101 Smart Ways To Improve Your Relationship
70. Think about something you’ve both wanted to do together.
Travel to Costa Rica, learn French, build a fence, and find a TV show you can tape or a website that shows you how to do it. Plan a date night around watching it together.
71. Email her an old photo of the two of you on vacation or your wedding day.
72. Set the DVR to record a show she’s been talking about but hasn’t yet recorded.
Or look for a show you know she’ll like and tape it for her.
73. Clean his computer keyboard and monitor.
74. In the middle of the day, send a text message that says “Thinking of you.”
75. Start a couples blog.
TOUCH
76. Use your body to show him you’re paying attention and listening when he talks to you.
77. Wrap your arms around his middle and squeeze as hard as you can.
If you’re stronger than him, give him a little warning.
78. Massage a part of her body that you wouldn’t usually pay attention to.
Like her forearm, her calf, her butt. OK, maybe you do pay attention to that part, but you probably don’t massage it.
79. Make a touching date.
One night after dinner, go to bed and take off your clothes, but leave on your underwear. Make a list of ways to touch (tickle, scratch, massage with fingertips, massage with whole hand, kiss with lips, kiss with eyelashes, squeeze). Then take turns. One person chooses a body part, one person chooses an action, and you switch off touching each other. The key is to avoid having sex or touching the skin beneath the underwear. Is a list too much for you? Skip it and take turns massaging each other; just make sure to avoid having sex!
80. Sneak up behind him for a quick shoulder massage.
81. Stage an impromptu wrestling match.
SWITCH IT UP
82. Pretend to be strangers and pick each other up at a bar.
83. Next time you’re out to dinner, offer to treat, as opposed to splitting it or paying from your joint account.
84. Change your alcohol habits for one night.
Do you usually drink a lot together? Try abstaining for one night and see what happens. Don’t drink much? Try splitting a bottle of wine between just the two of you and see where it leads.
85. Clean the house together. Naked.
86. Set up a bank account where each of you puts $50 a month to go toward something that can be mutually enjoyed.
87. Instead of watching TV, read a story out loud to each other.
88. Have a “no-technology” day or hour or evening.
89. When he’s tired from a long day of work, offer to watch a movie he loves but one that you wouldn’t normally watch with him.
90. Don’t react when he says something annoying.
91. Reverse your spooning (or other snuggling position) for a night.
92. Next time you’re going somewhere in the neighborhood together, walk instead of driving.
The stroll will give you time to chat.
PLAY
93. Put on music you both like and dance in your living room.
94. Play a card game.
Gin rummy is a great one for two people.
95. Take some grapes (or raisins or chocolate chips) and try to throw them in each other’s mouths.
It’s silly and a little messy but will make you giggle together.
96. Teach him a card game he’s never played.
97. Talk in an accent together all night.
98. Play movie-oke.
99. Exercise together.
Play tennis, go hiking, go for a jog.
100. Go sledding.
Or skinny-dipping.
101. Make up a game and play it together with your kids.
