Romantic Tips to Turn Up the Heat in Your Love Relationship
By Susie and Otto Collins

Do you wistfully remember the sweet gifts and love letters your partner bestowed on you before and while you dated. Perhaps you remember those butterflies in the stomach sensations that seem a distant memory.

It might have seemed as if you two were the only people in the world, holding hands, kissing endlessly, and even making love passionately for hours at a time.

Now your life together may be filled with so many other things that you feel more pulled apart instead close together as you were before. You might want to re-kindle passion between yourself and your mate but not know how to get it back.

Ellen often wishes she could turn back time and have her husband Ken turn into the romantic guy he seemed to be when they first got together.

It seems that he just doesn't have time anymore for those little touches in their relationship that made her feel so special. Some days Ellen even cries as she sifts through a box of love poems and cards Ken created for her years ago.

With a bit of refocusing and looking at your partner in a new way, Ellen and Ken-- as well as you and your partner-- can enjoy romance in your relationship that lasts. Believe it or not, it starts before you even get to the bedroom.

Here are 4 ways to infuse your relationship with more romance and they may surprise you...

#1: Even if you are busy or tired, open your heart to your partner. Opening your heart means taking the time to listen and understand your partner. It means telling your partner what's important to you and not making assumptions.

It means not using the "I'm tired" or "Not tonight, I have a headache" excuse to stop love-making. Be honest about why you aren't in the mood and take a few moments to connect in other ways.

Ellen realizes that she is often tired when Ken wants to connect with her. Just as she's ready to settle down with a good book before sleep, he seems to appear wanting to talk or make love.

As she makes the intention to enjoy more romance in her relationship, Ellen acknowledges that Ken does make time for connection-- it's just not always when she wants it.

She decides to open up to connecting when Ken comes to her as well as extending herself to him when she is wanting to be close.

#2: Never go to bed angry. Of all the couples we've talked with and interviewed who have been married 30, 40, and 50 years, this is the most consistent advice they have given us.

Take some time when a conflict comes up between the two of you to talk it out. Listen to each other with love and not judgment.

#3: Be generous with sincere compliments and
appreciation. Sincere compliments and appreciation can uplift you and your partner-and can draw you closer. So often a compliment or a word of thanks is followed up by a complaint. If this is your habit, stop doing it.

Ellen also realizes that she tends to be critical of Ken and to use him as the receiver of her daily frustrations.  She's beginning to understand why he doesn't write love poems anymore-- especially as she thinks back to some recent criticisms she's made of him!

With this clearer view, Ellen resolves to give Ken at least one sincere compliment each day.

#4: Continue to explore each other. There's always something new you can learn about your loved one, even if you have been together for many years. Don't assume that you know everything about your partner.

These are just a few ideas you could try to begin
rekindling the trust and passion between the two of you which can help keep your relationship alive, passionate and filled with love.

At any moment, you an open up to the love that's there for you. The choice is yours to see it, receive it and share in it.

We hope that you'll join us in choosing love more of the time.