Surprises are important to include in your relationship because they boost excitement, show thoughtfulness, and strengthen the emotional bond between you. They demonstrate that you’re actively thinking about your partner, appreciating them, and willing to put in effort to show affection.
By injecting novelty and breaking routine, surprises can create lasting, positive memories and trigger happiness-inducing chemicals in the brain!
How surprises can benefit your relationship:
- Boosts excitement and passion: Unexpected gestures can revive passion and prevent a relationship from becoming monotonous.
- Shows thoughtfulness and appreciation: Surprises show your partner they are on your mind and that you are willing to go out of your way to make them smile, which helps prevent feelings of being taken for granted.
- Creates strong, positive memories: The brain prioritizes and stores unexpected events, making these moments more memorable, deepening the emotional impact of the experience.
- Increases happiness: The surprise factor can trigger a release of dopamine, a “feel-good” neurotransmitter, creating a more intense positive feeling than a predictable event.
- Deepens connection: Surprises provide opportunities for shared laughter and new experiences, fostering deeper personal connections.
- Can shift moods: A thoughtful surprise can break someone out of a negative mindset or a momentary dark emotion, replacing it with a sudden positive one.
- Demonstrates commitment: Surprises show that you are actively invested in the relationship’s well-being and are willing to be playful and spontaneous.
You can add surprises to your relationship by performing small acts of kindness, like doing a chore for your partner, leaving a sweet note, or planning grand gestures such as a surprise getaway or tickets to an event.
Examples of possible surprises for your partner:
- Small gestures: Leaving a thoughtful note, sending a spontaneous “thinking of you” text, or picking up their favorite food for you to share.
- Practical help: Tidying up a shared space, doing a chore they usually handle, or fixing something that needs attention.
- Romantic moments: Planning an unexpected date night, or buying small, thoughtful gifts without a special occasion.
- Leave notes: Write a love letter or hide small notes in places they’ll find them, like their wallet, gym bag, pockets, or lunchbox.
- Do a chore: Take over a task that is usually their responsibility, such as doing the laundry, cleaning the car, filling up their gas tank, or taking out the trash.
- Prepare a meal or drink: Make their favorite dinner, breakfast in bed, or have a cup of coffee or bath ready for them when they come home.
- Listen and follow up: Pay attention to the small things they mention, like wanting to read a specific book or watch a movie, and then follow through.
- Plan a getaway: Arrange a spontaneous weekend trip or a fun date night, handling all the logistics so they don’t have to.
- Create a special experience: Plan a scavenger hunt, recreate your first date, set up a themed movie night at home, get tickets for a concert, play, sporting event you know they would love.
- Book a service: Schedule a car detail, a massage, a pedicure, or another self-care appointment for them.
- Make a personalized gift: Create a photo album, a scrapbook of your memories, or a playlist of songs that are special to both of you.
