When you first start dating someone, it’s like a drug. You’ve never felt better, and you simply can’t get enough of your partner. But that honeymoon period doesn’t last forever. To prevent things from getting stale, people try to make various improvements to their relationship.
However, too often, they try for grandiose or huge romantic gestures, when often it’s the tiny things that make the biggest difference. One of our core tips that can apply to all of these ideas? Listen to your partner! Here are the best ways to impact your relationship in a positive way.
1. Budget smartly
Create a budget. Money is one of the biggest things that couples fight over, so creating a budget and delegating budget to the less frugal partner (though it sounds crazy) can help. It forces the other person to step up and see thing from their partner’s perspective, which is big.
2. Gratitude
Remember to show your gratitude. Say thank you for everything, no matter if the gesture is big or small. It makes you want to do more for each other, and also makes the person and their efforts feel more appreciated.
3. Stay curious
Remain curious about each other – the is the key to emotional intimacy. Whether this means checking in with each other on a daily basis or trying to new things together, never assume you know what the other person is thinking. Considering each other with a sense of wonder will always keep the youth in your relationship.
4. Remain independent
At the same time, make a conscious effort to spend time apart and do your own thing. Even if both of you work from home, having your separate lives and identity is essential. Whether this means a solo getaway, a girls trip, or hanging out with your family, make sure to get in that “you” time outside of “us.”
5. Get cookin’
Cook together – whether it’s breakfast, brunch, or dinner, realize that cooking is an important way to connect with your partner, and it can be pretty romantic as well. When you do boring meal prep, doesn’t having some good conversation make it a little less dull?
6. Screen-free mealtime
Besides cooking, make sure to eat together – eating in separate rooms is a fast way to create distance between a couple and turn them into roommates. If you commit to eating one meal a day at the table, with no screens, you’re more likely to spark an interesting conversation.
7. That three-letter word
Remember to say I love you. When you’ve been together a long time, you might take each other for granted, and that includes taking your love for granted. But love isn’t just some magic – it’s a daily decision that takes a lot of work. Give each other goodbye kisses. Reminder your passion.
8. A trip down memory lane
Reminisce about some of your favorite memories. This could be travel mishaps that seem hilarious years later, or it might remind you of the beginning of your relationship. Walking down memory lane helps you appreciate each other and remember why you fell in love with that person.
9. Take turns with chores
Designating the same chores can get repetitive and build up resentment. It’s perfectly fine to delegate chores to each other based on preference, but taking turns is essential so no one feels like they’re lumped with the difficult tasks. Compromise, people! It’s what relationships are all about.
10. Weekly date night
No matter how long you’ve been together, and whether you’re married with kids or not, setting regular date nights at least once a week is important. We get it, as the relationship goes on, you become more of a couch potato with your beau and the dinner dates become less frequent. But this is an important way to schedule quality time, so make sure to mark it in your calendar.
11. Go out of your comfort zone, together
While it’s important to expand as an individual on your own, trying new things with bae can be an exciting and even adrenaline-pumping experience. Whether it’s volunteering somewhere, taking sports lessons, or learning how to bake macarons, you’ll both learn a new skill and grow as a couple.