You are educated, career-oriented, and sexually-empowered with life choices not available to generations before you. Whilst your previous dating relationships may have been polyamorous and non-committal, now you are in a long-term relationship. The early days of passionate love have evolved naturally to a deeper, compassionate love. This doesn’t mean that the days of surprises and fun are over. If you have been in a relationship for a long time, you can rekindle some of that early spark and improve your romantic relationship in many different ways.
Gifts
Whether married or not, you can use the traditional wedding anniversary gift lists to mark each year you are a couple, starting from paper (1st) and cotton (2nd) and ending in platinum (70th) and oak (80th). There are also modern gift alternatives for each year as well as anniversary gems, flowers, and colours offering a wide range of choice in the greatest list of anniversary gifts by year.
Other gifts can symbolize something special about your partner or something special in your relationship. Noticing that they need a new gym bag, an upgrade on a Garmin or a new set of headphones will be appreciated. Your gift could be something you saw them return to the shelf when out shopping because they couldn’t justify the expense. If their jacket is looking threadbare, replace it. If you want to choose jewelry, look at what they usually wear and buy something in their favourite colour.
Quality Time
Quality time is anything that makes you feel closer, more connected and more in love than you were at that time. For some people, this can be a Netflix binge-watch weekend. Quality time is simply making an effort to remain involved in each other’s lives and learning about the changing wants, dreams, ambitions, and interests each of you have. Having grown up with social media, it’s easy to forget that for thousands of years life continued well without it. Turn off your 2D technology and go for a walk in the 3D park and green spaces. The amount of time you spend together isn’t all that makes a difference, neither is it where you go or what you do, but how you make each other feel while doing it.
Words of Affirmation
Mutual respect, love, and attraction will strengthen your bond. Sending a simple text message complimenting how your partner looks or saying a few words of encouragement when they’re dealing with a difficult situation is a loving thing to do. Whether the words are spoken face to face, sent in a text, email or perhaps a short hand-written love note hidden in their lunch box or expressing genuine love and admiration, all will show your significant other they are appreciated, desired, and cherished.
Acts of Service
It can be said that talk is cheap. Show your love with acts of service. From taking out the garbage, walking the dog, cooking dinner and other practical actions on a regular basis, not just on their birthday, shows love. Always thank these acts of service, particularly if your partner isn’t one to offer words of love. It may be that acts of service are their way to demonstrate their love for you. Just as you wouldn’t ignore an “I love you” always show your appreciation for the tasks done.
Physical Touch
Physical intimacy, holding hands, kissing, is what you expect in a loving relationship. Yet effort needs to be put in to do more than a peck on the lips each morning. Build anticipation and make some effort to improve your physical connection. There is plenty of advice and apps to improve your physical love life.
Revive past activities
Consider the things you used to do together that you both enjoyed and brought you closer together. Some of these things may have faded into the past, so try and reintroduce them, whether it was salsa dance lessons, cooking new recipes together or something else, reintroducing them can make your heart skip a beat all over again.
Try new things
Try something either exhilarating or terrifying, or a mix of both. These types of activities tend to increase your attachment to each other, as the hormones adrenaline, oxytocin, (the love hormone) and dopamine (the feel-good hormone), are released. So, try a roller coaster, skydiving, or even sample the exotic cuisine.
Photo by Haley Powers on Unsplash
Valid points indeed.
A hack I use is knowing my partners love language and use it to the advantage
Words of Affirmation and physical touches are the best when it comes to maintaining a healthy relationship. Having mutual respect for each other is another way of achieving a long-lasting relationship.
Valid points indeed.
A hack I use is knowing my partners love language and use it to the advantage