“That builds to an, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I going to sound like?’” Fortunately, though, you don’t have to feel like a sex goddess 24/7 to partake in sexting, and even a little flirting over text can go a long way.

“There’s a fear sexting will be awkward, or you’ll have to create a certain environment you’re not used to,” Holec says. What should you say? What should you not say? Will they be into it? If you’ve ever sent a sext that made you blush from embarrassment, you may have thrown out the idea of sexting altogether with your old flip phone. That said, sexting with a partner can feel pretty intimidating, especially if it’s your first time or it’s been a while. “So essentially, you're knocking out two birds with one stone, all with a simple text.” “Sexting is a great way to let your partner know that you're thinking of them (which builds emotional intimacy) and that you desire them (which enhances physical intimacy),” she explains. Sexting can also be a fun way to get in the mood-because after all, foreplay starts long before you reach the bedroom, adds Emily Jamea, PhD, LPC, LMFT, a sex therapist based in Houston. “We’re communicating about what we want to do to one another,” she says. Not only can sexting be a spicy way to connect with your partner on another level, but it also boosts trust, says Pia Holec, PsyD, a psychotherapist and sex therapist based in Chicago.

Even if you feel a little awkward initiating a sexting conversation, it turns out there are benefits to dirty talk that might make it worth the butterflies. Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or you just started seeing someone new, sending dirty texts (consensually, of course) is one of the hottest ways to show someone you want them… preferably, ASAP. Sexting is, no doubt, an art of the 21st century.

Sexual text art 18 copy and paste