Are you getting bored in your long-term relationship? Here are tips to reignite the spark.

Relationship romance often starts out strong and fades over time. Couples partner for life, kids come along, careers develop, bills stack up, and vacations have become family trips focused on keeping the kids happy. 

Partners become focused on work and raising the family and even struggle with health issues as they age. These added stressors spill over into the relationship and can be a real buzzkill for romance. 

Here are a few tips for adding romance into your mundane relationship.

Keep track

Keep a journal on paper or on your phone and each day log one thing you appreciate about your partner. 

Send sweet messages 

Send one text message a day to your partner that says something romantic. Examples include, “I love you.” “I’m thinking about you.” “I can’t wait to see you!”

Plan a fun date

Plan a date night together. And then actually go on the date—don’t let anything (except for emergencies) get in the way of your scheduled time together. 

Express gratitude

Say “thank you” to your partner whenever they do something helpful or kind. Developing a culture of gratitude creates an atmosphere where each partner feels appreciated, and valued, and leads to a better friendship and stronger relationship bond. 

Surprise your partner 

Surprise your partner with a gift that they will love. This is especially important if gifts are your partner's love language. 

Figure out your love languages

Take a quiz and learn your love languages. Do one thing each day that speaks to your partner’s love language. You can take the quiz here. 

Cuddle 

Watch a movie together and snuggle. Did you know that couples who regularly snuggle are happier?

Practice healthy habits

Commit to doing something healthy together—this can be exercise, diet, meditation, etc. Couples who feel healthier have more energy for sex and companionship. 

Learn together 

Take a class together. This can be an art class or any other class that interests both of you and stimulates learning for both of you. This is great for couples who find that have few interests together anymore. This will really give you something to talk about and enjoy together. 

Take a stroll 

Take a walk together, and, if it’s not too hot outside, hold hands. Did you know that couples who display public displays of affection are happier?

Hug 

Give your partner at least one hug each day.

Create rituals 

Have a ritual for saying good morning, good night, and leaving for work and coming home from work. This ritual can be a warm greeting, hug, kiss, or whatever the two of you agree on. 

Relationships require regular maintenance and tending to, just like a garden. When you prune and water your garden daily, watch closely for invasive pests, and fertilize, you have a much greater chance of having blooms. 

Your relationship is the same. Spending quality time together, attending to each other, and prioritizing one another helps you build a strong bond that cannot be broken. We help couples who have spent the last few years highly focused on their careers and family reignite passion and find fulfilling love that is lasting.