Love + Sex

Friday, November 27, 2009

5 Things That Can Ruin Your Sex Life: And How to Avoid Them

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By Tracey Cox

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getty images

Are you guilty of committing any of the following common sexual sins? They each have the potential to destroy your sex life, but don't panic ‑- they're all preventable. If you want to be the best lover he's ever had ‑- not to mention maxing out your own pleasure potential ‑- pay close attention.


Sex Sin #1: Squeamishness


Most people have their most intense orgasms by way of oral sex. With that said, refusing to give your partner oral sex is unforgivable. Women who jump five feet if a drop of semen dares to land somewhere it supposedly shouldn't will top any man's list of Girls I Never Want to Sleep with Again. How could it possibly be a turn-on for a guy to see a woman approach his penis with her nose crinkled up and an "Ew!" expression on her face?


Get over It

If you're worried about smell ‑- his or your own ‑- pounce on him straight after a shower. Solve any gagging problems by using a position where you're in control (for example, he stands in front of you while you sit on the bed facing him with one hand holding his penis as you take him in your mouth). As for swallowing, most men won't mind if you don't, so long as there's an appealing alternative. If that's the case, try removing your mouth as you continue to stimulate him with your hand, and let him ejaculate elsewhere on your body or his. Yes, there will be a mess ‑- but sex is messy. And the sooner you accept that there's no way to avoid ending up sweaty and smudged, with stained, crumpled sheets, the better.

Sex Sin #2: Fear of Experimentation


Your partner wants you to dress up as a waitress? Lick pumpkin pie from his navel? Play a game of naked Twister ? Resist your usual knee-jerk reaction, and instead of asking, "What planet are you from?" consider it. We all march to the beat of a different drum, and if that's what does it for him, why not indulge him? Just because the "average" population doesn't appear to need or want the same, who cares? So long as no one is being hurt physically or emotionally, and it doesn't become a necessity (which then moves it into fetish territory), aim to be a healthily adventurous Anything Goes Girl. Nothing kills a sex life faster than a partner who refuses to push herself out of her sexual comfort zone. If you refuse every time he suggests something new, you're sending a clear signal: Your pleasure and needs aren't important to me. Judge him for suggesting something "bad" or "shocking," and you virtually guarantee he'll never propose doing anything even vaguely interesting ever again.

Get over It

Adopt this motto: "If I have no real moral objections to what my partner wants to try, but just don't fancy it, I will try it once." If you would truly rather get a root canal than even attempt it, try to recapture the spirit of what he's suggesting ‑- role play, dirty talk, etc. ‑- but with different specifics. Or simply come up with a different idea that's just as experimental, so (a) he doesn't feel rejected and (b) you're still broadening your sexual horizons.


Sex Sin #3: Not Knowing Thine Own Body


Most women have their first orgasm solo because, unlike men's, our orgasms aren't an easy process. While he's struggling to control embarrassing, impromptu erections on the train or desperately counting backwards from 500 in a bid not to orgasm in class, most girls are doing quite the opposite. We're locked away in a darkened room trying to figure out what buttons to press, and how to make something happen, desperately hoping our flatmate doesn't barge in before it does. Frustrating? Yes. But ultimately worth it: 95 percent of women who masturbate can orgasm that way. In fact, if you're a female who has never masturbated, it's extremely likely you've never had an orgasm in your life.

Get over It

If you're not as orgasmic as you'd like to be, put in the effort now to figure out why. Experiment with different masturbation techniques and touches until you hit on some that are consistently successful and partner-friendly. Pay attention during sex. Be aware of what you're enjoying and what's not so nice. Think about past sex sessions, old lovers and fantasies about new ones until you're confident you have a clear map of your individual sexual response system in your head. Above all, ditch any ridiculous expectations that you don't have to work at your sex life. We all tend toward a presumption that good sex magically "just happens." But the reality is, six years into a relationship you won't be as passion-hungry as you were six weeks after meeting him. Why is it that we accept that our bodies and faces will age over time, and will need more work to keep them looking good, yet we assume our sex and love lives will require zero effort from both parties? Recognize that you have to work at it, and you'll see more long-term results.


Sex Sin #4: Never Taking Charge


If you always wait for your partner to initiate sex, you're seriously missing out. Power can be a huge turn-on, and nothing feels sexier than being the one unzipping the trousers and having your wicked way with him. Initiating sex when that's not your usual style can jump-start even the most sluggish of libidos. With your partner pleasantly caught off-guard, you'll get a buzz from being in the power position.

Get over It

Make the first move as often as possible ‑- and keep having sex even when you don't really feel like it. Human beings are creatures of habit: Our bodies thrive on routine because it keeps things simple in a complex world. Have a waffle every day after lunch and within three or four days, buying and eating them will become automatic. Your body will wait for that sugary carb rush (and your thighs will get bigger and bigger, but that's beside the point). By setting up a craving cycle and having regular orgasms, your body will expect its regular sex quota. It's worth pushing yourself when you're not longing for it , if for no better reason than to keep your libido stable.


Sex Sin #5: Being Easily Embarrassed


We've all been there. One minute you're groaning and moaning with unbridled lust, then suddenly the next noise is, shall we say, less erotic? Or who hasn't turned on the lights to discover that her period arrived early, and the bed looks like a battlefield? Only last week I woke up to see a (new) lover staring at me with absolute astonishment: I hadn't removed my makeup the night before, and the false eyelashes I'd been wearing for a film shoot had worked their way down my face and looked like little spiders sleeping on my cheeks. A friend of mine recently humiliated herself by pushing her new boyfriend downward, then suddenly remembering that she'd applied yeast infection cream a few hours before. She pulled him back up in the nick of time for the confession.

Get over It

Embarrassing, but highly amusing sex stories abound ‑- and for good reason. We're dealing with something that forces us to get up close and personal with someone else, and that means there's very little you can get away with. Smelly breath and smelly body parts, openings and orifices that start "talking" on their own accord, there are so many potential disasters, you'd have to avoid being in the same room altogether to guarantee looking smooth and cool all the time. Give up now.


Sinner or Saint? Share your thoughts here!

Related Links:

4 People Who Are Sabotaging Your Sex Life
The 3 Most Common Female Sex Problems
I Wanna Snoop, Baby

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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 36
  • None's Avatar
    Posted by None Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:25am PDT

    Wow, can you say ok....excuse me, but not everyone likes the same things, and it isn't a crime, if I don't want to eat peanut butter I have to force myself to get someone off? I am sorry what happened to respecting limits & boundaries? If you want a partner that wants all those things you think is owed to you, you can go look for one, but no one should ever have to pretend or FORCE themselves to something that they are against.

    Report Abuse
  • omerlm's Avatar
    Posted by omerlm Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:53am PDT

    as far as pushing the envelope, trying new stuff, i have found out over the years that you'd be suprised by what secrets people keep. the older i get the more i, and my friends get, about sharing what goes on in the bedroom.

    found out recently that my BFF's hubby is an anal sex freak! wants it all the time. found out that another friend of mine is an on-the-DL sex therapist. these two people are your average, normal, smart,well paid jobs, active in the community, outdoor enthusiasts, everyday people. guess what - everyone likes something that they think is "socially unacceptable". screw society. it's your life, and your fun. do what you want. who's gonna know?

    *There are lines that are crossed though, and if you feel like a line is being crossed and your partner isn't listening to you, talk with a girlfriend about it. post it here. talk with him about it. there's no crime in raising questions.

    those crazy nasty thoughts that run through your head as you're rubbin the nubbin in private - find a way to share that with your partner! even if it's a little at a time! although my ex got me off more than my current, the guy i'm seeing now had turned me into someone totally new and exciting! i feel so comfortable around him. i can do things for him, and in front of him, that i've never done before. it's a great feeling, being comfortable with myself and with my partner.

    Report Abuse
  • __A_YAHOO_USER__'s Avatar
    Posted by __A_YAHOO_USER__ Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:00am PDT

    WOW, this is bar far, the best advice I've ever read. I don't know who wrote this, but HIGH FIVES and kudos to you!!! Great, great job!!

    Report Abuse
  • Carrie's Avatar
    Posted by Carrie Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:21am PDT

    I would have been more apt to sleep with my ex if he didn't constantly sleep with other women. Once I got in the bed and it smelled of another women. Give me break

    Report Abuse
  • James's Avatar
    Posted by James Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:31am PDT

    i tell you this, sex w/my wife is like filet mignon -- its thick, juicy and tasty... its soooo good, 3-4 times a month and i am good to go. we just do basic sex (no fancy positions) - however, she does like it when i lift her legs and press hard (ok, i am getting excited) and i do like to talk dirty a few times, but outside that, sex is normal, but extremely fulfilling. i think less is more. if i have sex 3-4 times a week (like filet mignon) i'd get tired of it plus have a heart attack. also, the desire to have sex builds up more if you have it less and makes it better, for me at least.

    i just don't think treating my wife like a porn star is good for my marriage, even if it feels good. my sex life doesn't need any tricks. we also didn't have sex until we got married. if you do it the simple and the right way, its funny how it just all works out with out having to try so hard like in this article. sex is simple and pure. treat your wife w/respect and love and in the long run, you'll be fulfilled beyond measure. i may be tempeted to cheat on my wife, but why would i risk getting filet mignon 3-4 times a month for some ground chuck?!!

    Report Abuse
  • Zom-B's Avatar
    Posted by Zom-B Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:37am PDT

    Good article.

    Sex is fun, but can be mind-blowing and so much more intimate if people are willing to communicate, play around, and not have psychological hangups about it.

    Report Abuse
  • 56classic's Avatar
    Posted by 56classic Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:48am PDT

    This is an AWESOME article!! Open and down-to-earth. Nicely done!

    Report Abuse
  • None's Avatar
    Posted by None Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:49am PDT

    That is awesome "cameronavett!" As long as 2 partners are having & everyone is open to something mutually you can do whatever pleases one another.

    Report Abuse
  • None's Avatar
    Posted by None Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:54am PDT

    But I do agree and think if you are doing something that you are not a fan of get over it or don't do it. But who wrote this? Sounds like a person in the film industry...hmm LOL!

    Report Abuse
  • Zom-B's Avatar
    Posted by Zom-B Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:07am PDT

    3-4 times a MONTH?? Wow, guess that's cool for some folks...

    I'd be asking somebody to step it up a little!!!

    Report Abuse
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