Women everywhere are looking at that headline, rolling their eyes and saying "this HAS to be written by a man." I know, because I did the same thing when I first read the story. In the spirit of good faith, let's take a deep breath and give it a listen. You may just learn a good point or two - I did.
Brittany Gibbons. After years of marriage and three kids together, Brittany and her husband found themselves at a stalemate in the romantic department. Most of us can probably relate.
Disconnected. After doing some serious soul searching, Brittany realized she had a strong disconnect with her own body. She felt like "mom", "wife", "friend" - all of the roles she played, but somehow lost touch with her physical self.
Reflection. According to Brittany's story, she came to this realization after staring at herself in her bathroom mirror and not recognizing who she was. She said, "Who let my mom in here?"
The Commitment. Brittany says she needed to get her mojo back. She needed to feel like the beautiful and sexual human being she was. She needed to know her husband wanted and loved her as well. So she started her 365 day journey.
The Promise. In order to do that, she needed to make a promise to herself and to her husband that they would be intimate every day for one year. Her goal was to "reinvigorate her life, her spirit, and her marriage," according to her story.
The First Step. The first step for Brittany was to know her husband still wanted her. The ego boost from his affections was the catalyst she needed.
The Rules. In order to make her journey successful, it required a commitment on both sides. She and her husband made a promise to have sex 365 days in a row for a full year. No exceptions. Not even for her monthly cycle or when either were exhausted from their days or when kids seemed to interfere.
Did I Lose You Yet? I struggled to get past that last part of her story myself. The idea of sex while cramping or sex with kids barging in isn't exactly a pleasant thought and I was convinced she was clearly delusional. Or a man. But I continued to read - I'm stubborn like that.
Inner Demons. Brittany explained her reasoning for the decision. Her inner demons forced her to hate who she was when she looked in the mirror. She hid. She wanted to be seen again.
No More Hiding. Brittany wrote in her story, "As the years went by, the absence of my naked body began to worry me. Did my husband, Andy, even know what I looked like naked anymore? Could he draw a nude picture of me that didn't also have a giant duvet over my body or a Spanx seam running vertically down my stomach?" Ok, she got my attention again.
Be Naked. Brittany's next step was to allow herself to be naked. In the light. In front of her husband. I know a lot of women are probably cringing at the idea, and really, how silly is that? Can you have intimacy without the intimate details?
Gaining Intimacy. Not to burst your bubble, but no, you can't have intimacy without being truly vulnerable and letting someone see every intimate detail. Brittany's journey led her to vow to be naked in harmony with her husband again.
How it Worked. In the beginning, Brittany agreed she felt the same as most of us suspect it would: like a job or a laborious duty. Nothing of the sort of pleasurable fun you would hope sex would be and another reason many shy away from it later. But after a while, Brittany says she began to want sex more. The more she had, the more she wanted, though it took her a while to reach that point.
The Most Intimate Time of Their Lives. By the end of the 365 days - she claims they did not cheat on any of the days - they are now continuing the daily ritual.
Highly Recommended. Brittany says the experiment led her to be as close with her husband as ever and has completely restored her relationship with her own body at the same time. She highly recommends all couples in similar scenarios give it a whirl. Me personally, I'm going to make sure my husband doesn't see this article before I make up my mind either way.
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