Five Ways You Can Show Love Any Day of the Year (not just Valentine’s Day) is written in partnership with Shopstyle

On December 19th my husband and I celebrated our 23rd year of marriage and that only means one thing….I’ve spent the last 23 years sleeping, in the biblical sense, with the same man. Aka now more than ever I need to brush up on Five Ways You Can Show Love Any Day of the Year (not just Valentine’s Day) and remember that love is not just what happens between the sheets!

And while at this point I couldn’t imagine doing his signature counter clockwise swirl with any other male- let’s put it this way- our sex life while adequate does not include: swinging from the chandelier and lighting candles.

I hate admitting that at times I’d rather be playing Scrabble than having sex with my husband, and that watching paint dry is at times infinitely more exciting than my married sex life.

I think ultimately the bottom line is it’s challenging to keep one’s married sex life as titillatingly fresh as that dating and newlywed sex you and your partner once engaged in. More than anything I want to chuck my take-one- for-the-team attitude and really begin to think more in terms of the phrase Carpe Diem when thinking about having sex with my beloved husband. And while it is wonderful that Valentine’s Day is the one day a year that we are encouraged to take our romance up a notch I would love to keep that romantic cheer going all year long Five Ways You Can Show Love Any Day of the Year!

To help all you married ladies out there, as well as myself, keep reading for Five Ways You Can Show Love Any Day of the Year – aka fun and practical ways to keep that romance going 365 days a year.

Five Ways You Can Show Love Any Day of the Year

#1 Rather than make sex a big occasion where you pull out the stops once or twice a year, make an intention to simply focus on performing an intimate act each week. Just don’t wait for a special occasion or until things are ‘perfect’. Life is imperfect, and sex can be imperfect too.

A beautiful poem about letting go and allowing yourself to fall into your lover’s arms by Janne Robinson. Excerpted from her poetry collection “This Is For The Women Who Don’t Give A F#CK” published by Thought Catalog Books | ShopCatalog.com.

#2 It is never the ‘wrong’ time to share your love with your partner, but when you only do so on special occasions like Valentine’s Day or your anniversary, your significant other might feel as though you are just going through the motions. A dozen roses on V-Day might make them smile, but imagine how much more excited they would be to receive a bouquet on a random Tuesday in the middle of a boring week?

#3 That being said, it does not have to be about material goods. When was the last time you complimented your partner? A genuine, whole-hearted compliment where you look into their eyes and share praise, praise that deeply celebrates who your partner is. Not just how they look (although those compliments are great too) but compliments that focus on who they are, on their unique light, on their being.

#4 Quality time can also be a ‘compliment’ of sorts. When you put your phone down and actually LISTEN to your partner, the affect can be quite dramatic. When you remove those tech distractions and set an intention to be wholly present when you are alone with your partner, you are sending a powerful message: You are important to me. You matter more than anything. I am here. I am with you. Being here now is my priority. Loving you is my privilege. When you commit to making gestures like that part of your daily relationship, you will do untold good for your bond, your emotional well-being and your sexual connection.

#5 And the most important piece of advice to keep the romance going 365 days a year -don’t forget to think of your bedroom as a sanctuary, a place that you escape to an oasis and just have fun! When you turn your bedroom into an oasis for romance, you’ll find that you both want to spend more time there together

So how can you make your bedroom feel more fabulous?

Ditch the non romantic clutter. Move the exercise equipment and all traces of work to another room including pics of your in-laws!

Remember to have FUN in the bedroom too–with aphrodisiacs like CHOCOLATE!

Put your fudge making skills to the test with Fudge Kitchen ‘s Make Your Own Fudge kit . Ideal to make creamy, smooth and devilishly different fudge from the comfort of your own home, this is your chance to get creative in the kitchen. A great gift idea, this kit supplies you with everything you need from a sugar themometer, apron and enough ingredients to make three batches of fudge.

Bottom line: You Don’t Need a Reason which is all about showing your partner love on any day of the year, not just on particular holidays when we feel obligated.