First dates are sparks and butterflies. Every detail is meticulously thought through, calculated to please and woo. By date nine you’ve typically found “your spot,” that street side café with the great paste penne and chatty waitress. By date nine, said waitress knows your order and sneaks you a discount on the lemon cheesecake.
But sometimes, as the relationship progresses, you need a dating upheaval. You need an injection of confidence to shake up your routine and try something new. What we’re talking about here is surprising your partner by taking them on an amazing date, something you’ve never done before.
Go to an Outdoor Cinema
Cinema pop-ups on rooftops, located in public gardens or even on boats, are taking the quintessential “dinner and movie” date to new heights. They create an atmosphere of glamor and nostalgia.
There is something about being under the stars, sharing a blanket and a bag of popcorn that oozes vintage Americana. Research what is happening in your city and book a movie that feels compatible to both of your tastes. This is the kind of date people dream about.
Go on a Camping Trip
Sometimes it’s worth getting out of town for the weekend in order to rest and reset. You don’t need to be on an expensive vacation to escape the repetition of everyday life. Research alternative getaway ideas, like camping, and tailor a plan that works for you as a couple.
To that end, there is something tender and vulnerable about camping together: it’s you two against the elements, engulfed by nature. Ridding home comforts means putting your companionship at the center and doing scant more than focusing on each other.
It gives you quality time for communication, it encourages playfulness and adventure, and brings you together as team. After all, a relationship is exactly that; a single unit.
Take a Class
Take a class that challenges both of you. This means you can learn and grow together, as we all know that mastering a new skill can be tricky. There are layers of humility involved in making mistakes in front of your partner as you find your footing in this foreign craft.
This allows you to grow by encouraging and supporting each other in your new endeavor. It’s sure to bring a ton of laughs, too!
Choose an activity that complements both of your skills and passions. Find something that you can both look forward to mastering and commit to it. Some examples could be:
Booking a salsa class – Learn how to dance together, as this is an amazing exercise for both the body and spirit. Dance is in of itself a love language.
Learn a new language – Perhaps once you’re somewhat fluent you can celebrate by taking a trip to a foreign country.
Take an art class – Unleash your creativity together by channeling your inner artistry.
Take up judo – Self-defense is practical anyhow, why not do it together?
Make Sure It’s A Surprise
Surprising your significant other is a clear way to make your partner feel loved. It’s an action that says I put time into this. It showcases your appreciation for them more than anything else. Be specific in your surprise by doing something intentional you know they’ll enjoy.
Surprise gifts are another great way to add color to your relationship. Schedule a flower delivery or order cupcakes to their place of work. Attach a note which asks them out, like you would’ve in the beginning of the relationship. Spontaneity is a healthy way to break out of a dead-end routine and reignite your love life.
Double Date
The double date dynamic is an amazing way to shake up your typical routine. Perhaps incorporate this into the surprise. There’s nothing quite like having another couple to confide in, one that ends up becoming a part of your relationship’s timeline.
Get Planning
Committing to regular date night and finding a routine that works for you as a couple is important. Life can be burdened by work, school, family, and the various obligations all of us know too well. Creating a routine that specifically sets aside time for you as a couple is a great way to keep the flame lit and ensure longevity.
We all know the friend who vents about how her or she hasn’t been on a date with their significant other in forever. Self-discipline, love, and creativity are the ingredients that will help you achieve this feat.
Identity Magazine is all about guiding women to discover their powers of Self-Acceptance, Appreciation, and Personal Achievement.
We ask that every contributor and expert answer the Identity questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the current article they have written. In that way, and as a team, we hope to encourage and motivate each other, thus inspiring you to Get All A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? Additionally, what are you still working on accepting? Now, we’re not talking about resignation, rather stepping into, embraced, and owned.
I have accepted that it is impossible to please everyone. I struggled for years to fit in with what I thought were the cool kids,but in the end I was unhappy because I felt I could never be my true self.
Today, I now accept that to be my true self, as an individual, means that not everyone will like me and that I can’t please everyone. But I now understand that being myself brings to me the most fulfilling relationships
Appreciation is everything. What have you learned to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? On the other hand OR in contrast, are there elements of who you are that you’re still working on appreciating?
I have learned to appreciate my family more, flaws and all. When I was young, my parents had a very busy life, and struggled to just make ends meet in our family. As a result, I became resentful that they never spent enough time with my siblings and I.
Now I appreciate them more, because they worked so hard for our family, and I am grateful now that I can have a stronger relationship with them as an adult and have a truly fulfilling relationship with them.
Share with us one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
The most rewarding thing I have ever done was when I decided to study abroad in Barcelona for a semester. I really felt like I broke out of my shell.
Being in an unfamiliar place where you can’t speak the language is difficult, but I gained so much confidence in myself that I can achieve my dreams in life. I still have a passion for travel. I would love to become a travel writer one day and circle the globe!
