Research has proven that planning a vacation can create more happiness than actually taking one.
But what if that vacation was also an opportunity to rekindle the romance? Chances are you and your partner couldn’t get enough of each other in the first few weeks or months, but maybe the thought of spending a week with the person you see everyday — and have seen everyday for several years — brings more of a yawn than a throbbing heart. Stifle that yawn!
New places can be exciting on their own as you explore together, finding the authentic corner shops, best café to linger over coffee, or best bar to hear a local band. Do some research in advance if you’re that kind of person, but leave room for spontaneity. Talk to the locals. Wander down a different street. Get (kind of) lost on purpose. Look up. Look down. Take close-up pictures of textures to play a texting game of “where was THAT” when you get back home.
Even if you’re short on cash, plan a staycation. Stay in a hotel for a couple of nights, turn off your notifications (unless you need to be available for kids in a true emergency), and pretend that you only have 36 hours to experience your hometown or the city just a few miles away. Tried-and-true favorite restaurants and hangouts are off limits. Zig when you’d normally zag; if you always order sweet and sour chicken go for sushi instead. Play the game that it ALL has to be new, and make sure each partner gets to choose. You could alternate every other decision, or one person could take the lead for an entire day.
Vacation is also the perfect time to safely explore topics that might otherwise seem off-limits. Seeing your partner in a new light opens up opportunities to ask deeper questions, or role play in ways you never thought you’d be comfortable with at home. This can work especially well with the “one person in control” for the day approach. A great place to find ideas about role playing is right here at The Loving Couple’s Fantasy Zone.
So get out there. It’s time for some new scenery!
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