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You don’t need to be a hardcore romantic to enjoy the beauty of romance.
Photo by Fabrizio Verrecchia on Unsplash
What defines a romantic? If the clasped hands of an elderly couple make you say aww, you’re probably a romantic. If roses and ribbons living harmoniously in golden vases make you feel dreamy, you’re probably a romantic. If you can’t fathom watching a heartbreaking movie by anything but candlelight while draped in velvet and sipping Bordeaux, well that’s a little extra, but you’re definitely a romantic!
Of course, you don’t have to be an incurable, over-the-top romantic to appreciate a bit of romance in your day. Romance is a feeling of mystery, excitement, and a stepping away from everyday life. Why not give yourself the gift of time and layer some romantic moments into your everyday.
Need ideas? Let’s start with the basics:
Buy fresh flowers in colors that make you happy. Full of fragrance or lightly scented, if they make you want to gaze over at them dreamily, buy them.
Make time to read. Whether a classic trope or a just-off-the-presses story, make it lush and sweeping and heartfelt. Let the inspiration move you.
Run a soothing hot bath and fill it with salts in your favorite scent. Light candles, play some John Legend, Michael Bublé or Sade or whatever music helps you relax and enjoy the luxury of time with yourself.
Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash
Next level options:
Write a letter by hand to a friend or a loved one. Let the feel of your pen on some gorgeous stationery transport you to a time when communication happened at a slower pace. Include a sheet of paper and a return envelope to encourage a letter back.
Write a poem. Get lost in some languid language and pour your heart out on the page. It’s wonderful fun if you get into the process.
Start a diary. On paper or digital, it doesn’t matter. Putting thoughts to paper is the point.
Make a delicious hot drink, put on some acoustic music and gaze out the window at the sunset sinking into the horizon. More of a morning person? Watching the sunrise begin a new day is a truly magical experience.
Take a walk outside, either through lush gardens, a trail through the woods, or along a quiet shoreline. Gather treasures along the way, like colorful leaves, fragrant flowers, or sandy shells. Limit your photo taking to one every half hour and spend the rest of the time enjoying the experience of seeing it first-hand.
Photo by Kevin Schmid on Unsplash
Fun with friends:
Get dressed up and go dancing. Bring a partner if you have one (or find one when you get there!) or dance with yourself. Let the rhythmic sounds make your heart race.
Prefer a more intimate setting? Why not slow dance in your living room. Light candles, put on some soft music, and toast with champagne. Don’t forget to pair it with something chocolaty.
Go ice-skating or grab a cup of hot chocolate and watch. The chill in the air encourages cuddling.
If you have young ones, plan a backyard fairy-like picnic at dusk. String lights in branches and lay out colorful quilts. Put hot cider in a flask, bring some warmed hors d’oeuvres and fresh strawberries for your nibbles. If you’re crafty you can make flower hair rings and use willow branches as wands.
Host a tea party. Bring out your grandma’s lacy tablecloths and china if you have them, but it’s sharing a cuppa with another that makes it special.
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
Inspired yet? Remember romance isn’t all hearts and flowers. It’s also the small moments in life that allow us to step away from the mundane and experience the joy of living.
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