Emese Taylor

Sex & Relationship Therapist

Book an appointment 07943 621 149
emesetaylor@sextherapist.london

How to Enjoy the Perfect Date Night

The Date Night is something of a modern phenomenon that has willed itself into existence to help us with our increasingly busy lives and schedules to make time for those that we love.

Put simply, a Date Night is when a long standing couple puts aside one evening, commonly on a scheduled day of the week or month as their free time allows, to connect, enjoy their company and remind themselves of their affection for each other.

Ideally, this would be something that could happen with more spontaneity, but with life getting ever more frantic and the demands upon us rising all the more, many people find that making a special effort not only allows them some breathing space but can also become an enjoyable ritual in itself.

There can, however, be some degree of stigma with the concept of the Date Night. It is something often prescribed in therapy or self-help books as a means to rekindle a flagging relationship, so for some the suggestion of a date night could come across as a statement of dissatisfaction in the current relationship. This is certainly not always the case however, a Date Night is such a great suggestion under any circumstance as it is a fun and healthy way to keep a thriving connection with your partner.

The Date Night itself can be as simple or complicated as you wish. An elaborate evening at the theater followed by an expensive meal and high class bar is great, but so is a quiet night in with some good food and a snuggle on the sofa. The important part is to either strengthen or reconnect with the things that attracted you together in the first place.

Go to a late night museum, spend a weekend afternoon at the zoo, visit the seaside or other places from your childhood, sharing your memories with your partner. Maybe take up dance classes or other activities. I know of a couple that have taken up clay pigeon shooting together which not only provides them with a regular weekly occasion but has also widened their social circle with new friends and other engagements from this.

Your date can be anything so be creative. Go wild with your ideas, pretend the concerns of the modern world are behind you and you are carefree again. What would you have liked to have done then that you can do now? How about recreating your first date as a surprise and retracing those initial moments when you fell for each other?

And a final piece of vital advice – leave that mobile phone alone! If you have had to arrange a babysitter for your important event then of course you will need to keep a phone nearby to be sure that all is well, but other than this, do your best to leave your mobile device alone. Offer your partner your undivided attention, remind them (and yourself!) of how special they are to you and how lucky you feel to be with them.

Love needs work. It needs care and attention but the end results and the fun you can have along the way are more than worth the time and efforts involved.

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