If you cringe at the idea of romance, you’re not doing it right! Showing your love doesn’t have to be cringey. Learn how to be romantic in the right way.
Romance is a beautiful thing. When you’re new in love, even the cheesiest of gestures can feel so romantic. But as the relationship ages, awkwardness starts to set in and the cheesy ‘you-complete-me’ lines start to diminish. Now that doesn’t mean you love your partner less. It only means your infatuation has passed over and you’re now back in your senses. However, it’s a good idea to learn how to be romantic without being cheesy, so you can keep that honeymoon period alive for a little longer.
So how can you be romantic and express your feelings without being cheesy to the point where you have to curl your toes inside your shoes as you say something?
Well, there are ways.
If you feel awkward to walk down a street holding a bouquet of flowers or wearing a tee shirt that says “I’m with Stupid!” fret not, because love doesn’t always have to be cheesy or corny.
First things first, what is romance?
It is all hearts and flowers? Do you have to make big proclamations of love in public? Is it about grand gestures? Well, it can be, but it’s not always necessary.
If you Google the actual definition of romance, it tells you that it’s a “feeling of excitement associated with love”, or “an emotional feeling or strong attraction towards another person”. So, if we’re going to by the actual definition, you don’t really have to do anything to be romantic, you just have to have the feeling!
Of course, if you want to show your partner that you’re feeling this way about them, you need to take some action. The range of romantic actions is broad. It can be something as simple as saying “I love you”, or it can be something as grand as buying a hug bouquet of flowers and having them delivered to your partner’s place of work. It’s about what you’re comfortable with but it’s also just as important to know what they’re comfortable with too.
Many people complain that their partner isn’t romantic enough, but sometimes being overly romantic can be enough to make your toes curl up. Find the happy medium!
How to be romantic without being cheesy
If being romantic is a way of letting your partner know that you still love them, and letting them know that you depend on them and need them, then being romantic is easy.
You simply need to be romantic in your own way and if you can do that you’re definitely being romantic no matter what gesture you go for.
To get you started off on the right foot, here are a few ideas on how to be romantic. Use your own ideas and modify them to fit your needs.
1. Learning how to be romantic is in the little things you do
Love is in the details, we’ve all heard that but hardly a few of us ever do anything about it. If you want to be romantic, learn to be selfless. Go out of your way to do something special for your sweeter half, if you know that it would bring a pleasant smile on their face. Do something unexpected at times.
If your man’s late for a big meeting, pick out his clothes and place them neatly for him to wear it. If your woman wants to pick up a new book or has to head out late in the evening, start your car and wait for her on the driveway to give her a lift.
2. Give your attention
When you’re out with your partner, don’t ignore them, especially when you’re with others. Just because you’re having an interesting conversation with someone else doesn’t mean you should neglect your partner. Instead, involve your partner and make them feel like they’re the center of your world.
3. Talk about your feelings
Yes, this seems rather obvious at first. But how often do you ever come home at the end of a long day, sit close to your partner and talk about your day?
And how often do you ever just spend a lazy Sunday afternoon cozying up and talking about the good old days when you first met, about each other’s likes and dislikes and about how special and important your partner is to you? Signs of affection may mean a lot in love, but staying connected plays an important role too.
4. Compete with each other
Competition works in two ways. If you let ego get in the way, you’ll hate each other after a friendly fight. But if you respect each other, a bit of fun and games can bring both of you closer together and bring in a lot of laughs too.
Play games, be it a pillow fight, a board game or a game on the console. Compete with each other, and congratulate each other. There are no losers here. When you’re done playing, both of you will feel happier, more relaxed and cuddly, more in love and a lot more affectionate towards each other.
5. Take breaks together on a regular basis
If both of you are leading busy lives away from each other, go away on a vacation or a little getaway a few times a year to rekindle the together times and the romance. Even an overnight getaway will do just fine. Take time to isolate yourselves from the world, because it’s the only way to realize how special both of you are to each other.
6. Create memories to look back on
Memories last a lifetime. There’s nothing in the world that can feel more romantic and romance inducing as perfect memories. As time flies, we forget those stolen glances and those special moments that are so full of love. Create memories often, either by snapping away your cherished moments or by videotaping it.
Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to watch a happy anniversary surprise or a funny prank a decade later? Romance doesn’t always have to be about love, at times, happiness can be just as romantic.
7. Be nice to each other!
This is especially when both of you are out together. If you’re the guy, be chivalrous. If you’re the girl, compliment your man and make him feel like a protector. When you treat each other with love and respect, you subconsciously feel better about yourself and the relationship. And when someone’s nice to you, you can’t help but be nice back in return. This is the reason why perfect first dates are so romantic.
Go out of your ways to make the other person feel special no matter how long you you’ve been in a relationship with each other. It’ll make every moment feel so much more romantic and beautiful.
8. Show off your love
Love is experienced between two people, but is best experienced when the world knows all about it. As much as love may be a private moment, we’re still humans with the need to feel better about ourselves. Your partner may not care about public shows of affection, but don’t stop indulging in it.
Make proclamations of love in public or surprise your partner by having flowers or gifts delivered to their workplace. It may be embarrassing, but it always feels good to be the lucky one who’s getting showered with attention.
If you don’t like displaying your love in the open, buy little inexpensive gifts for your partner when you go shopping by yourself. It shows that you think about your lover all the time, and it really is a very special and romantic gesture.
9. Hug your partner regularly
Or kiss them when they least expect it. Have you ever felt an overwhelming rush of affection towards your partner? Don’t stop yourself when you feel love well up inside you. If your lover’s working or cooking, walk up from behind and give them a warm hug and a kiss for no reason at all.
When you hug your lover and rest all your weight on them helplessly, it’ll make your partner either laugh out or feel protective about you. And let’s not forget, it is a really romantic way to say ‘I love you’.
10. Add in a little humor when learning how to be romantic
Tease each other all the time. Have fun, play little games, and pull each other’s legs and cuddle at the end of it all. The more you laugh and have a good time with each other, the more love and romance you’ll bring into the relationship.
Sometimes, it’s alright to be a child and indulge in silly games with each other. Ever watched a cute couple pillow fight on the telly? You can’t help smiling, can you? Indulge in the same silly things, and you’ll truly know how to be romantic.
11. Cater to the needs of your partner
If your partner seems tired and a little lacking in energy, why not treat them? When they come home from work, have a nice meal ready on the table, buy their favorite cake or snacks, and pamper them a little. If your partner seems stressed out, tell them that you understand them and give a massage to help ease away some of that tension.
Simply being mindful of how your partner is feeling outside of the relationship and doing what you can to help is the pinnacle of learning how to be romantic.
12. Listen and take note!
Far too many people don’t really know how to listen. They hear words, but they go in one ear and back out the other. Listen to what your partner is telling you and take it on board. That means you can use that information to surprise them in pleasant ways later.
For instance, if your partner tells you they have a presentation at work on Monday, remember that detail and send them a “good luck” message just before the presentation. Then, perhaps have some flowers waiting when they get home or their favorite meal.
The fact that you took note, listened, and remembered is super romantic and they’re sure to appreciate it.
13. Have regular date nights
It’s easy for life to get in the way and before you know it, the romance has gone out of your relationship. To help stop that from happening to you, or at least reduce its effects, have regular date nights and never rearrange or cancel them! These nights need to be a priority for both of you, because it’s about spending time together. You don’t have to do anything major; you can just go out for a meal, a few drinks, or even the cinema, but it’s about being with one another.
14. Learn how to be romantic by sending some sweet texts
When someone is having a long day or they’re just going about their business in a monotonous manner, receiving a cute message is a great way to put a smile on their face. Send a random text in the middle of the day, telling them how much you love them and appreciate them. It’s not cheesy, it’s cute! However, don’t do it all the time otherwise it really loses the shine!
15. Focus on experiences, rather than gifts
It’s easy to think that if you want to be romantic you have to buy a big gift or endless bunches of flowers. That’s not the case. Gifts are nice, for sure, but they don’t always say what you want to say. Sometimes it’s just a quick throw away gesture and not something which really means anything. After all, anyone can buy a gift.
To make it really special, focus on experiences instead. Rather than buying flowers, surprise your partner with a picnic in the park. Do something you’ve both always wanted to do. Don’t always focus on gifts and assume that’s what romance is – it’s not!
Learning how to be romantic doesn’t have to be cheesy. It’s just about being attentive and showing your partner that you love them and appreciate them being around. If you want to jump up on and down on a sofa and shout it from the top of your lungs, go for it, but make sure your partner isn’t going to be cringing away in the corner! Focus on gestures that you’re comfortable with and which your partner will appreciate, rather than curling their toes at.
If you’re looking for ways on how to be romantic and loving without being cheesy, just use these 10 ideas and create your own magical moments in romance. It’ll definitely bring more love and romance into your lives.
