With busy lives, it’s easy to lose sight of the little daily blessings in our relationships. Pausing to appreciate your loved one reaps immense rewards. Focusing on gratitude deepens intimacy and connection, helping you weather all of life’s ups and downs together.
I've learned that the key to staying strong in a relationship is to focus on gratitude. Take a few minutes every day, perhaps during your morning meditation, shower or run to think about what you're grateful for in your relationship. Have a few things in mind? Now, do something special to show them how much you love and appreciate them.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Grab a pad of post-it notes and write out a few sweet notes and stick them where they'll be noticed, yet happily surprised. Try placing them on the tube of toothpaste, the back of the closet door, their laptop keyboard, in their favorite coffee mug ...
- Handwrite a heartfelt letter—with reasons you love them, a favorite memory, or a story you'd like to share. Put it in a real envelope, seal it with a kiss, drop it in the mailbox and wait in anticipation for them to check the mail.
- Recreate your favorite date-night restaurant experience at home ... Cook a special (surprise) dinner, light a candle, and put on a curated playlist that matches the atmosphere of your favorite spot.
- Create a vision board showing all the things you'd like to do together in the next 12 months. Dream small (backyard barbecue with friends) and dream huge (road trip across the USA stopping in with friends along the way). It's also really fun and rewarding to do this together!
- Plan a movie night. Set the scene with lights dimmed, cozy blankets, floor pillows, and a tub of popcorn or ice cream. Choose a movie that your partner loves—OR— one you know they've been dying to see. Before showtime, put your phones in another room and devote your attention to your evening together.
- Suggest a weekly mini-date to make sure you have time to connect throughout the busy work week. Plan time to focus on each other, even if for 30 minutes on Tuesday evenings. Try a late-night stroll through your neighborhood to talk about your week, ask some fun questions, or daydream about which house(s) you'd like to pin on that vision board.
- Take part in a TikTok or Instagram challenge. Try the identity swap, Getty Challenge, or your favorite albums—but together! The creativity and discussion before posting is where love lives! And if you do, tag us, we'd love to see your creation.
- Think of something that your partner especially loves. Do they love puzzles? Board games? Dancing? A particular band? Find something that usually gets forgotten - or that you don't particularly love - and plan an evening around it!
- Ask how you can help. Often, we presume our partner knows that we love them and that we want to help but saying it out loud and giving them space to answer is the key. On the flip side, is there something you know would be helpful without asking? Perhaps doing the laundry, running an errand, getting the oil changed. Small things like this go a long way in saying 'I love you and appreciate all that you do.'
- Change up small areas of your home, especially the ones you're spending the most time in. Working together or independently on different areas of the house, put some love and attention into your home environment. Giving time to tidy, organize, embellish and decorate can create areas of happiness and peace during a time of chaos.
- Hug! It's never a bad idea to load up on physical affection.
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