Romantic Ideas

Romantic Ideas

You've been together for 8 years, lived together for 5, you feel you know this person inside out, what can you do that you haven't done yet to surprise your significant other? It's time to get creative, and not just with the ideas but with your own way of thinking.

All women want romance whether they admit it or not, it's always nice to feel thought of or needed. While there are some common, must do at least once romance actions like giving flowers on her birthday or a nice necklace on her birthday, there are a lot of other ways to show you love someone. In my opinion, romance isn't just important for the ladies but for the guys too. They might not know it, but in the long run its those little moments they'll remember and can enjoy as much if they only find a way to express.

Like I said, it's time to get creative, it's about finding an activity or idea that ties both of your interests and enhancing it to express how you feel.

My partner and I have had a lot of obstacles in our relationship, but have never once doubted that we'd make it. We've been through keeping a long distance relationship, dealt with our partner going through life threatening illness, we've moved countries just to be together and have experienced all the firsts that can be just as testing for any relationship. What we've both learned, is that a relationship can work, when you work at it, and put just as much passion you have for life as you do for each other. We acknowledge that everyone is different, with their own unique values, perspectives and ideas about what love means and how they express it. But that's what makes it so great. Romance can be limitless if you just think of it beyond an obligatory task, and rather as an integral part of a relationship.

Here are just a couple of ideas to add a nice dose of romance into your relationship:
Scrapbook – keep a journal (together) one side his, one side hers, or each page with both your takes on significant events in your relationship or events that effect both your lives. It's so nice to look back on and also a way of bonding together to take the time to think about what's going on right now. Now most ladies might find this hard to tell their partner (I've heard this from friends who have tried) but you'll be surprised at the challenge and unique ideas your partner can bring to it. For example, in our scrapbook, I filled most of the scrapbook with decorative themes and photos, whereas the side that my partner filled in, though looks so different (with hardly any decorative themes) is so thoughtful and beyond what I could imagine. My partner took it as a beautiful challenge, he filled it with thoughtful puzzles and clues to messages he wanted me to know. Until this day, there is a key that he put in there 5 years ago, that I still don't know what will open. This is romance for me. It's thoughtful beyond the way I think. It teaches me how to love and along the way reminds me of what I find important in a relationship.
Feliz Day – now you don't have to do this exactly, everyone can interpret it in their own ways, just as an inspiration. My partner and I have this special day called 'Feliz Day", which in english means our 'Happy Day", it's a day we take anytime we feel we need it, whether it be once a week, a month and sometimes we've gone without one for months. But the whole point of a special like this is to challenge ourselves on a date, without having a specific reason to (not on anniversaries or birthdays). A unique day that we spend to remind each other we love each other and is all about -us'. My partner and I decided that our Feliz Days needed to have rules. Some of these being: alternating the person who decides how the day goes – so for example, it might be my turn, my partner isn't allowed to know where we'll be going, what we'll be doing, what times will be involved, nada! It's exciting to see his reaction when he sees what I have planned for him. I plan activities around things I may have picked up on from the last few weeks, maybe he was talking about that comedy show that's coming up and you know he's already forgotten about it (or probably lingers somewhere in the back of his head) or maybe he's also had this fascination with science fairs but kept it down low since he's a little shy thinking it's something only kids can enjoy. Whatever the topic, I research all the current events and plan lunch like a picnic, or a treasure hunt. We've come up with so many ideas, that I know if you try doing a special day like this you'll find its limitless possibilities too. Some of the most memorable times I've had with my partner were our Feliz Days. Things go wrong, don't worry about it, that's part of the fun. Sometimes that show gets cancelled, or your partner has a totally different reaction you expected. I can remember one time, my partner put me on a special clue hunt, and one of them was a candy that was suppose to say -I love you' on it (this was before we'd said I love you to each other for the first time so it was pretty big) but instead the love heart candy said -fax me' it was quite hilarious because he didn't understand why I started laughing as he hadn't read the candy himself. But looking back that's what made the moment so special.

So what have you done lately to show your partner you love them? You might feel you don't have enough time, you don't have any ideas etc. quiet down those thoughts, if this person is special to you, you can make the time, you can schedule it even if you need to, my partner and I both lead very busy careers, him in the IT industry doing programming most of the day and designing websites, while I work in the tourism industry. We both lead very different lives and operate different schedules, but at the same time share the same values and ideas towards making it work. We don't have all the answers, all we know is that we want to make it work and it's becoming quite effortless and enjoyable, that's how I think all relationships should be. If not, something needs to be looked at and quick. Remember love should add to your life, not take away.

There are tons and tons of websites and blogs for inspiration, but my best advice is to go with what feels right to you, how would you like to express yourself, how would you expect someone else to express it to you? Make your idea unique by adding a bit of your own personality.

-By Lariana
Blogger+Musician+Optimist
www.IslandMeetsCity.com