one truly is and what they are capable of. According to Miranda Marquit of the publication Live Rich Live Well, “When you know what you want and who you are, it makes you a better partner because you don’t have to try to mold yourself. When both of you can be who you are, and work toward shared goals, it fosters unity and allows you to help each other reach your goals. That teamwork is essential to a good relationship.” 

Exercise For The Win

Throughout our lives we both have been runners, and these days we like to run on the elliptical at the gym. We do at home exercises like yoga and stairs, and Luke just started doing Tai Chi, which takes a lot of discipline, but I find it very healing. As for myself I just started running again, both on elliptical and on the road, after not having done it for months. Comparing and contrasting being active and not active, I definitely felt stagnant when not exercising, and it honestly just feels good to get moving. “Exercise reduces stress and improves physiological health by triggering antidepressant hormones and increasing endorphin secretion . . . These bodily changes cause elevated moods and help to reduce negative thoughts, which can help you have more positive experiences at work and home.” Nicole Dudenhoefer with the University of Central Florida shares about the benefits of exercise.

Creating A Cozy Abode

When there’s clutter at home it can be distracting and even uncomfortable, but there is definitely joy to be found in a clean and tidy abode. Being tidy is important and helps a person to be happy and be more productive in one’s space. There’s truly an artform to the cleaning and organizing process and Luke, like with everything he does, has much needed solutions and ways to implement them. ‘Everything has a home’ is a common theme of his on this topic, and it’s true that if you put things where they belong it will help you feel at peace in your own home. I personally had fun giving things away and tossing unnecessary junk. Meanwhile Luke tackled the feng shui of the room, as he knows how to make it look both elegant and inviting. In an article by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist they inform “For those who are heavily affected by their environment, a little spring cleaning could result in added happiness . . . Cleaning – not just in the spring – also can provide an outlet for energy and a release for negative emotions.”

Life-long Learning Journey

Reading is one of our favorite pastimes and helps to replenish our minds with much needed ideas and information for writing. I believe that reading and writing is the foundation for civilization, and I have always been intrigued by it for that reason. We make time for reading, making a point to strengthen our minds and learn. As far as benefits to us as a couple goes, exercising our brains together is a great way to develop and evolve. In Science: How Relationships Drive Learning the author points out how the human brain is altered by learning. “Over time, the skills that helped us do well in relationships became interwoven with the neuroanatomy and biochemistry of learning. Relationships helped us survive, and so we became wired to connect.”

Couples Who Create Together Stay Together

Finally, but certainly not lastly, is that creativity is a major ingredient in the glue that binds Luke and I together. Just the fact that we have so much in common in general is a healthy aspect of our relationship. Bouncing ideas off of one another as we work on our writing projects together is fun and helps us to bond and know each other better as we create and problem solve. Creativity fuels artistic ventures, but also promotes a healthy state of mind. Margaret Aghaeepour of Ray Psychology points out, “Engaging in creative activities together, such as cooking, gardening, or even brainstorming ideas for a project, allows couples to tap into their collective imagination, fostering a sense of collaboration and shared purpose.”

The Takeaway

There’s definitely a delicate life balance that needs to be found and maintained, which is not always easy but is so rewarding when you find that sweet spot. I strive for it and hope for the best. From spirituality and self discovery to exercise, organization, learning and creativity I do believe we’ve found at least the tip of the iceberg to living a healthy lifestyle that fosters both growth and development as human beings. Luke and I follow our own formula and I am proud of that. Nobody is perfect but we strive to be our very best, and I think that’s all any of us can do. It’s been a wonderful journey so far and I’m looking forward to the years to come.