Spring is the time of year when we focus our efforts on cleaning out the clutter and giving everything a fresh new look. It’s also when we sow the seeds for a fruitful year of growth. Why not extend that momentum and efforts to your relationship as well?

1. Make Sure Your Partner’s Needs Are Being Met

Experts say that relationships can only be enriched if both partners are fully engaged and ready to do the work required. Since we already take stock of things this time of year, it is the perfect opportunity to find out if the way you demonstrate your love and the way you show your support is actually helping meet your partner’s needs. Could their needs be met more fully by taking a different approach? Try asking!

There is tremendous value to your relationship when you take an open-minded look at how you show up for one another. Start by talking honestly and try to provide constructive feedback.

If you have a need that isn’t being met, offer suggestions and ideas for how your partner might start doing this better, possibly on a small scale to start.

2. Be Present in Your Actions and Words

The next place to check in when giving your relationship a refresh is to focus on being present. These days we’re constantly confronted with distractions – whether it be our phones, laptops, tablets, video games, or shows on Netflix. If we are physically spending time with our partner, but choose to direct our mental energy elsewhere, we are essentially putting them on “pause” and saying through our actions that they aren’t as important as whatever else has our attention.

“One of the most meaningful ways we can show up for our relationship is with our attention.” –Wendy Strgar, CEO and Founder of Good Clean Love

Try setting aside time each day when you and your partner can put down your devices and truly focus on one another. You can start by asking about and being engaged in a conversation about each other’s day, or even explore your fears, desires, and more. Extra credit points if you can bring up something your significant other mentioned the last time you talked or that you know is happening in their work life.

3. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Your first few dates with your significant other were probably pretty exciting because they gave you the chance to have new experiences with a brand new person. In those early days, you learned all about your partner’s interests, met each other’s friends, and maybe even traveled to new places together. But as we get comfortable and reveal more of our real, ordinary selves to each other, we tend to settle into our routines. At this point, date night might not involve getting out of our comfort zone quite as often.

This spring, try broadening your horizons by choosing a new date night idea.

• If you live in a city with public transportation, get on a bus or train to explore a neighborhood you’ve never visited. Sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor or your city’s newspaper listings are a great resource to find gatherings, concerts or even new restaurants.   
• Are you and your date readers? Go to your favorite bookstore, split up, and find a new book to gift your date.
• The nature lovers will appreciate this date day idea: take your partner on a foraging walk. Along the way, pick up flowers, grasses, foliage, branches and more to make your own bouquet(s).
• Do you have some exotic locales on your bucket list? Sign yourselves up to learn a new language so you can finally take that post-COVID trip to Barcelona or Tokyo.

4. Indulge Your Fantasies

If you’ve been dating your significant other for a while, you’ve likely developed a high level of trust and comfort with one another. You may also have some stale routines that need a refresh. Why not experiment with something you or your partner have always wanted to try in the bedroom?

Maybe you’ve always wondered about a new position that looks enticing. Or maybe you’ve wanted to play out your partner’s fantasy with roleplay. Or perhaps you have been intrigued by a new sex toy.

Keep in mind that it’s essential to communicate when you’re experimenting with new things in the bedroom. It will help you find out what your partner secretly desires and ensures everyone is on board before jumping in.

Conclusion

Any one of these ideas should get you started down a fresh path with your partner this spring. The best way to breathe new life into your relationship is to reflect on what you have together, build on what you learn from each other, and give something new a try.