4 simple hacks to keep love alive

Falling in love is often the easiest part of a relationship. But the real challenge is sustaining it long after the butterflies in your stomach settle. Love doesn’t disappear overnight; it slowly fades. Couples often say that the spark is no longer present in their relationship. The spark didn't die because love disappeared. It died because they stopped tending to it. Here are some effective tips to keep love alive in your relationship.

Routine is the silent killer in any relationship. After months of eating at the same restaurants and doing the same weekend activities, your brain goes into autopilot. There is no excitement for the brain. Give it the antidote: novelty. Instead of going to the same restaurant for every dinner date, pick a new one. Make some changes in your routine. Instead of spending the afternoon on the couch, try a class you've both been curious about, or perhaps explore a neighborhood you don't usually visit. These simple things will spike dopamine, and suddenly you will feel excitement, motivation, and pleasure.

In the initial stages of a relationship, touch is constant and automatic. You crave to hold hands, kiss them, or casually rub shoulders while engaged in any daily chores. But as time goes by, this fades. Not because the attraction is gone, but because couples stop thinking about it. So, start touching your partner. This doesn’t essentially mean being intimate sexually. Rather have that chemistry. Hold their hand. Maybe hug them. Rub their shoulders. Give them a kiss when they least expect it. All these triggers the release of oxytocin, known as the ‘bonding hormone.’

In most couples, physical intimacy dies as years go by. Though they get intimate at times, there is no excitement left. Why? This is also because of the lack of novelty. Try new things instead. Rather than setting a schedule every week, surprise your partner. Be playful. Bring back that sense of excitement and unpredictability that existed when you first got together. This simple thing changes everything.

When was the last time you told him, he smells good, or that she looks gorgeous? Compliments dry up after being together for a while. Instead, start doing that. When your partner makes you laugh, tell them they're funny. Say, "That was hilarious. I love how your mind works." When they walk in the room, tell them they're gorgeous. "You look incredible today." When they do something kind, acknowledge it. Tell them, "That was so thoughtful.” These compliments can bring a smile to your face. This will bring you and your partner closer together. They will remind you both of the reasons you fell in love in the first place.