7 Ways to Get the Spark Back

“Love is like a campfire: It may be sparked quickly, and at first the kindling throws out a lot of heat, but it burns out quickly. For long lasting, steady warmth (with delightful bursts of intense heat from time to time), you must carefully tend the fire.” ~ Molleen Matsumura

No matter how perfectly matched you are with your partner, there will be a time when the romance wanes. I recall always hearing stories about the “5 year itch” – a term used to describe when married couples reach an inflection point. Each time I heard about this “itch” I completely dismissed it as a real possibility for my wife and me. After all, we were the “perfect couple” (aligned values, rarely fought, passionate). Then, in what felt like an outer body experience, there my wife and I were in year 5 of our marriage going through what felt like hurricane Katrina.

I’m happy to tell you we survived (we recently celebrated 10 years of marriage) and in many ways are stronger and better connected than ever. The lessons I learned can be applied to any couple (married or not) seeking to regain that spark. The following 7 steps will help you to regain the romance in your relationship.

Read more: http://www.essence.com/2011/08/08/7-ways-to-get-the-spark-back-in-your-relationship/#ixzz1YS4uFHde