5 ways to revitalize your relationship routine

Brought

you by - Will Goodwin, Licensed Associate Professional Counselor at Summit Counseling Center

With the beginning of a new year well underway and the somewhat cliché mantra of “New year, new you!” still ringing in the air, many of us are starting to look around and wonder what has really changed. The problem with this phrase is that it often implies that there must be a complete and total change - whether in our habits, our work, or even in our relationships. However, you may not need a complete relationship renovation. Instead, perhaps a simple “refreshing” in some areas that have grown stagnant or mundane might be the appropriate course to take. Just like the warmth and satisfaction that can come from simply rearranging or reorganizing a space, your relationship can be revitalized as well.

Here are five ways to breathe some new life into your established routines:

1. Strive to Surprise. There is a certain satisfaction that comes from knowing one another’s habits, tendencies, and preferences. However, this capacity for anticipating what to expect from one another can also promote boredom, complacency, and indifference. Going out of your way to gift little surprises to one another can be a way to spark those feelings you shared back when you were first discovering each other. It could be preparing their favorite dish, treating them to their favorite hot or cold beverage/snack, cleaning their car and filling up the gas tank, or arranging a date if you don’t typically plan them. Whatever you choose, choose to make it a surprise.

2. Reassess Your Roles. While knowing “who does what” can simplify and streamline the management of household chores and responsibilities in a way that sets up a relationship for success, it can also create ruts. As change enters our lives, we may grow to dread a task or become overwhelmed by it. Talk to one another about these shifts and consider switching things around. If possible, team up on tasks and responsibilities that you previously did alone. You may surprise yourselves one day by discovering that you feel eager and excited about a chore because you know it is a chance to spend time together.

3. Freshen Up Your Look. Of course, no one is saying that the way someone looks is the most important feature about them. However, there is value to be acknowledged in

See ROUTINE, Page 28