In the words of the Wise Solange:

'"I slept it away, I sexed it away...Well it's like cranes in the sky. Sometimes I don't wanna feel those metal clouds."

A dick appointment with that special someone in your life could have you up early cooking, cleaning, singing, and off to a good start to your day. Sex is a great way to relieve stress, as it helps your body to release endorphins that elevate your mood (similar to exercise). If you're boo-ed up with your romantic partner, sex is an activity that can bring you closer together and feel more loved, especially if one of your favorite of the five love languages is physical touch. However, what is not often discussed amongst lovers is the dangers of having sex when you are uncentered within yourself.

As with anything great in life, the intentionality behind your actions is very important. It is very easy to fall into the trap of using sex as a coping mechanism when you are feeling isolated, lonely, anxious, or even just bored. This is not limited to single people; we sometimes get caught in the pattern of using our significant others for a release too. Perhaps after an intense argument or discussion you decided to break the tension by having a passionate session. For you single ladies, perhaps after a stressful week at work you decided to text Zaddy Long D, your ex flame that you know is up to no good but can wear you out like no other and keep you company. There is no shame in enjoying sex and letting the act relieve your stress.

My question to you is: When you have gotten your sexual fix and you check in with yourself, has any of the issues or anxieties you were experiencing before disappear, or have you numbed it?

After the make-up sex you had with your boo, were any of the issues you were experiencing truly resolved? Or were they put onto the back-burner until the issues simmer to the surface again?

After Zaddy Long D gave you that sweet loving and disappeared into his abyss of inconsistency and vagueness, do you feel less alone and more loved?

If the answer is no, then it is time to really look at yourself, your emotional needs and well-being, and realize that though it may have never been your intention to do so, you might be using sex as a way to run away from some harsh truths in your life. This is not to assume that one must have a profound reason to engage in sexual acts, but to ensure that you are not doing so for reasons that may be self-destructive. The great thing is you are a very powerful woman, and once you are aware of the mistakes that you may be making, you can also make the necessary changes, too:

Figure out your narrative around your sexuality.

Many of us have some negative deep rooted beliefs around our sexuality that stem back to our much younger selves. We have some unmet needs and have learned to adapt some dysfunctional sexual behaviors in an attempt to meet them. Perhaps you feel like you are not good enough so to compensate for your lack of perceived value, you make yourself sexually available to your partner even when you are not particularly in the mood. Maybe when you were younger, you did not receive the love and admiration that you desired, so sex is a way to be seen, heard, admired, and to feel wanted for the night. Whatever your narrative is, get it out, make peace with it, and identify the parts that are not serving you and that are chasing true intimacy away. This is a great exercise to complete with your therapist as they can help unpack possible trauma in a safer way than doing it by yourself.

Question your intentions behind your sexual encounters.

Sex is an act that can move notoriously fast, especially with the help of hormones, alcohol, attraction, and emotions. One minute you are watching Netflix and chilling, and the next minute the television is watching you put your leg behind your ears and the rest is history. The rush and the spontaneity of sex is one of the best parts of the act, but it is really important to make the distinction between if you having it in order to explore another person or to escape your own issues.

Not being clear on your own intentions before becoming sexually intimate with someone can open you to the feeling of being used.

For example, you can be getting intimate with the intent of ridding yourself of loneliness, and then be devastated when your partner is not the type to stay around for too long. You could be thinking you put it on your boo in the form of makeup sex, but he can still walk away angry at your unresolved issues. There is no right or wrong intention when it comes to how you choose to use your body, but just make sure it serves you in a healthy way.

Learn different methods of achieving true intimacy in your life.

As a significant other, you could be completely surprised that while you were researching how to give fellatio using grapefruit, your man is dying for you to ask him about one of his passions and to cheer him on. You may feel like inviting Zaddy Long D over will help cure your loneliness, but what will give you a more fulfilling feeling is inviting your girls over for some margaritas and movies.

The five love languages are not only for romantic partners, but can be used to get close to all of your loved ones and yourself. The great thing is once you work on building true intimacy with your lovers, or even your potential suitors, you will have more sensual and explosive sex in the long run. A good place to start is identifying actions that make you feel loved, safe, and seen. Next, start paying attention to what make your loved ones feel that same way. How often do we ask how can I love you today? How often do we ask this of ourselves or to others?

As we are stepping into living intentionally, let's take a moment to make sure we are loving ourselves and and others intentionally too!

Related Stories:

I Chose Abstinence When I No Longer Felt Fulfilled By Casual Sex - Read More

I Discovered My Husband's Love Language ...And It Changed Everything- Read More

After The Break Up: How To Avoid The Hoe Phase - Read More

Four Ways To Build Intimacy Minus Sex -Read More

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