The 6 Most Unconventional Ways To Be More Romantic With Your Partner
Romance is not a one-size-fits-all these days, America. Get with the program.
What used to only be defined by candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach now involves a lot more creativity and individuality.
There are a TON of ways to indulge in a little romance with your partner that have nothing to do with wearing a tie or perfume and have EVERYTHING to do with growing your love for one another.
Non-traditional activities, paying attention to details and demonstrating support are all great ways to boost your romance life.
Here are a few unconventional, romantic things you can do with your partner to get the love mojo flowing.
Work on a manual labor project
This could be anything from shoveling a driveway together to building a new headboard. The romance behind these tasks comes in sharing actual blood, sweat or (I don't know if things go crazy) tears together.
In creating something tangible (like that Ikea table), you have a physical reminder of the time you shared with him and what the two of you can accomplish together.
Volunteer
Volunteering is an amazing opportunity to spread the love to your local community AND to spread the love between each other.
This is the kind of activity the sparks emotional growth. Doing it together pushes you as an individual and your relationship forward to a more mature, adult place.
Plus, by giving back and providing for others, it gives you two the opportunity to see one another in a beautiful light.
Learn a skill together
Similar to doing manual labor, learning a new skill — be it a small skill, like how to make the best grilled cheese, or something bigger, like learning how to rock climb — gives you the chance to grow as individuals but TOGETHER.
Learning a new skill gives you the chance to grow as individuals, but TOGETHER.
The romance comes from developing a lasting skill or trait that wasn't there before you met, making whatever hobby you pick up effectively a permanent reminder of the awesome powers of your relationship.
Share responsibility on something important
Shouldering boring, mundane and adult responsibilities — that require us to be, ya know, successful members of society —are NOT fun. Luckily, having a partner in crime makes the load a lot lighter.
Make a list of some of the crappy to-dos you both need to finish. Then tackle them together. This can be anything from helping one another figure out tax forms to finally scheduling that serious doctors appointment.
Motivating one another and being there to take the brunt of some of the trickier, BUT IMPORTANT, things in life will only make you a tighter, better team.
Show up for the small things
Dumb stuff is dumb, but making space for somebody else's dumb stuff in your life is, well, kinda adorable.
Here's an example: If your partner suddenly decides watercolor painting is his thing, and he NEEDS a model, like, ASAP to paint, take an afternoon and lay on your couch for him.
Showing interest and support in the little things that bring your partner big joy will have you pulling on heart strings all the damn, day long.
Take time to get to know their people, with or without your partner there
I secretly hate to love how much my parents text my boyfriend and don't include me in the messages. I don't get to see my family that often, and seeing him taking the time to get to know them on a personal level means a great deal to me.
On one hand, it shows how much he really cares about me and values the important things in my life. And two, it makes the time I have with my family much more special because he no longer sits in as an outsider.
Identify your partner's people in life and learn to love them as much as they do.
Identify you're person's people and learn to love them as much as they do.
For the most part, all of these ideas take up only a small amount of time and energy in the grand scheme of things and have big, life-long love payoff.
Next time you're with your boo-bear talk out some ways you can get cracking on the good stuff, and live happily ever after! Ya know, like in the movies!
