A long romance can be special. The longer you’ve been with your significant other, the more likely it is you’ve fallen into a routine. Sadly, allowing yourselves to slip into patterns can be an easy way for the fun and excitement to drain out of your connection. You don’t need to renew your vows or take a lavish vacation to invigorate the romance in your relationship. In fact, most actions you can take right away are incredibly simple. Review these options and inspire your own journey to a more passionate future.
Hold Hands
Early in your relationship, it stands to reason you couldn’t keep your hands off your partner. Holding the hand of the person you love is such a simple gesture, and yet many people stop this practice the longer they have been together. If this is familiar to you, then there’s no better way to surprise your partner than by grabbing his or her hand. The more you practice this, the more connected you’re going to feel.
Interestingly, there is a scientific reason why holding hands is a great way to feel connected to loved ones. Prolonged physical contact with another person starts to produce the hormone oxytocin in both individuals. This hormone is responsible for establishing and securing bonds between people and is often called the “love drug” because it is found in higher quantities in the earliest years of people who have fallen in love. Hold hands and your brains will do the rest of the work!
Have a Conversation
The “how was your day” routine is a familiar one for those who have been in relationships for a while. Though the question might begin as an earnest one, a point comes when both parties stop fully listening to the answer. Though a bad habit to fall into, it is an easy one to break. Instead of discussing banal details of your routine, spark up a talk about a topic of interest. It doesn’t need to be some deep existential discussion, though this is also fine. The goal is to just chat.
Being around someone all the time doesn’t mean you really know what is going on in his or her head. Time changes people and their perspectives. By engaging in routine conversation that permeates deeper layers below “how was your day,” you can use curiosity to drive your romance and attraction constantly forward.
Romance Without Your Phones
Couples in the digital age have far more distractions to deal with than relationships of the past. Nowadays, people are glued to their digital devices. Whether you’re out to dinner or hanging around the house watching TV, it stands to reason one or both of you are intermittently looking at your phones. Sadly, this is a very easy way to start driving a wedge between you and the people in your physical proximity. Though you both might be guilty of the act, all it takes is one person to suggest a “no-phone date night” and you can see a difference.
Have Outside Activities
Couples who get along well will often do a ton of activities together. While you might not tire of your partner’s presence, it can be important to separate yourself to a certain degree with outside interests. Having hobbies and passions that you pursue without your significant other allows you the chance to grow on an individual level and always have new and interesting things to bring back to the table in your relationship. Learn to balance the time alone with the time engaged in common pursuits, and it can add robust new dimensions to your romance.
Though time is always going to impact a relationship in some capacity, you can easily do your part to withstand whatever is in store. Find simple ideas that work for you and start taking action to keep the romance alive.
The start of a new year offers plenty of opportunities to make big and necessary changes to your life. The beauty of being in a relationship is that it also provides a chance to strengthen the bond you share. As the new year dawns, there are countless actions you can commit to in order to get more out of the future together. Consider these ideas and find the perfect way to make the transition to the next year one that produces both a sense of meaning and feelings of accomplishment.
Keep Each Other Guessing
Spontaneity is key to a healthy relationship. While routine can provide you with comfort and stability, breaking your patterns has a way of invigorating your spirit. One way you can achieve this is by promising to surprise each other at least once every month of the coming year. Take turns scheduling unique date nights or grab little gifts on an impulse — whatever you think will delight your significant other. Not only can this keep your relationship fresh, but it can introduce you to activities that you might not have discovered otherwise.
Discuss Relationship Resolutions
Personal resolutions tend to revolve around ways to become a better version of yourself. Similarly, you can work together to create a relationship that is stronger and more prepared to handle the tests of time. Talk about what you each feel your shortcomings are as a couple. From handling arguments poorly to being too frivolous with funds, setting a concrete goal as a unit can lay the groundwork for a year filled with positive strides in surprising new directions. Shared objectives can also be about the next step you’ll take together, like getting engaged, having children, or buying a home.
Setting resolutions together doesn’t mean that you cannot also make a few on your own. A relationship is strongest when both parties feel their best. If you want to get in better shape, eat healthier meals, or spend more time outside, set your own goals and see how it leads to a more cohesive union.
A Resolution toLearn About Each Other
Pursuing individual hobbies can help people in a relationship retain a bit of autonomy. However, sharing your passions with your partner is a wonderful way to grow closer. As a fun resolution for the new year, consider setting aside time now and again to chat about your interests. Talk about what you love, listen to what your partner enjoys, and discover new facets of each other. You might even discover that you have some shared interests that you never knew about, which can be a delightful surprise when you’ve been together a long while.
You can also take this idea to the next level by trying each other’s hobbies. If your partner likes to attend comic conventions, take a trip along to the next gathering. If you love a certain band, get tickets for the two of you to see a show the next time they’re on tour. Even if you have no genuine interest in the activity, you’ll be able to make your partner feel like you care.
Give Some Space
Finally, don’t forget to give each other space when needed. If you’ve been together a long while and cohabitation is part of the arrangement, you may crave personal time. Even the healthiest relationships require partners to take time away from each other. Whether you give each other room to go out with friends on a routine basis or you just leave the house so your partner can take a nap, there is a lot to be said for respecting each other’s boundaries.
Though there is no wrong time to make positive changes in a relationship, the beginning of a new year has a way of setting the right tone. Consider what will work best for you and your partner to lay the foundation for a wonderful year ahead.
Planning a wedding with your partner can be daunting. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to make sure you don’t drive each other absolutely bonkers.
The decision to get married can be a very exciting one. You and your partner are in for a lifetime of adventure together once you have gotten engaged. Of course, you also need to make sure you focus on specific aspects of your relationship. Planning a wedding can put a lot of pressure on you both, and it is very common for most couples to get into a few spats throughout the process. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to make sure you don’t drive each other absolutely bonkers.
Taking time to appreciate your significant other is vital to maintaining a happy and healthy relationship. To prepare for what’s in store and be ready for anything, look over these simple ways to keep yourselves sane and working as a unit.
Spend Time Together
This might not come as a huge surprise to anyone, but spending quality time with your significant other is a fantastic way to reinforce your relationship. Unfortunately, plenty of couples make the mistake of thinking any time together is good. While it might be nice to get together to plan for your future wedding, you also need to focus on other activities in order to keep your connection alive in more exciting ways. Only spending time together writing out invitations or communicating with vendors can easily become a bore.
The best way to be together is by making time for each other. Set a little bit of time each week aside to do fun couples activities. This can be anything from cozying up on the couch for binging a bit of Netflix, to cooking and enjoying a meal together, to taking a stroll through the neighborhood and having a leisurely conversation. No matter what you do, try and make sure you aren’t focused on wedding details. Leave that for another day and concentrate on the relationship that led to the engagement in the first place.
Spend Time Apart
It is true that spending quality time with your significant other is a great way to strengthen your connection, but there are instances when you are going to need to do the exact opposite. Spending too much time with your partner can easily have a negative impact. You don’t want to constantly be breathing down each other’s necks, so you may want to practice getting involved with people outside of the relationship.
According to experts, the happiest couples are those who have their own lives away from their partner. You and your partner both want to have your own friends, for example. These can be friends from childhood or people you have met along the way. Both you and your significant other should have trustworthy friends and confidants to turn to when you need to vent, decompress, or recharge.
Put In the Effort
It might be taxing to plan for a wedding, but you can’t let your exhaustion be an excuse for not putting in the effort in your relationship. No matter how tired you are or how many tasks you need to complete before the deadlines arrive, it is crucial for you to make time for your partner in the right ways. When you remember basic household tasks like making dinner, cleaning the bathroom, or even making the bed in the morning, it can do wonders to keep your love alive.
Though putting together your dream wedding might require a lot of effort, you still need to keep the home fires burning with your significant other. Learn how to make time for each other and put it to good use to keep your connection as strong as it has always been.
A long romance can be special. The longer you’ve been with your significant other, the more likely it is you’ve fallen into a routine. Sadly, allowing yourselves to slip into patterns can be an easy way for the fun and excitement to drain out of your connection. You don’t need to renew your vows or take a lavish vacation to invigorate the romance in your relationship. In fact, most actions you can take right away are incredibly simple. Review these options and inspire your own journey to a more passionate future.
Hold Hands
Early in your relationship, it stands to reason you couldn’t keep your hands off your partner. Holding the hand of the person you love is such a simple gesture, and yet many people stop this practice the longer they have been together. If this is familiar to you, then there’s no better way to surprise your partner than by grabbing his or her hand. The more you practice this, the more connected you’re going to feel.
Interestingly, there is a scientific reason why holding hands is a great way to feel connected to loved ones. Prolonged physical contact with another person starts to produce the hormone oxytocin in both individuals. This hormone is responsible for establishing and securing bonds between people and is often called the “love drug” because it is found in higher quantities in the earliest years of people who have fallen in love. Hold hands and your brains will do the rest of the work!
Have a Conversation
The “how was your day” routine is a familiar one for those who have been in relationships for a while. Though the question might begin as an earnest one, a point comes when both parties stop fully listening to the answer. Though a bad habit to fall into, it is an easy one to break. Instead of discussing banal details of your routine, spark up a talk about a topic of interest. It doesn’t need to be some deep existential discussion, though this is also fine. The goal is to just chat.
Being around someone all the time doesn’t mean you really know what is going on in his or her head. Time changes people and their perspectives. By engaging in routine conversation that permeates deeper layers below “how was your day,” you can use curiosity to drive your romance and attraction constantly forward.
Romance Without Your Phones
Couples in the digital age have far more distractions to deal with than relationships of the past. Nowadays, people are glued to their digital devices. Whether you’re out to dinner or hanging around the house watching TV, it stands to reason one or both of you are intermittently looking at your phones. Sadly, this is a very easy way to start driving a wedge between you and the people in your physical proximity. Though you both might be guilty of the act, all it takes is one person to suggest a “no-phone date night” and you can see a difference.
Have Outside Activities
Couples who get along well will often do a ton of activities together. While you might not tire of your partner’s presence, it can be important to separate yourself to a certain degree with outside interests. Having hobbies and passions that you pursue without your significant other allows you the chance to grow on an individual level and always have new and interesting things to bring back to the table in your relationship. Learn to balance the time alone with the time engaged in common pursuits, and it can add robust new dimensions to your romance.
Though time is always going to impact a relationship in some capacity, you can easily do your part to withstand whatever is in store. Find simple ideas that work for you and start taking action to keep the romance alive.
The start of a new year offers plenty of opportunities to make big and necessary changes to your life. The beauty of being in a relationship is that it also provides a chance to strengthen the bond you share. As the new year dawns, there are countless actions you can commit to in order to get more out of the future together. Consider these ideas and find the perfect way to make the transition to the next year one that produces both a sense of meaning and feelings of accomplishment.
Keep Each Other Guessing
Spontaneity is key to a healthy relationship. While routine can provide you with comfort and stability, breaking your patterns has a way of invigorating your spirit. One way you can achieve this is by promising to surprise each other at least once every month of the coming year. Take turns scheduling unique date nights or grab little gifts on an impulse — whatever you think will delight your significant other. Not only can this keep your relationship fresh, but it can introduce you to activities that you might not have discovered otherwise.
Discuss Relationship Resolutions
Personal resolutions tend to revolve around ways to become a better version of yourself. Similarly, you can work together to create a relationship that is stronger and more prepared to handle the tests of time. Talk about what you each feel your shortcomings are as a couple. From handling arguments poorly to being too frivolous with funds, setting a concrete goal as a unit can lay the groundwork for a year filled with positive strides in surprising new directions. Shared objectives can also be about the next step you’ll take together, like getting engaged, having children, or buying a home.
Setting resolutions together doesn’t mean that you cannot also make a few on your own. A relationship is strongest when both parties feel their best. If you want to get in better shape, eat healthier meals, or spend more time outside, set your own goals and see how it leads to a more cohesive union.
A Resolution toLearn About Each Other
Pursuing individual hobbies can help people in a relationship retain a bit of autonomy. However, sharing your passions with your partner is a wonderful way to grow closer. As a fun resolution for the new year, consider setting aside time now and again to chat about your interests. Talk about what you love, listen to what your partner enjoys, and discover new facets of each other. You might even discover that you have some shared interests that you never knew about, which can be a delightful surprise when you’ve been together a long while.
You can also take this idea to the next level by trying each other’s hobbies. If your partner likes to attend comic conventions, take a trip along to the next gathering. If you love a certain band, get tickets for the two of you to see a show the next time they’re on tour. Even if you have no genuine interest in the activity, you’ll be able to make your partner feel like you care.
Give Some Space
Finally, don’t forget to give each other space when needed. If you’ve been together a long while and cohabitation is part of the arrangement, you may crave personal time. Even the healthiest relationships require partners to take time away from each other. Whether you give each other room to go out with friends on a routine basis or you just leave the house so your partner can take a nap, there is a lot to be said for respecting each other’s boundaries.
Though there is no wrong time to make positive changes in a relationship, the beginning of a new year has a way of setting the right tone. Consider what will work best for you and your partner to lay the foundation for a wonderful year ahead.
Planning a wedding with your partner can be daunting. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to make sure you don’t drive each other absolutely bonkers.
The decision to get married can be a very exciting one. You and your partner are in for a lifetime of adventure together once you have gotten engaged. Of course, you also need to make sure you focus on specific aspects of your relationship. Planning a wedding can put a lot of pressure on you both, and it is very common for most couples to get into a few spats throughout the process. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to make sure you don’t drive each other absolutely bonkers.
Taking time to appreciate your significant other is vital to maintaining a happy and healthy relationship. To prepare for what’s in store and be ready for anything, look over these simple ways to keep yourselves sane and working as a unit.
Spend Time Together
This might not come as a huge surprise to anyone, but spending quality time with your significant other is a fantastic way to reinforce your relationship. Unfortunately, plenty of couples make the mistake of thinking any time together is good. While it might be nice to get together to plan for your future wedding, you also need to focus on other activities in order to keep your connection alive in more exciting ways. Only spending time together writing out invitations or communicating with vendors can easily become a bore.
The best way to be together is by making time for each other. Set a little bit of time each week aside to do fun couples activities. This can be anything from cozying up on the couch for binging a bit of Netflix, to cooking and enjoying a meal together, to taking a stroll through the neighborhood and having a leisurely conversation. No matter what you do, try and make sure you aren’t focused on wedding details. Leave that for another day and concentrate on the relationship that led to the engagement in the first place.
Spend Time Apart
It is true that spending quality time with your significant other is a great way to strengthen your connection, but there are instances when you are going to need to do the exact opposite. Spending too much time with your partner can easily have a negative impact. You don’t want to constantly be breathing down each other’s necks, so you may want to practice getting involved with people outside of the relationship.
According to experts, the happiest couples are those who have their own lives away from their partner. You and your partner both want to have your own friends, for example. These can be friends from childhood or people you have met along the way. Both you and your significant other should have trustworthy friends and confidants to turn to when you need to vent, decompress, or recharge.
Put In the Effort
It might be taxing to plan for a wedding, but you can’t let your exhaustion be an excuse for not putting in the effort in your relationship. No matter how tired you are or how many tasks you need to complete before the deadlines arrive, it is crucial for you to make time for your partner in the right ways. When you remember basic household tasks like making dinner, cleaning the bathroom, or even making the bed in the morning, it can do wonders to keep your love alive.
Though putting together your dream wedding might require a lot of effort, you still need to keep the home fires burning with your significant other. Learn how to make time for each other and put it to good use to keep your connection as strong as it has always been.
