Long-term relationships are incredible things. They can bring so much joy and wonder into your life that you can hardly stand it. However, they can also be incredibly difficult to maintain properly. Plenty of issues can crop up and creep into relationships over time; keeping an eye out for them is one of the best things you can do to keep your relationship healthy.
This article aims to outline some of the most important steps you can take to protect and maintain the romance in your relationship. After all, that is the secret to building a relationship that can truly last.
The Importance of Romance
Why is romance so important to a relationship? You might be asking yourself that exact same question. There are plenty of incredibly compelling reasons as to why, but fundamentally it boils down to one single, all-encompassing reason.
Romance is the difference between platonic and romantic relationships. Fundamentally, there is very little difference between romantic and platonic relationships, so much so that romance is literally in the name of the former.
If you aren’t careful to keep that spark of romance alight, you might find yourself falling out of love with your partner. You’ll still care about them, sure, but there are worlds of differences between the love you feel for a partner and the love you feel for a friend. Romance is that spark, and without care, it could be snuffed out by time.
Spend Time Together
One of the most important things you can do to keep that romance alive is simple yet difficult. Make sure you are spending time together. When you spend your life with someone, it can be all too easy to take their presence for granted. Over time you might start forgetting to make time specifically for one another. You’re around each other all the time, after all, so it becomes easy to forget to actually spend your time together.
There are plenty of little ways for you to spend this time together, from stealing a date night after work to planning a romantic holiday with vineyard tours and candlelit dinners. These gestures – both big and small – are important to your relationship. So practice making time for your partner. Even if you aren’t great at it right away, they are sure to appreciate the gesture.
Do the Unexpected
Finally, spontaneity is another key element of romance. It is easy to fall into a routine with someone that you know well. However, if you don’t ever shake things up, then before long, you will find yourself bored in the relationship. Sometimes you won’t even realise why.
People crave novelty. We love the new and exciting above almost anything else. This means that if you want to build a relationship that lasts, then you are going to need to bring that novelty into your relationship too.
You’ll find that if you do it well, your relationship will become better than it ever was before.