Relationships
How to Make Your Relationship Fun Again
4 fun ways to Shake. It. UP!
After a consecutive 10-day span of Netflix and Uber Eats, I began to worry that this could be the beginning of the dimming of our romantic flame. I didn’t want our relationship to lose its exciting energy. We were both such active people when we first met, but the stresses and demands of everyday life left us exhausted and it was starting to seem like we’d stopped putting as much energy into ourselves and our relationship as we used to.
I decided it was time to make a change, so we got in the car and hit the road. We decided to approach the day like we were at summer camp — we rented bikes, went swimming in the lake, and played boccie ball at a local tavern.
This action-packed day left us feeling excited, alive and more connected to one another than we’d been in ages (or the past few weeks, anyway). That day we made a pact to break free of our lazy routine every weekend and be more active together through shared hobbies.
Engaging in an activity with your spouse can strengthen your bond and help you create unforgettable memories. To keep things fun and fresh in your relationship, try some of these activities together:
Explore the Great Outdoors
Take the weekend to get into nature and enjoy the serene sounds and sprawling vistas. Spending time together without distractions allows for moments of open communication and opportunities to bring out your adventurous side. Going on biking or backpacking trips can bring you closer together since you have to rely on teamwork to navigate the trails and set up your tent.
If you live near NYC and you’d rather opt for a two or four-hour hike, we love the Storm King Mountain trail, which is about an hour north of NYC, but you can choose your adventure here.
Play a Sport
If you both enjoy being athletically active, take up a sport you can play together. Golf is one you can play together until you’re 90 years old (or so the sales pitch from my golf-loving husband goes).
Tennis is another excellent activity for couples to enjoy, as it can vary in intensity and can be played with just the two of you. Or, if you want to put your tennis skills to the test, play against another couple for a fun challenge. Find couples looking for friendly competition on the USTA site.
For an extra challenge, learn an unusual sport together like kayaking, archery, fencing, or sailing.
If you and your spouse love living on the wild side, try a more extreme hobby like white water rafting, skydiving, rock climbing or drag racing. Drag racing is an exhilarating sport that helps relieve pent-up stress. Around the country, there are weekend drag races happening where cars race at speeds up to 115 mph. To equip your car, make sure it has the proper safety features and high-quality equipment. Then, fulfill your need for speed and some healthy competition by racing against each other.
Find Your Zen
Practicing yoga or meditation with your spouse is an effective way to center yourselves and find your calm. Many yoga studios offer classes for couples yoga, which increase the communication and sensitivity in your relationship.
Couples meditation is a powerful way to relax together on a daily-basis and can also come in handy during times of conflict. If you are new to meditating, there are several mobile apps that provide you with guided meditation sessions that you can practice with your loved one.
Take a Mini-Vacation
Not feeling the road tripping vibe? There are loads of last-minute vacation discounts online. Find one and go somewhere really spectacular. Traveling together is a great bonding experience.
Google Flights and Skyscanner have handy map tools that can help you find the cheapest flight. If your destination is open-ended — i.e., “anywhere with a beach” — use the map to pick the most economical locale.
A travel app I love is Very Chic, which offers curated last-minute deals if you need a romantic place to stay tonight, tomorrow or within the next couple of months. While some deals – especially in the US – are not so good, it can deliver deep discounts in Europe and the UK. BluByn is a new app with a personal concierge that will help you find the best travel deals from across the internet. Here’s a list of more great travel apps.
So take your adventurous spirit, your active lifestyle, and your insatiable curiosity and use those traits to explore and revamp your relationship. Ready. Set. Go!
Hannah Banana
I would have enjoyed more tips to spice up your sex life under ‘how to make your relationship more fun’ but maybe that belongs in the porn section.Could you have included a hot tub to start off the night in some of your advice?
Hannah Banana
I would have enjoyed more tips to spice up your sex life under ‘how to make your relationship more fun’ but maybe that belongs in the porn section.
Maggie Horton
Thank you for the great tips, Hilary! I suggest going to a museum. If you and your SO are both into that, it can be a real fun day. My boyfriend and I could spend days in DC and just go to the museums.
Mindy Richardson
My boyfriend doesn’t seem as interested as he use to be in me. What do I do to make him more interested in me?
Doris Hammond
My husband and I both have ADHD and move almost every year, It has kept the last decade superfresh.
Tracy Adkins
I literally cried at the end I feel I like I’m the one lacking a lot of those tips and I feel bad for my boyfriend but I will definitely take these tips with much more seriousness
Victoria Romero
hi I’m having issues in my marriage and feel as though he may want a divorce. I’ve grown cold because of so many things going on in my life personally. I want to know how to rekindle things or do I need to handle the other things first
Anita Galino
My boyfriend and I go to concerts together 4 times a year or so. There is nothing better than seeing a band you both just jam out to. Blink 182 next month. Can’t wait.
Nicole Terry
My boyfriend and I started cooking class together. They’re a blast, even if you have no idea how to cook. Maybe you’ll learn something, maybe not. Even if you don’t, most cooking classes let you bring your own booze, and you eat what you cook.
Cassandra Hill
Relationships can become really boring once you stop making an effort. Not just in marriage, but in any relationship.