How do you keep a relationship loving, intimate, alive and growing over the long haul?

We are constantly on the look out for ideas to
keep the spark alive in our relationship and we love passing them on to you.

Here are some ideas from three people who
agreed to share how they keep their relationship alive and growing in one of our recent surveys...

1. Be open to trying new things.

"For our marriage it is the openness to try different, new things. Go to new places, buy new things, try new activities. Just the willingness and the openness to do any of these things has a great power. Whether
we continue them or not isn't the point its the trying it and being honest. Its showing trust in the other persons ideas. We have found simple things like playing a computer game my husband truly enjoys but I have
never tried. Going to a new place that I have gone but he hasn't."

2. Change things up and flirt with each other.

"After 12 years of marriage and 4 kids, my wife and I understand the need to 'work' to keep intimacy in our relationship. Truth be told, it is not work. We are both very good at doing the small things... sweet talk, gentle
touches throughout the day, demonstrate respect for each other. But we also look to change things up a bit. I recently bought my wife a new cell phone with texting capabilities. I taught how to text and she almost immediately began texting me highly suggestive messages while I am at the office. By the end of the day, we have worked each other up mentally that we are really looking forward to see each other when I get home. Poor kids get sent to bed early A LOT recently."

3. Surprise your partner and communicate daily.

"One of the key things we do to keep our relationship alive is to make sure we can surprise each other. Surprises can take the form of presents of course, or simply an unexpected evening out, meal for two or even a gesture, a kind word here and there, a joke, a new way of looking at things, a
new aspect to the relationship, a new activity together. Otherwise, of course communication is key, and being open to listen to the others' concerns and feeling able to express one's own concerns is extremely important. We schedule time on a daily basis to see how the other person's day went, and
also at the weekend to reflect over the week. When travelling, there are many forms of communication which can help to keep things alive, so we're thinking of each other:
text messages, phone calls, e-mail."

If you have other ways of keep your relationship loving, alive and growing, we invite you to send us your story.

Red Hot Love Relationships