If you’ve been in a relationship for quite a while, you might be past the honeymoon phase. Now you know what its like to have to share chores, deal with finances, work, problems in the relationship and more. This is all real life, and this is part of being in a relationship.
Taking a mini-vacation or going out for dinner can keep your spark alive for a little bit but what happens when you aren’t able to do those things and you need to keep the relationship exciting in your daily activities? The great thing is that if you’re with the right person, that spark can be easy to keep ignited.
Where Does the Spark Go?
Dealing with jobs, schedules, long-distance relationships and more can cause you to lose a spark in your relationship. You have chemistry with the person that you’re with and you likely have a strong connection, or you wouldn’t still be together.
The thing is, even the best of the best relationships can lose their spark if this isn’t worked on. This spark can get smaller as the days go on and it can grow even more dim throughout your relationship because of things like work, children, busy lives and more. When you have a partner in your life, you and your partner sometimes put other things above each other, and you forget your real priorities.
When you don’t spend enough time together and you stop focusing on the relationship, it can lead to unhappy relationships. Here are some ways that you can keep your relationship exciting!
Keeping the Relationship Exciting!
Try out some of these things if you need to reignite your spark!
- Try New Things
The best thing that you can do is to try new things. Doing this can make you and your partner feel appreciated. Everyone has a different love language, and it is important that you learn your partners love language so that you don’t feel that they aren’t giving you what you want or need.
Each week, try to find something new that would be exciting. Plan a date, bring gifts, compliment each other. Give each other some alone time. The actions that you do will make your partner feel loved and they will learn your love language and learn to make you feel loved in return.
- Be Present
We spend so much time on our phones that sometimes we aren’t present in what is happening in front of us. Put your phone away when you are eating dinner or when you are having a conversation. When you are watching a movie together, put the phone down and have good conversation and fun with your partner.
- Look In Their Eyes
You don’t have to do anything to make your partner feel loved, but you can show affection by looking your partner in the eyes. Showing affection to your partner by making eye contact can release oxytocin which can make your brain feel happy.
As you make eye contact with your partner, your partner is able to connect with you. They know that you are attentive to them, and they notice things about you that they didn’t before. If you’re together and the room is crowded, lock eyes with your partner and keep the eye contact with them to show them that you care and love them.
- Do New Things Together
Try to figure out what you and your partner would like to do. Take a vacation to somewhere you’ve never been or take a class together. Forget about the routine for a minute and focus on doing something exciting and new. This can be exciting for you and your partner. Remind your partner each day why they loved you in the first place and live more love over and over.
- Take Time Alone
You don’t have to spend every moment with your partner and the best thing that you can do for your relationship is to spend some time apart. Go out with your friends or spend time with your family without your partner. Doing this can let them see that they miss you when you aren’t together.
When you are having time alone, make sure that you are taking self-care and keeping yourself confident and strong.
- Talk
This sounds simple but some people forget how to have real conversations. Talk about things that are bothering you or things that you love. Share an emotional connecting with your partner by talking about things like your future or like something you’re dreaming of. Discuss things that your relationship needs. Start your day talking and talk to your partner before you go to sleep at night.
Ask questions when you are eating together and talk about things that are big and silly things like, “what’s your favorite movie.” Doing this shows that you’re interested in each other. Even though some conversations might be hard, you need to keep most of your conversations fun and exciting.
- Kiss Each Other
Take time to kiss and to show your partner that you love them, and you care for them. Kissing should be part of your relationship. Make this passionate but don’t do it with expectation of anything but do it just because. Kiss before you go to work or kiss before you go to sleep.
- Laugh and Have Fun
One of the best things that you can do is to make your partner laugh. This allows you to keep the spark alive because you are having fun together. Laugh and don’t always take everything so seriously.
If you need to laugh and you aren’t sure how, watch funny videos or bring up funny memories that make you laugh together. Tease and flirt with each other and have fun.
- Impress Them
Do something that impresses your partner like bringing them their favorite fast food or by taking the kids out so that your partner can have a rest. Try to put on makeup and get dressed up even if you eat dinner at home. Smell good and look good for your partner so that they can see that you’re into them.
Your partner should see you doing these things and if they see that you are dressing up and trying to be fancy for them, chances are that they will do what it takes to impress you as well.
- Change if Needed
If you need things to change in your relationship, instead of fighting about it, do the thing that you think needs to be done. If you need more romance, flirt, take notice of your partner more and try to be more romantic. Put in effort to show them that you love them.
Think about some of the things that you loved about your partner when you first started dating them. Do these things and try to make your partner happy. Act like you just started dating and get them to notice the effort you are putting in to keep the spark ignited!
The article provides several practical ways of keeping the spark alive in a long-term relationship, but I find the constant emphasis on effort rather exhausting. Should love be this much work? It’s almost as if the author forgot that spontaneity is also a key element in keeping a relationship vibrant.
While the article provides a plethora of practical advice on maintaining a spark in relationships, I find it overly simplistic and somewhat naive. The piece suggests that engaging in activities like gazing into each other’s eyes or simply trying new things can sustainably keep the relationship exciting. However, it neglects the deeper, more intricate dynamics that couples face, such as unresolved emotional baggage, differing life goals, and personal growth at different rates. To reduce these complexities to mere actionable steps is akin to placing a band-aid on a potentially festering wound. Sustainable relationships require deep, sometimes uncomfortable conversations about core values, expectations, and compromises, many of which are glossed over in this well-intentioned but ultimately superficial guide.
This article offers such a refreshing perspective on maintaining the vitality in long-term relationships. The emphasis on trying new things and being present resonates deeply with me. It’s easy to get caught up in daily routines, but these practical tips remind us that small, thoughtful actions can make a significant difference. Truly a must-read for anyone looking to keep their relationship thriving!
Are we really expected to treat our relationships like a second job? The whole idea that we need to constantly ‘try new things’ and ‘impress them’ seems a bit forced. If the spark has died, isn’t it possible that it’s just a natural progression rather than something to be ‘fixed’?
The emphasis on understanding and catering to each other’s love languages is quite insightful. It’s a reminder that relationships require continuous effort and mutual respect.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to maintaining the ‘spark’ in long-term relationships, a challenge faced by many couples post-honeymoon phase. It’s refreshing to see practical advice that ranges from trying new activities together to simple yet powerful gestures like maintaining eye contact. These suggestions, grounded in emotional intelligence and relational psychology, can indeed foster deeper connections and rekindle excitement. I particularly appreciate the emphasis on understanding and catering to each other’s love languages, as this can significantly enhance communication and mutual appreciation within a relationship.
This piece is quite insightful and offers a well-rounded approach to sustaining a relationship. I particularly appreciate the section on being present and putting down our phones. In an age dominated by technology, these small adjustments can truly make a significant impact.
I found it particularly valuable that the article mentions the importance of communication and emotional connection. Too often we overlook these fundamental aspects in favor of grand gestures. True intimacy is built on daily, meaningful interactions.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of maintaining excitement in long-term relationships. The suggestions, such as trying new activities and focusing on communication, seem quite practical and worth implementing.
I appreciate the balanced approach presented here. The idea of taking time alone to ensure self-care is particularly relevant, as it highlights the importance of maintaining individual identities within a relationship.
The practical tips, such as putting away phones and making eye contact, are simple yet impactful. This article serves as a good reminder to stay present and engaged with your partner.
Ah yes, because nothing says ‘romance’ like making eye contact in a crowded room. Who wrote this, a romance novelist? While some of these tips might work, the level of idealism here is almost comical.
The concept of keeping the spark alive by continuously impressing your partner is intriguing. It suggests that small, thoughtful gestures can have a significant impact on relationship satisfaction.