Romance and Happiness in Your Relationship is Vital to Your Health

Did you know that August has a 'Resurrect Romance Week'? It occurs the second full week in August, exactly six months after Valentine's Day. I doubt that is a coincidence. Founder, Michael Webb, wanted to create a romance holiday that did not focus on money and 'things'. He wanted a celebration that would help people to equate romance with time and attention. With this approaching celebration right around the corner, this is a great time to look at why it is beneficial to your health to keep your romance alive.

Marriage requires work. Anyone married for any length of time can attest to this. If you have kids, it requires that much more work. It is easy to fall into routines, creating more of a roommate relationship than a romantic one. Romance is a requirement for marriage to work well and will help keep you and your partner in tune with each other, which is beneficial to your relationship and your health. Stress comes in all forms, but your marriage should not be one.

Tips for Resurrecting your Romance:

Step One: Say "I Love You"

Be sure to tell your spouse that you love them. There are many ways that you can tell your spouse that you love them. You can tell them when you are on the phone or sending a text or e-mail message. Personally, I always make sure that I tell my husband that I love him before we get off the phone. It is heart breaking when I hear couples on the phone that never say it. When you are together, do not forget to take the time to look them in the eye and tell them. It will cost you nothing, but mean so much.

Step Two: Keep a 'Boomerang' Journal

Some people have a hard time expressing their feelings with words. If this is the case in your relationship, try keeping a journal that you pass back and forth to each other. My husband works night shift a lot, so this works for us on the days that he is on nights and we do not get to talk after the kids go to bed. It may be as simple as re-capping your day, but is still a great way to keep the communication lines open. It is really nice to know when someone is thinking about you.

Step Three: Give Love Coupons

Love coupons are all the rage at Valentine's Day, but why not any day? You can make them yourself or find websites online where you can print them off. These may be for things like a 'date' night, a massage, or even a promise to do a chore that your spouse does not like to do. Make it fun and/or sexy.

Step Four: No Substitutes

Do not substitute anyone or anything for your spouse. Do not go to a co-worker or friend to discuss your relationship problems or share intimate secrets. This should be between you and your spouse. Do not spend all of your time on the computer, with your children, or devoting all of your time to work or other organizations. Your spouse should come first and you will find that you will not need other outlets for emotional support.

Step Five: The Bedroom

One of the first things many need to do is getting rid of the T.V. If you do happen to have a T.V. in the bedroom, do not watch it at bedtime. Cut it off and use this time to talk or be intimate. Be sure that you sleep in the same bed with your spouse, even if they do snore or hog the covers. Falling asleep on the couch and staying there is unacceptable as well.

These are just a few ideas on how you can work to resurrect the romance in your relationship. If you need a starting point, take these ideas and get started immediately. Do not worry about your spouse's reaction. It may be shock and/or suspicion at first, but that means your relationship really needs some passion put back in it. If you already have ways of keeping your romance alive, fantastic!

Webb, Michael. "Resurrect Romance Week". http://www.theromantic.com/resurrect.htm July 2010.

Sardone, Susan Breslow. "Top 10 Tips and Trips to Keep Romance Alive". http://honeymoons.about.com/od/weddingscelebrations/tp/romance.htm July 2010.

Apostolides, Patty. "How to Keep Romance Alive in your Marriage". http://www.shelovesgod.com/library/article.cfm?articleid=6131 July 2010.

Champion, Lisa. "How to Keep your Marriage Romantic". http://www.livestrong.com/article/72717-keep-marriage-romantic/ July 2010.