Fish Bowl Conversations

Do you have good conversations with each other as husband and wife? How well do you connect in your “talk time” together? Do you even make it a point to have meaningful talk times together? Or do you feel like you’re both living in separate fish bowls in the same home, and you can’t seem to bridge the conversational gap between you?

The goal here is to get you and our spouse to talk to each other in casual ways. However, this may not be as easy as it seems. Often, I have sent couples home with the assignment to “Talk to each other.” But they then come back the next week saying something like, “We tried; but every time we sit down to talk one of us would say, ‘Okay, what do you want to talk about?’ And then the other would say, ‘I don’t know; what do you want to talk about?’ We couldn’t seem to come up with a starting point.”

They often ended up frustrated; and the conversations stopped before it ever got started. Sound familiar?

Getting Started with Conversations

The most difficult part of talking often is simply getting started. So, to help you with that dilemma, you will find a list of 100 Conversation Starters below. One of the best ways to use this list is to cut the topics apart; then put them in a fish bowl. And when you have set aside time to talk, or when you just happen to have a little extra time, one of you draws a topic out of the fish bowl and the discussion begins. [Impromptu conversations can be some of the most meaningful!]

Both of you address the topic before drawing out the next one. The assignment is a fun way not only to get the conversations going, but also to learn some things about your spouse you may never have known before. And that’s a good thing, isn’t it? The more you know about a person, the more intimate the relationship becomes. And isn’t that the goal of marriage? Isn’t it to grow closer to each other? (The answer is, yes, in case you have forgotten.)

Also, feel free to add in some topics of your own as well.

Marriage Missions Editor’s Note:

First, here are a few suggestions for the setting of your conversations:

You can go out somewhere to talk (such as a park, cafe, overlooking a lake or mountain, etc.) Or you can use the following questions for conversations in your 22 Minute Date Nights. (See the linked article if you need clarification.) You’ll find some good guidelines there, even if you decide to talk longer than 22 minutes.

Just make it your goal to connect and enjoy your time together!

QUESTIONS FOR FUN CONVERSATIONS:

• Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years? [And where do you see us in 5, 10 and 20 years?]

• If money were no issue where would you travel?

• Suppose the house caught on fire, all your family were safe and you could save 5 things. What would you save?

• If you inherited $100,000, what would you do with it?

• What would be the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery?

• Please tell me, what is your biggest regret?

• What was your most embarrassing moment?

• Describe a perfect evening.

• How would you define love?

• Tell me about a special childhood memory.

• What was your favorite Christmas? Why?

• What did your parents teach you about marriage?

• Share a sad memory with me.

• What things are you looking forward to this week, month, and year?

• What do you like most about your job?

• Tell me about your talents.

• Tell me something you are afraid of.

• How would you like to spend a day alone?

• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Why?

More Questions for More Great Conversations:

• What do you like best about yourself?

• What do you like best about me? Why?

• Plan the perfect date.

• What is one of your favorite memories about us?

• Is there a favorite memory you remember most about our dating?

• What do you remember most about our wedding or honeymoon?

• Is there something I could do to please you more sexually?

• If you could be any animal, what would you be? Why?

• How would you like to see the household responsibilities divided?

• What do you think heaven will be like?

• Tell me about your salvation experience.

• Tell me about a spiritual high point in your life.

• What is the best advice you ever received?

• If you could have three wishes, what would they be?

• How can I show you that I love you?

• Tell me about a time when God answered a prayer.

• What makes you laugh?

And then, Some Additional Questions:

• Tell me your favorite joke.

• What was your favorite grade in school? Why?

• How often would you like to make love?

• Is there a difference between making love and sex? Explain.

• Share a fantasy with me.

• What advice would you give a friend about to get married?

• Would you rather vacation in the mountains, at the ocean, or a big city? Why?

• What was your favorite fairy tale?

• What kind of movies do you enjoy?

• Would you rather spend a quiet evening with just the two of us; with another couple; or at a gathering of several couples? Why?

• Would you rather be smart, beautiful, or famous? Explain.

• When was the last time you cried?

• If there had never been original sin, what do you think the world would be like?

• After salvation, what do you pray for most for our children?

• If you could have picked anyone in the world to be your parents, who would you have picked?

• Where would you like to live?

• What do we want to teach our children about marriage?

Even More Conversational Questions to Ask:

• Do you think we fight fair?

• How could we improve our conflict resolution skills?

• What would you consider to be your top five priorities in life?

• What do you think my top five priorities are?

• Describe what are you feeling right now.

• What are you thinking about right now?

• What does intimacy mean?

• Are there strengths you see in me?

• What expectations did you have coming into marriage?

• Which marital expectations were met; which were not?

• What would we do if TV were out of order for one week?

• How did you decide on your career?

• What is the best part of our relationship currently?

• What is romance?

• Do you see me as a better giver or receiver? Explain.

• What is your favorite recreational activity?

• Is there something we have never done together that you’d like us to try?

• What size box does the “perfect gift” come in? What would be inside?

Additional Questions for Your Conversations Together:

• List five of your “favorites.”

• Describe your dream house.

• If for one day you could be anyone who ever lived, who would you choose?

• What’s your most memorable childhood experience?

• Would you rather travel by car, plane, boat, or train? Why?

• What question would you like to ask God once you are in heaven?

• What one experience would you like to be sure to have before you die?

• What’s the craziest thing you have ever done in public?

• If you could choose any career, what would you be?

• How can I make love to you without intercourse?

• If you could spend a day with anyone who ever lived, who would you choose? Why?

• Who would you like to visit once in heaven?

Even More Questions:

• What “impossible” experience would you like to have?

• What is a recreational activity that you have never tried but would like to?

• Tell me two things you “want” from me and two things you “need” from me.

• If you could have lived in any time period, which would you have picked?

• Who has been the biggest positive influence in your life? Explain.

• Tell me about your first date.

• Where is the most adventurous place you would consider making love?

• What was the happiest time of your life?

• If you were a writer, what would you write?

• If you could trade lives with someone for a week, who would you trade with, and why?

• What is the hardest thing for you to understand about the opposite sex?

• What is your favorite movie and why?

• Is there anything you worry about? If so, what?

• Name three things I used to do for you that you enjoyed that I have not done for a while.

This article is adapted from the book, Discovering the Treasure of Marriage, written by Debbie L. Cherry, PhD, published by Chariot Victory Publishing.

Lastly, to Help You Have More Conversations:

And then, below are several links that lead you to additional questions to help you have fun conversations with your spouse. What’s great is that this will give you several opportunities to have fishbowl types of conversations together! So, jump over and take advantage of these additional opportunities at different times. And then enjoy talking through:

• 25 FUN QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR SPOUSE

• CONVERSATION STARTERS FOR MARRIED COUPLES

And then you can use:

• A YEAR OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE

• CONVERSATION STARTERS – The Family Dinner Project

Plus:

Here’s a resource that has even more conversation starters on a variety of topics:

• DAILY TALK GUIDE by Brad Hambrick

We pray these questions draw you closer to each other so you “live a life of love” as we’re told to do in the Bible.

Cindy and Steve Wright

— ADDITIONALLY —

To help you further, we give a lot of personal stories, humor, and more practical tips in our book, 7 ESSENTIALS to Grow Your Marriage. We hope you will pick up a copy for yourself. (It’s available both electronically and in print form.) Plus, it can make a great gift for someone else. It gives you the opportunity to help them grow their marriage. And who doesn’t need that? Just click on the linked title or the picture below:

ALSO:

If you are not a subscriber to the Marriage Insights (emailed out weekly)
and you would like to receive them directly, click onto the following:

Print Post