For many singles looking for love, physical attraction is most often at the top of the dating wish list. However, as common as this practice may be and as much sense as it may seem to make on the surface since it is important to be physically attracted to your mate, placing too much of an emphasis on appearances could prove to be detrimental to a romantic partnership.

While it is certainly necessary to have some level of sexual chemistry between you and your mate in order for the relationship to flourish properly, physical appearances are not necessarily the only source from which such chemistry can be drawn. As a matter of fact, looks have very little to do with whether or not sexual chemistry exists between two people.

Though virtually everyone can certainly appreciate physical features that they find attractive in others, sexual chemistry is more often than not generated by forces that reside deep below the surface of the skin. Sexual chemistry is a raw, sexual energy that is usually the result of a powerful mental connection between two people. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a mate that happens to be easy on the eyes so long as this fact serves merely as a bonus rather than a basic requirement. While this advice may not sit well with daters that are notoriously shallow in their mate selection process, it is the most practical course of action for singles that are looking for something deeper than the fickle, fleeting relationships that seem to plague our modern, urban societies.

Intellectual stimulation, though a bit more subtle than its physical counterpart, is an extremely effective way to forge a solid bond with others. Regardless of whether or not that connection is romantic in nature, the ability to develop and maintain intellectually intimate relationships is a vital source of happiness in life and as such, should be openly embraced by all. It is also important to note that intellectual intimacy and emotional intimacy go hand in hand. One cannot exist without the other, as both are grounded in the same principles and complement one another exquisitely. A mental connection is something that typically develops naturally between two people with similar values but following are some tips on ways to enhance intellectual intimacy with a romantic partner:

• Communicate openly and honestly - For intellectual intimacy to blossom, it is absolutely critical that both parties involved feel genuinely comfortable with opening up to each other freely. If either person has reservations about what can or cannot be said to his/her partner, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a mental connection to grow to its fullest potential. Make a sincere effort to listen to and value everything that your partner has to say.
  
• Leave room for individuality - Though you may share similar values and outlooks, it is equally as important for both you and your partner to embrace and celebrate your differences. Having things in common is great but don’t neglect the individual strengths that each of you brings to the relationship and the ways in which you complement each other.
  
• Support each other unconditionally - Never ridicule your partner’s dreams and ambitions. In order to nurture intellectual intimacy, you and your partner need to be each other’s biggest fans. Always support your partner in each and every endeavor that he/she may undertake. Everybody needs to know that they have somebody in their corner no matter what.
  
• Give what you get- The best way to ensure success is to always set an example for your partner. Never demand anything that you aren’t willing to give yourself.