Even the best relationships can hit a dull point. We become wrapped up in other things.
We take our love for granted. Suddenly, we realize we haven’t truly met minds with our partner in weeks.
How do we bring our most treasured loved one back to us when we seem to be drifting apart?
Here are seven fun ideas to try:
1. Reach for the stars.
Would you like to read a classic – but intimidating – novel? Train for a half marathon? Make a four-course Thanksgiving dinner to impress your relatives? Save up for a family vacation? Reach a crazy high level in a video game? Set a goal that is meaningful – and challenging – for you both. The trick is to find something that will keep each of you engaged and motivated. Then, work as a team to reach it. Support one another. Accomplish something as a couple. Your sense of pride and unity will remind you how great you two are when you work as a team.
2. Get lazy.
On the other end of the spectrum, it can be really wonderful to stay home and accomplish nothing. Commit yourselves to staying in bed for an entire day. Watch TV, eat yummy snacks, and indulge in a complete world of sloth-ness without guilt. Tell your loved ones you’re doing something productive, like filing taxes or cleaning the house. Then, go the other way and play hooky from real life. You’ll feel like you’re getting away with something naughty together.
3. Put pen to paper.
The love letter is a lost art – but an important one. There’s something about the written word that helps our thoughts to develop more completely. Take the time to write down how you feel about your partner. Remember what it felt like to fall for them in the first place. Then, read them together. There’s a good chance you have both been holding the best of your loving feelings inside. Put them forward with intention, and learn what you really mean to one another.
4. Take a break.
No, not a break from your relationship – just a break from being attached at the hip. Spend time doing something for yourself. Does painting make you come alive? Hiking? Reading science fiction? Whatever makes you tick, take some time to get back in touch with it. All too often, we feel that we are disconnecting from our partner, when in reality we have been losing touch with ourselves. Give yourself a moment. Give your partner a chance to miss you. You will both feel better when you come home.
5. Double the fun.
With two people who are constantly together, it can be natural for the conversation to become stale. Invite someone else into the mix! Go on a double date with a couple you’d like to get to know better. Let them lead the conversation to things you otherwise would never have thought about. Expanding your social circle can be a great way to expand your minds and worldview together.
6. Get away!
Do you feel relaxed and connected after a great vacation? If you have the resources, start planning a beautiful getaway right now! If you don’t, it’s surprisingly easy to recreate this feeling on a smaller scale. Go on a weekend road trip to an area with lots of natural beauty. Leave the kids, work laptops, and petty arguments at home. Relax for a moment. Take in the beauty of our world together. Rediscover your partner as if everything were new.
7. Try a digital detox together.
You’ll be surprised at what a difference it makes. We don’t realize how much time we spend wrapped up in our devices until we become intentional about putting them down. Set aside one hour each day to disengage from the digital world. This includes your phone, TV, computer, and anything else connected to the cloud. Spend this hour doing something fun with your partner. Reconnect, have fun, and accomplish this goal as a team.
“To say that one waits a lifetime for his soulmate to come around is a paradox. People eventually get sick of waiting, take a chance on someone, and by the art of commitment become soulmates, which takes a lifetime to perfect,” wrote Criss Jami. There’s no magic formula.
