Keeping The Love Alive: How To Make Everyday Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a special occasion for a lot of couples. Some go out to an expensive restaurant, buy sweet VDay cards and express their love for one another. But what's the use if you aren't putting in the same amount of effort year-round? One day out of the year doesn’t make a romantic relationship.

There are many ways to keep love growing and flowing all year and to genuinely strengthen your relationship. Here are some helpful tips for all-year-round romance.

Make sure your partner knows you appreciate them.

Speaking love and positive words of affirmation towards your lover can be a huge mood booster. From sunrise to sunset, you have the opportunity to remind your special someone just how much you love them. It may be helpful to learn both you and your partner's love language to better show appreciation for each other. A hug, wink or a smile can go a long way. Each day ask yourself: What can I do to celebrate my partner today?

Surprise your boo. Make them a priority.

Little sweet surprises can make everyday special. Leave a love note in their coat pocket or on the bathroom mirror; leaving a loving or sexy voicemail; or sending lunch to work. Take a well needed Sunday breakfast in bed with flowers to set the ambiance.

At the beginning of a relationship, the excitement and anxiety of connecting with a new partner makes time together a top priority,” said psychologist Ryan Howes, Ph.D. “When that urgency goes away and we start to feel comfortable, time for the relationship becomes a lower priority.” And, of course, it becomes especially tough to find spontaneous pockets of time when you’re working, taking care of a family and already feeling exhausted.

Schedule some time out of every week for just you two. Catch a matinee or dine out. Chill at home and just talk and cook together.

Plan A Vacation.

Together, look at brochures or websites and discuss what a great getaway would look like. “Even if you don’t have the time or money right now, the process may be just what you need to inspire yourselves,” Goldsmith said.

Make A Vision Board Together.

Whether it's planning a vacation together or planning life goals, building a vision board together can be a great bonding experience. This exercise allows you to include your partner in on the things you want to manifest while keeping each other focused on the end game - and it's also super fun when you get into the creative process of it.

Switch It Up, Don't Fall Into Routine

Routines are par for the course in a long-term relationship. But you can easily break them! “Doing new things together releases oxytocin in the brain, which is one of the chemicals that makes us feel all atwitter when a relationship is fresh,” Goldsmith said. Enjoy a trip together, try out new restaurants or take a day off to be with each other, Howes said. In other words, “Zig where you usually zag once in a while,” he said.

Take A Class, Learn Something New Together

This also is a great way to bust out of a relationship rut. “Learning something new together will make you both feel more connected and help you discover parts of your relationship that may have been hidden,” Goldsmith said. Try a cooking class or a sports lesson such as golf or tennis. Goldsmith even suggested taking a CPR class.

Help Your Spouse Around The Home With Chores

When you think romance, the last thing that pops into your head is mopping, washing the dishes and scrubbing the toilet. But many people feel loved and cared for when their partners help out around the house, Howes said.

Reminisce On How Your Love Began

Doing so helps you appreciate where you are now as a couple, Goldsmith said. If it’s possible, he suggested going back to the place you met and reliving your first date.

Let Go Of Anger & Grudges

Repressed anger kills romance. A grudge builds a wall between partners so make forgiveness a consistent part of your relationship. Tell each other how you feel, try to understand what took place, asking for the respect that it won’t happen again and then letting go by deciding not to hold it over your partner’s head.

Sleep In. Have a lazy weekend together.

Pick a day to just do nothing. Get a good movie, a ton of snacks and just be together. Spending a day as human beings rather than human-doings will feel revitalizing and bring you closer.

Do more things together.

These don’t have to be grand gestures. Just making small efforts and initiatives to include your partner in more parts of your life can create a deeper connection.

Don't Be Afraid To Be intimate.

Intimacy is an important factor in a healthy, long-term partnership. Touch is necessary for human experience. Gentle massages, touches, and hugs can give your partner the endorphin boost they need to feel loved all day! Intimacy is about connection, openness, and vulnerability, so fostering healthy, consistent communication is the bridge to regular intimacy. Having a healthy, intimate relationship will open the door to life long memories of love and happiness!