Being in a long-term relationship can be a comfortable thing. Sadly, a lot of people find that the romantic parts of their long-term relationship wane over time. It is challenging to keep the romance alive when you have settled into a routine with one another, when everything is working like a well-oiled machine and there are no more hiccups or new things discovered about each other along the way. Add kids, careers, and the myriad of other adult responsibilities involved in any mature individual’s life, and finding time for romance can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Still, if you are able to work on it, it is very much possible to keep love alive, no matter how long you’ve been in your relationship, or how many children and corresponding responsibilities have become a part of your lives. Still, if you are able to make an effort, you can keep the spark burning.
Here are some ways you can do that:
1. Practice kindness
Kindness is probably one of the most seductive aspects of any kind of relationship. Settling into a routine with one another and living with each other for so long may inevitably make you take a lot of things for granted. When your partner does nice things for you, you tend to take them for granted, and maybe forget to show appreciation the way you did in the beginning.
The best way to get that spark back again is to practice kindness in all of your interactions. Always be kind in your approach to your partner, as if it were the first time you were meeting them. Revere them like you would an esteemed guest. Thank them for all the things that they do for you, even if you feel like these things should be automatic. They aren’t – and your partner will feel so good when you appreciate them.
2. Continue going out on dates
It is important that you set date nights, even when you already see each other every day. Go out and have alone time where it’s just the two of you, without thinking about your children and other duties – be fully in the moment and talk about your relationship and your own thoughts, as if you were talking to your best friend.
3. Surprise them once in a while
Another way to take the routine out of your relationship is to surprise your partner every once in a while. This can be simple things like making a reservation on a birthday or anniversary, buying them nice and thoughtful gifts like jewelry from Love & Promise Jewelers, or taking them on a trip for the weekend. These things make a very good emotional impact on the person you are giving them to, and it’s an opportunity for you to create core memories with one another.
4. Always keep the touch factor in your relationship.
Don’t forget to hug and kiss your partner, and hold their hand. These simple acts may seem insignificant, but touch is such an important contributor to keeping love alive in any relationship.
If you are able to put these ideas into practice every day, you will see the difference that it can make in your relationship. Who knows? You may even feel like you’re teenagers again, meeting each other for the first time. And that will definitely be a great place to stay in for quite a long time indeed.