Couples Who Still Deeply Love Each Other After Decades Always Keep These 11 Rituals
Certain rituals keep a relationship strong and resilient.
Dmytro Zinkevych | Shutterstock When a couple builds a relationship over time, they fall into certain patterns that are meant to strengthen their connection. Whether it's making time for weekly date nights or going on spontaneous adventures together, couples who still deeply love each other after decades always keep these rituals. These rituals create open communication, security, and an emotional bond within the relationship.
When all of these things thrive, the relationship is able to become stronger, resilient, and more loving, no matter what life throws the way of the couple. Being intentional about putting certain rituals first makes it a breeze for a couple to grow together and create something that can withstand the test of time.
Couples who still deeply love each other after decades always keep these 11 rituals
1. Weekly date nights
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A couple can remain in love with each other when they make time for weekly date nights. By dedicating this time to one another, they can foster romance and novelty, as well as improve their communication.
"Most couples experience a decline in relationship quality after a few years, partly because they become habituated to one another and are more likely to take one another, and their relationship, for granted," according to a report from the National Marriage Project. Luckily, weekly date nights help to combat this and keep partners appreciating one another.
2. Daily morning kisses
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Couples who still deeply love each other after decades always keep the ritual of daily morning kisses. It not only strengthens the emotional bond between both partners, it also deepens the connection and releases serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.
Each person getting to start their day like this helps them approach the day ahead with a positive and uplifted energy. They feel more satisfied within their relationship and have the confidence to keep their head up.
"During the act of kissing, sensations go directly to the limbic system that is the part of the brain associated with love, passion and lust. As the neural impulses travel from lips, tongue, facial muscles and skin, a love cocktail is produced in the body causing a natural high," relationship experts Linda and Charlie Bloom explained.
3. Spontaneous acts of affection
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When a couple participates in daily spontaneous acts of affection, they are likely to stay together for quite a long time. These acts help each partner feel a sense of emotional security and adds excitement to the relationship. Whether it's a random hug, kiss, or hand-hold, couples who still deeply love each other after decades always keep these rituals.
A strong long-term relationship remains healthy when a couple feels confident in their connection, which can develop from acts of affection. And not only does affection have incredible benefits of a relationship, as multiple research studies have shown, but it creates resilience among couples.
4. Weekend getaways
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Planning romantic weekend getaways allows couples time to break away from their everyday routine and prioritize their relationship instead. It lets them push all their responsibilities and stressors to the back of their mind, and focus on one another.
"Studies in relationship psychology reveal that shared experiences are powerful bonding agents. When couples step outside of their routine, they activate new neural pathways associated with excitement and reward. Traveling together offers opportunities to face challenges, solve problems, and create memories that release 'love hormones' like oxytocin and dopamine, reinforcing emotional closeness," experts from Hidden Honey Homes pointed out.
5. Weekly game or movie nights
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By dedicating time each week to have a movie or game night, couples spend quality time together and build a sense of trust. Not only does doing these activities together generate positive emotions for each partner, they also learn to compromise more easily.
According to Utah State University professor Naomi Brower, citing multiple research studies, "Playing together increases bonding, communication, conflict resolution, and relationship satisfaction. Play can also promote spontaneity when life seems routine, serve as a reminder of positive relationship history, and promote intimacy."
Brower added, "Having fun together can help couples feel positive emotions, which can increase relationship satisfaction, help couples to unite in order to overcome differences and give hope when working through difficult challenges."
6. Daily communication
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Couples who stay deeply in love with one another for decades practice open and effective communication on a daily basis. This allows for a strong relationship that's built on trust. When there's a stable foundation and trust thrives within a relationship, it's easier for a couple to foster emotional intimacy, which helps them prosper together long-term.
Open communication allows for each partner to feel heard and seen, and that makes a couple more likely to survive the challenges their relationship will inevitably face
7. Physical and emotional intimacy
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When a couple engages in weekly physical and emotional intimacy, they form a strong bond and connection that can last forever. Intimacy is essential in a relationship, and fosters deep vulnerability and understanding.
A couple who prioritizes intimacy are capable of withstanding relationship struggles and conflicts. Intimacy helps both partners feel heard and seen, which improves the overall stability and health of the relationship.
8. Pursuing shared goals
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Couples who still deeply love each other after decades always keep the ritual of pursuing shared goals. It's easy for couples to drift apart when they don't have the same ideas in mind, but when couples support one another and have a shared vision for the future, they feel a sense of purpose.
When a ritual like this is a priority in a relationship, unity and a deep emotional connection can thrive. And if these two things are strong, a couple is likely to stay together for a long time.
9. Doing activities together
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Couples who routinely do activities together remain deep in love, as their emotional connection grows deeper and they create shared memories that stick with them through every phase of their relationship.Whether it's listening to music, volunteering, or trying something new and terrifying with one another, they're bonding and growing closer.
According to a study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, couples who spend time together doing exciting and new things are more satisfied in their relationships. This is probably because trying new things together prevents couples from stalling out. Because when they're able to bond over and experience, it just builds connection.
10. Spontaneous acts of kindness
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By doing spontaneous acts of kindness, for no reason at all, a couple's relationship can grow much closer and allow both partners to form a stronger emotional connection. Acts of kindness not only boost happiness for both people involved, but can encourage couples to be more generous.
"Kindness doesn't have to be momentous to make an impact. While grand overtures of kindness can be appreciated... it's often the little things carried out on a regular basis that have the most powerful effect since we live our lives together from moment to moment. These small acts of kindness, like offering to do the dishes or driving your child to school so that your spouse can sleep in, can have ripple effects and add up over time, strengthening our loving connections," psychologists Suzie Pileggi Pawelski and James Pawelski explained.
11. Celebrating accomplishments
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By celebrating accomplishments, both big and small, couples create a sense of teamwork and emotional support within their relationship. And these two things are crucial in making sure each partner feels like they don't have to face challenges alone and can be happy about their wins. Having someone to lean on creates resilience and emotional intimacy between partners.
Though not all relationships stand the test of time, when couples celebrate with each other, they're showing that the trust and support is always there. And these can help a couple keep their relationship strong for years to come.
Kamryn Idol is a writer with a bachelor's degree in media and journalism who covers lifestyle, relationship, family, and wellness topics.
