You love your partner, but you don’t feel the same butterflies you used to. You wonder is it possible to get that feeling back? The answer is yes.
You can reignite the spark in your relationship with some creativity and effort.
In this article, we’ll show you 10 unique and unconventional methods to spice up your long-term relationship.
These are not your typical date nights or romantic gestures. These are out-of-the-box ideas that will challenge you, surprise you, and make you fall in love all over again.
So don’t give up on your relationship. Reigniting your passion is not only possible but fun and rewarding.
Are you ready to try something new? Let’s dive into the list!
How to Know It’s Time for a Relationship Reset
Before we get to the unconventional ideas, let’s look at some signs it may be time to reset your relationship:
- You’ve fallen into boring routines and struggle to find new things to talk about.
- Date nights or sex have become infrequent or predictable.
- You regularly bicker over small things and struggle to give each other the benefit of the doubt.
- You spend much more time with friends or on your phone than catching up with your partner.
- You constantly fantasize about what it would be like to be single or with someone else.
- You struggle to remember the last time either of you did something kind just to make the other smile.
If you recognize more than one of these signs, it’s likely time to put some renewed energy into your relationship before resentment builds. The good news is there are so many creative ways to do that!
1. Plan an Exciting Outing Together
Think back to when you first started dating. Chances are you did fun, adventurous activities together that got your adrenaline pumping. Well, just because you’re comfortable in a relationship doesn’t mean you have to stop doing exciting things together!
Plan an outing way outside your normal routine as a couple. Options could include:
- Bungee jumping or skydiving
- Hiking to a gorgeous viewpoint
- Whitewater rafting
- Indoor rock climbing
- Riding rollercoasters at an amusement park
- Taking a hip-hop dance class together
Anything that gets you both laughing, screaming, and generally feeling alive again can help wake up the passion and bonding between you. When your hearts are racing and you’re living in the moment together, it’s hard to stay distant or bored!
2. Get Competitive with an Activity You Both Enjoy
Few things bring out people’s vibrant, fun sides quite like friendly competition. Tap into your natural competitive spirits by doing an activity together that gets you both fired up to win.
For example, you could:
- Face off in a round of mini-golf
- Battle it out in bowling
- Take a tennis or badminton lesson and play with each other
- Challenge each other to a video or board game you both love
- Test your skills against each other in a new area, like axe throwing or escape rooms
A little trash talk and giggles mixed with the adrenaline of competition is a surefire way to reconnect and stop taking each other for granted. Let your inner child come out and play!
3. Revisit Your Early Dating Moments
In the early days of dating, everything felt exciting and new. You likely have fond memories of your first meetings, your first kiss, early dates, and when you first started spending time together.
To tap back into that giddy, starry-eyed stage of your relationship, take some time to literally revisit those memories. Pull out old photo albums from when you first met and started dating. Walk down memory lane together and remember what it felt like to be falling for each other.
You can also return to the location of your first date or another nostalgic spot and talk about what you were feeling at the time. This simple act of reminiscing can remind you both how lucky you are to have found each other.
4. Learn Something New Together
Learning new skills alongside your partner strengthens bonds and builds intimacy through sharing an experience. It also creates new topics to laugh and talk about as you work on mastering the activity.
Fun options for learning together include:
- Taking couples cooking classes to expand your culinary skills
- Learning how to salsa dance together
- Attempting to play new musical instruments together
- Enrolling in a photography course and going on shoots
- Taking an improv comedy class to practice thinking on your feet
The bonus is you get to build on a new area of knowledge while creating great memories together.
5. Engage in an Act of Service
Reignite your bond by spending quality time together in service to others. Volunteer for a cause you both care about. You might:
- Help out at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen
- Clean up litter together as part of a community beautification effort
- Offer free tutoring or mentoring to at-risk teens
- Visit with seniors at an assisted living facility
Sharing in acts of service gets you communicating and collaborating. It also reminds you of the importance of kindness – something every relationship needs. Giving back side-by-side can be very connecting.
6. Get Moving Together
Working up a sweat can quickly take you out of relationship ruts and boost energy between you. Couples who work out together have been shown to feel more satisfied in their relationship.
And it’s easy to see why. Exercise releases feel-good endorphins, keeps you out of your head, and gets you engaging playfully.
Fun options include:
- Joining a rec sports league together like volleyball or softball
- Taking up running and training for a 5K as a couple
- Doing at-home workout videos or classes together like yoga, HIIT, and cross-training
- Hitting the gym together to lift weights and get toned
Exercising together turns boring solo workouts into quality bonding time that leaves you both feeling great.
7. Go on Mini-Adventures
Playing tourist in your own town can be surprisingly romantic. Spend a full day going on mini-adventures without an agenda. Hop in the car and see where spontaneity takes you both. Some ideas:
- Stop at an interesting-looking cafe or bakery for breakfast
- Pop into local shops you’ve always wondered about
- Take a hike through a nature preserve or state park
- Check out a cultural festival or community event
- Discover a hole-in-the-wall restaurant for lunch
- Top the day off watching the sunset from a scenic viewpoint
Approaching your own town as a wide-eyed explorer gives you permission to drop routines and do things you don’t normally make time for. It can feel like an exciting escape without the hefty travel costs!
8. Pick Up a Shared Hobby
A couple that plays together stays together. Pick up a new hobby you can both geek out on and bond over. Try:
- Joining an adult sports league like beach volleyball
- Taking ballroom dance classes together
- Starting a two-person book club
- Learning how to play chess or bridge
- Joining a wine-tasting class (and enjoy the samples together afterward!)
Having a shared interest gives you built-in quality time together each week. It also creates a “third entity” you collaborate on, which brings out teamwork.
9. Turn Chores Into a Couples Activity
Even boring chores like yardwork can become an opportunity for connection. Listen to music or a podcast together while you:
- Tackle fixing things around the house
- Do yard work like weeding, mowing, planting flowers
- Wash the cars together
- Clean out closets and donate old items
Having an attitude of playing together makes tedious tasks go by faster. You also get things checked off your to-do list while enjoying each other’s company – win/win!
10. Take a Class in Something Romantic
Feed each other’s passion by taking a class together in something romantic. Options include:
- Learning partner massage techniques
- Studying the art of tantric intimacy
- Taking a couples coaching workshop
- Signing up for ballroom dance lessons
- Enrolling in a sensual cooking class (food can be very sexy!)
Carving out time to study and practice romance is the ultimate way to beat complacency. It sends the message that you want to keep investing in passion and connection.
Keep the Spark Alive by Continuing to Try New Things
The most important mindset for an enduring, passionate relationship is being willing to keep exploring new horizons – together. The second you get too comfortable and stop trying new things, boredom can set in.
Make a commitment to keep surprising each other with creative date nights, new shared hobbies to try, and fresh ways to play together. Don’t let your inner child – or your sense of adventure – fade away just because you’ve been together a long time.
The more you continue to explore, adventure, and try new experiences as a couple, the more you’ll deepen your connection and commitment over a lifetime. So never stop dating, learning, and seeing the world side-by-side. A vibrant, growth-oriented relationship will keep that spark burning bright.
