subject: Change It Up: The Art Of Keeping Relationships Interesting [print this page] Once you've known someone for five, ten, fifteen years or more, chances are the relationship might start to feel routine - Perhaps even stale. If you want to create relationships that last throughout the years, you need to master the art of keeping relationships interesting.
How can you keep the relationships in your life alive and healthy, even once you've known someone for a long time?
==> Do Something Adventurous
Go on a hike somewhere where neither of you have either been. Or if you've always wanted to get your scuba diving certification, why not do it together instead?
Going on an adventure can be an intense bonding experience for both people. It's fresh and will help inject a strong dose of excitement into any relationship.
==> Take On a New Project Together
If you're husband and wife, why not start some sort of small business or hobby in your spare time? Whether it's selling home made wine online or starting an eBay business, the project will bring you two together.
This works especially well when the goal of the project is to work together, rather than any financial goals or auxiliary goals.
In fact, it really doesn't even matter what the project is. You could throw a party for your charity or organize a new book club. The point is that you're doing something challenging together. This will bring you two closer.
==> Start a New Routine
Another great way to keep your relationships interesting is to add new routines.
For example, what if both of you volunteered together at your local Boys and Girls club or YMCA after work?
Or what if every Saturday you tasted a different wine together? Maybe you could set a weekly or bi-monthly "new restaurant" day.
Try to come up with routines that sound fun and exciting to both of you. Incorporate that into your regular schedule and the level of intrigue in the relationship will increase.
==> Talk About Things You've Never Talked About Before
In every relationship, no matter how long you've known someone, there are topics you just haven't talked about.
It could be what you wanted to be when you grow up. It could be about travel or where you want to go in the world. It could be where you see yourself in ten years, or what you think your life purpose is. It could even be the relationship itself.
A lot of people get in the habit of having routine conversations with people they're familiar with. The curiosity that's present when meeting new people fades away.
To rekindle that curiosity and spark in conversation, start bringing up topics that you don't normally talk about. Share things about yourself that they don't know and ask them questions that you haven't asked.
Keeping a long relationship alive isn't something that happens automatically. If you're not careful, you can fall into routine conversations and behavior that'll sap all the excitement out of a relationship. To keep things alive, follow the tips and steps discussed above.
