Good Communication is an essential part of a Good Relationship. Talking about sex can be easy … or, it can be difficult. Sex talk can be easy when viewed as light, bantering play. Sex talk can be difficult when you see it as having the potential for risking embarrassment, rejection, and hurt feelings. Using some courage to speak with your partner about sexual issues can allow the two of you to enter an exciting new phase in your sexual relationship.

Here’s What to Do — 5 Keys for Partner Sex Talk:

1. Make Time for Sexual Communication: In the very-busy style of today’s couples, time together can become a rare commodity and time together for sex can become an even rarer commodity! With so many demands on your time, it can be habit to put your relationship last. This being the case, it is important to take time — outside of a sexual setting — to talk about your relationship.

2. Agree on a Time for Sex Talk: Be upfront with your partner — don’t just “spring” the topic on him/her. You might say, “I have something that I would like us to talk about that is very important to me. Is this a good time for you to sit down with me and talk?” If not, this would be the time to agree on a time to talk — “Would it work for you tonight after dinner?” — until you find a mutually-agreeable time.

3. Prioritize Sex Talk: When that time arrives, remind your partner, “It’s after dinner now and the dishes are done. Could we sit down now and talk?” Don’t try to cover too much at one time. Perhaps, you just discuss a couple of issues. Also, don’t try to cover other subjects; restrict your talking to sexual issues once you sit down. Then, before ending this discussion, agree on a time to continue the talk.

4. Get Comfortable with Sex Talk as a Subject of Conversation: It can be easy to get flustered and tongue-tied when it comes down to actually expressing yourself in explicit sexual language. If this happens to you, relax and breathe! You are, by far, NOT alone.

To help you out on this, take some time beforehand to think about what you want to say to your partner about sex. Rehearse ahead of time — yes, that’s right, practice until you are comfortable with the words and expressions. Familiarize yourself with the language. Say it aloud so that you can get comfortable with hearing YOURSELF saying the ideas you have in mind.

5. Know Your Feelings, Be Direct & Clear: If you have been feeling frustrated, try to be specific about what is truly bothering you. If possible, make specific, behavior requests: “I would like us to cuddle more often and for at least 15 minutes when we do.” Your partner cannot read your mind. If you want something specific, ask for it clearly, “I find it really exciting when you spend time pleasuring me.”

I encourage you to use these keys over and over to create a more relaxed atmosphere of sex talk with your partner. This, in turn, can dramatically increase your mutual pleasure and satisfaction in sexual interaction.

Have you and your partner been looking for practical ways to strengthen the power your of your relationship. Do you want to go beyond a strong sexual relationship? Do you wish to enhance your intimacy?

Here are 4 tips for enhancing your Sexual Intimacy and Relationship Strength:

1. Find Balance: Finding the balance between relationship, family, work, friends, and personal time may be a challenge. However, where your relationship is concerned, it is an endeavor that is well worth the energy invested to allow it to happen. Healthy relationships require your active presence. Being present in your relationship takes you to make plans, you to provide attention and you to follow through. So, get out your schedule and begin to create balanced time for those elements of importance — be sure to include time for talking, time for sexual pleasuring, time for dating, time for romance and time for sexual satisfaction.

2. Strive for Similar Values: As a couple, you do not have to agree on everything. Such variety can add spice to your partnership! However, having similar values — such as, the importance of spirituality, of friends and other social-support systems, of sexuality and sexual expression, of community volunteerism/giving, of honesty, of hard work, of fidelity, of investing/spending — can add significantly to the accord in your relationship. If you and your partner are at odds on core values, begin to communicate about them. Pay attention to what you do share in common and to what originally attracted you to each other. See where you already have a meeting of the minds. Then, investigate options for compromise.

3. Disagree Agreeably: If you find yourself and your partner on different sides of a decision, do your best to engage in honest listening. What is honest listening, you might ask? Honest listening is sincerely trying to hear your partner’s point of view. It’s listening without thinking up additional arguments. It is being open to differences. It is sincerely caring what your partner is feeling and thinking. If both of you feel strongly, consider agreeing to disagree. Better yet — continue to discuss and learn from one another until you create a new solution that is win-win for you both!

4. Celebrate Your Love: Be sure to include intimacy in your relationship. Sex is important in a loving relationship. It is the glue that holds the partnership together in joy and provides it with support in times of discouragement. In addition, the physical act of sex becomes even more powerful when it unites your emotions and mind and spirit with those of your beloved. Uniting in these ways requires that you each offer a 24-7 attitude of support and agreeableness to one anther. It requires being kind, attentive and loving to one another throughout the day.

I urge you to use these ideas over and over to enhance your sexual intimacy and strengthen your relationship.