Garance Galore

I am a huge believer in nurturing relationships, no matter the nature of the relationship.

I believe that you need to take care of your special bond with the people you love.

And when you are married, it is essential to make sure that the love is being taken care of on a daily basis.

I often hear people talking about ‘the routine’ as a negative thing or how bad life gets after you get out of the ‘honeymoon’ phase, and even though it can be true, I also think that we (partners) have more power to avoid negative patterns into our life than we actually think. Routine does not have to be this boring cycle that we try to escape from so desperately.

It’s with my best intentions that I’d love to share with you 4 ways my husband and I are actively taking care of our relationship. These pieces of advice might seem very logical or even obvious, but the little things go a long way!

Greeting each other at the door

He’s coming home, but you’re too busy or tired to get up and say hi. You live together anyway, so you will see each other eventually. I get it !

I know this might not seem like a big deal, but I really think that it is.

I always try to come to the door whenever I hear the keys jingling, because who doesn’t like to see excitement in their partner’s eyes after a long day? Well, I do!

I think it’s important to try and make the effort, even though it’s not always that easy. This is something A and I both do every single day. And if one of us is too tired, busy, or simply doesn’t hear the other one coming in, the other would just run to them before doing anything else.

I truly believe that this small attention makes the biggest difference not only in your own mood but also in your relationship. That’s the kind of routine you never get tired of. At least, I don’t !

Saying ‘Thank you’

We never hold back the thank yous. Saying thank you, even for things that we are ‘supposed to do’ shows that you are seeing what your partner did and that you truly appreciate it.

I had days when I was overtired and kind of annoyed because I spent my day cleaning, but seeing A’s reaction followed by the sweetest ‘Thank you so much for cleaning’ made me forget about the tiredness.

Never underestimate how good it feels to be seen and appreciated.

Eating together

I grew up in a house where everyone could eat whenever they were hungry. Expect for Christmas or big occasions, I never really saw my parents eating together, which sounded crazy to my husband, who had the opposite experience with his parents.

In the very beginning of our relationship, he often felt frustrated when I would start eating without him because he was at work and I was already home. Now, he was obviously ok with me snacking before dinner (lol), but it was important to him that we have a proper meal at the table together.

And after a few years, I totally get it, and in fact, this is now a tradition I hold very close to my heart.

Not only it is a special time to (re)connect, but it’s also a caring gesture to simply wait for one another.

If you are not practicing this with your partner, I highly encourage you to do so ; )

Asking for (and listening to) each other’s opinion

If you share a bed, a roof, and a joint bank account, I think you should absolutely ask each other’s opinions about situations you find yourself in, or decisions you’re about to take.

I mean, you married this person because you like the way they view life, and (hopefully) because you believe that they are a great person, so why not hear what they have to say?

I’m not talking about asking authorization or not having your own thoughts (you can always agree to disagree!) but rather seeking your special person’s opinion on life challenges – no matter how small, like you would with a friend.

Not only do you remind your person that you care about their input, but you also consider them and recognize the space and impact they have in your life.

We all hold different views when it comes to marriage, but to me, it’s a life you decided to share, so why not do it fully?

I hope you felt inspired to show some extra love to your other half today, or at least that you felt somewhat entertained.

Until next time!

Garance