What Do You Do after the Honeymoon Phase?

What Do You Do after the Honeymoon Phase? – One of the biggest obstacles that a relationship must survive is the end of the honeymoon phase. Once the initial excitement of the beginning of the relationship starts to fade, and the realities of life start to get in the way of you both spending time together, that rush of excitement begins to diminish. At the start of the relationship, it feels like everything will be perfect forever, but like everything in life, nothing is perfect. But the end of the honeymoon phase can be the beginning of a new phase in your relationship and can give you the opportunity to explore each other on another level. Here is what you can do after the honeymoon phase and some of the new things you can do with your partner.

Set Aside Time for Each Other… and Stick to It!

After the honeymoon phase is over, it is easy to become complacent and take each other for granted. You can get so used to the other person being around that you aren’t as committed to plans that you make as you were at the beginning of the relationship. To avoid this, you should ensure that you set aside time to spend together every week and make sure that you both stick to it. This can be as simple as one planned date night a week.

There are plenty of different activities you and your partner can do together, both inside and outside the house. They can be as creative as you like. It isn’t achievable to go out for meals a few times a week, but you can set aside some time for each other and show your partner that they are a priority to you.

Accept That You Are Going to Argue Sometimes

Despite all the things that you love about your partner and all the reasons you want to be with them, they are going to do things that annoy you. After a while together, their bad habits can become more prevalent than their good habits, but this is normal! Don’t let the occasional bad habit ruin your relationship. Nobody is perfect and occasionally you guys are going to argue. Sometimes the worst arguments are about the smallest issues. But don’t worry, the arguments are not important.

The making up is an important part of your relationship now. As part of a stable and long-term relationship, you are learning to accept each other for who they really are and without any of the new relationship pretenses, we sometimes create for ourselves. Arguments can just be a natural aspect of spending more time together. Occasionally it is worth considering how worthwhile the argument really is and to try to move past it wherever possible.

Learn to Compromise

As part of the differences you can see between you and your partner, you both need to work on finding the middle ground between both of your needs. Compromising is a skill that all couples will benefit from mastering. Rather than focusing solely on your own needs, learn to consider your partner’s needs and find a way that leaves both of you satisfied.

Learn to accept criticism and don’t compete to try and win the argument all the time. Accept what they say about you and take it on board as feedback on how you can be an even better person. Try not to feel down about any criticisms your partner makes of you. Don’t forget that you are the awesome person they chose to be in a relationship with. Also, it may be practical to rethink your expectations from your partner and understand that due to a commitment at work, for example, they are unable to give you as much time and attention as you would like. But if your partner is making the effort in other ways then there is no reason why this should cause your relationship any problems.

Ensure that you appreciate each other and utilize the time you do have to spend together, despite both of your busy schedules.

Encourage Each Other

Despite the importance of your relationship, both of you have your own lives that you shouldn’t neglect just because you are together. You both have your own separate goals and aspirations and you should totally be encouraging each other to chase those dreams. Sharing your dreams with your partner can bring you closer together. Not only can this allow for your partner to achieve new things, but it can change how you see them and keep that spark and novelty alive. Seeing your partner with new-found confidence as a product of their successes can really reignite your attraction. So, make sure you keep supporting your partner and encourage them to be the best version of themselves.

Show That You Appreciate Each Other

Once the honeymoon phase is over, you stop appreciating each other. To avoid this, it is important that you both show your gratitude for each other and tell each other how much you appreciate your relationship on a regular basis. Try leaving your partner little notes, where only they will find them, and tell them you love them. But also, if your partner does something thoughtful for you then make sure you show how much it means to you and that you are grateful for it. Take the time to listen to each other and appreciate the problems your partner may have with you or your relationship. Your partner will feel much more appreciated if they feel listened to.

Have Your Second First Date

The aim of this is to recapture the early day’s spark that you are both so fond of. By getting dressed up for each other and really making the effort to enjoy a traditional date together again, you are reaffirming all the reasons you fell in love in the first place. It is so easy to get into a lazy routine with your date nights after being together for a while. A few months into the relationship and date night turns into pajamas and pizza night – which is great too! But occasionally, you guys need to make an effort for each other so you can maintain that special bond you are both so lucky to have found.

Spice up the Bedroom

This is an obvious thing you can do to return that spark of excitement in your relationship. When you first met, you probably got to know each other sexually and now have a good idea of each other’s preferences. But this doesn’t mean that your bedroom activity must stay the same. You will have developed a strong bond with your partner throughout the honeymoon phase, so use that trust and connection to try new things with each other.

Trying new things can involve a wide range of things. You can try a new position that you’ve thought about testing out. Or consider using something like a new sex toy to spice things up. You can start to explore intimacy through your meaningful connection with each other. Feeling comfortable with your partner is not just a sign of the end of the honeymoon phase; it can be the start of you both entering an experimental phase where you try new things together.

Make Plans for Your Future Together

Now don’t panic! This isn’t where you agree to the marriage, a house, children, and a golden Labrador. But you can start to make plans for your future together as a couple. This can be as simple as planning and booking your vacation for later in the year or even going on that day trip you keep talking about doing.

By making plans together based on your future offers stability and shows you are committed to each other and your relationship.  You could make a list of all the different types of things you both want to try together and make a promise to each other to have completed them all by a certain date. And, of course, if you both feel that you are ready, you can make bigger plans for your future like moving in together or getting married! But no matter what stage you are at in your relationship, you can look forward and make plans together and strength your commitment to each other.

There is no denying it. Relationships are hard. But they can be so worthwhile and rewarding when you finally find the one person who acts as a partner and best friend who you can do anything with, and it really is a great feeling. Don’t worry if you are clashing over small issues. Being together as much as most partners are is bound to bring out the annoying and ugly sides of each other. But don’t see the end of the honeymoon phase as the end of the best part of your relationship. See this as a new opportunity to further your irreplaceable bond with each other and have some extra fun in all areas in your relationship – including the bedroom! Ultimately, relationships are about having fun and enjoying yourself, so make sure that is what you and your partner are doing.