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This Simple Relationship Habit Could Make You Happier Together, According to Therapists

Therapists explain how focusing on positive moments, expressing gratitude, and making time for fun can help couples feel closer.

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Want to improve your relationship? According to therapists, it’s as simple as shifting your focus onto the positives of your connection rather than dwelling on the negatives. Or, as experts call it, the “positivity effect.”

What Is the Positivity Effect in Relationships?

The “positivity effect” in relationships essentially refers to a couple’s shared ability to approach the connection—and any relationship issues—with a positive outlook.

“Couples who focus on all the positive moments their partner is showing them (as opposed to focusing mainly on the negative) are exhibiting the ‘positivity’ in relationships,” says Kat Grassetti, LCSW, Clinical Director at Monima and an EMDR practitioner. “This behavior may also help a couple understand that an instance of frustration doesn’t mean the rest of the time they spend with each other has been........

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