Sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, you have to rekindle that spark that brought you together in the first place. Time, stress and ongoing situations can get in between people, whether they are dating, married or just hanging out.

Fortunately, there are things that people can do to get the romance flowing again. If you feel that your relationship needs some help, try these suggestions and watch your relationship flourish.

Don’t Take Each Other for Granted

If you have been with your partner long enough for the passion to cool, it may be because the two of you are so used to each other. This can lead to taking his or her presence and benefits in your life for granted and vice versa. Instead of passing up opportunities to show each other how much you care, make the most of every opportunity.

Complimenting your partner is a great way of reminding him or her that you still notice the attractive qualities that drew you to him or her in the first place. When complimenting someone, there are certain things you should remember to do or not do:

• Don’t use generalities. Compliment according to the specific situation. For example, if your partner is wearing something that shows off his or her assets, don’t say “You look good.”. Instead, say what he or she looks good in, such as “You look very nice in that shirt. It really shows off your eyes (curves, physique, etc).”
• Do compliment him or her in public, even in front of your peers. Your partner will feel special and attractive when you don’t mind paying a compliment in front of others- a specific compliment.
• Don’t make a big deal about it. Giving a compliment should not include creating a scene or making your partner cringe. It should make your partner feel special, not embarrassed.

Touch is a very important part of any relationship. Sometimes, as life gets in the way and people get stressed out or busy, the act of touching can be forgotten. There are many benefits for partners that make a conscious choice to touch each other every day. One of these benefits is the production of oxytocin, which helps produce feelings of closeness and intimacy.

You can get the right amount of touch by hugging and kissing each other in the morning before work. You can also kiss and hug when you get home and provide each other with shoulder rubs after a long, hard day at work. This also helps get past the awkwardness that may be there after a period of time where no touch was exchanged.

Renew Your Love Life

A love life is important in any relationship. Without it, the relationship can wither and die quickly. But, what can you do if you don’t feel attractive or if there is no place to spend intimate quality time together?

The good news is that even your love life can be changed to add some sizzle to those important places:

• Clean up. If you have a cluttered bedroom, it can detract from the feelings of freedom and intimacy that you want to invoke. Get the kid’s clothing and toys out, if you have children.

If you have several dogs, maybe you need to move their toys and dog beds to a different room. Clean off your dresser, if it is messy, and make sure that your clothes are put where they belong. Whatever needs to be done to make room to create a magical place for you and your partner, do it.

• Decorate. Put some candles out and try to find a sheet set that is comfortable and soft- maybe one in your partner’s favorite color. Make sure the bed is in working order- tighten bolts, adjust the mattress, etc.

You don’t want to be interrupted and inconvenienced. Set the playlist to “love” by adding some new music that you know you and your partner will enjoy. Make sure things look and sound as fresh and new as possible. This will help provide a new experience that can bring you closer.

• Work Out. If anyone is worth working up a sweat for, it’s you. If you feel fat or out-of-shape, you won’t feel sexy. You will feel self-conscious. How you feel about yourself can kill your desire for intimacy and destroy your love life.

It can also cause your partner to feel insecure because he or she may feel like you are rejecting him or her. To avoid the lost love time and the misunderstandings that may arise, just work out for 30 minutes a day, three times a week. Your workout can be as simple as taking a walk.

• Work Out Together. Working out together will not only provide you two with quality couple time and help reduce stress at the same time but it will also improve your health.

Just a little exercise, done weekly, can help stave off diabetes, certain kind of cancers, heart disease and other health problems. You can go on hikes, join a gym if you want something more challenging than a walk or go jogging.

You need to laugh. Being concerned about your long-term relationship can put a damper on any good moods but laughter is very important. Being able to laugh with your partner can help cut any tension there may be from bills, situations in life, or some problem outside of your control as a couple.

• Wrestle and play around
• Tickle each other
• Go to a comedy show
• Watch a good comedy at home, snuggled up together on the couch
• Have a couple’s game night with some friends

There are a lot of things you can do in the short-term to remind your partner that you love him or her and that you find his/her contribution to your life valuable. Just follow the simple steps outlined here to rekindle that spark and grow it into a flame.