Happy Habit 4: Weekly date night

A new month, a new happy habit!

Let’s see. So far, we’ve had:

Happy Habit 1: Read for half an hour daily
Happy Habit 2: Take a pen and idea notebook everywhere I go
Happy Habit 3: Work less, play more

Drum roll and jazz hands…. The Happy Habit for this month is *Badum Tss*:

Every week, spend at least one evening doing something fun with your partner.

What?

This month is an open invitation to get creative about spending quality time with quality people. The challenge: actively create date nights. Now, if you’re not in a relationship at the moment, you’re not off the hook. I would like to challenge you to do the same, only by yourself or with a friend. Create some quality self-love time or catch up with your favourite people. Take yourself to the movies, organise a girls-night or drink beer with your buddy at that new pub.
The point of this new habit is to actively break your routine. You’ll have a certain predictable pattern you are likely to fall into. Whether it is watching a movie together, couch slouching or whatever else. Those can be wonderful and comfortable things to do together, so I’m not saying there is something wrong with that by all means. What I am saying, is to actively choose your activities, not to mindlessly fall into them because you don’t have a clue of what else to do. If you want a movie night, then make it a movie night! Put up a screen and create a garden cinema, make homemade pizza, light some candles, drink whatever the people in the movie are drinking, dress up in theme of the movie or build a blanket fort first and watch your movie in your fort. Put in some effort! I will guarantee that the night instantly feels more special.

Why?

It’s not that Joran and I never actively look for fun engaging activities. We do. But I think that creating a habit of looking for new, creative ways of spending time together is a great way to make the most out of your relationship. I believe it’s important that you expose yourself to new experiences. It helps you to grow as a person and to feel creative and inspired. I also think that if you do new things together with someone else, it strengthens your relationship. It makes you grow together.
I want to look back on a life of amazing stories, not one in which you say ‘remember that night we watched a movie on Netflix?’ (I don’t even have Netflix, but you get the point.) You create your own history. Let the memories be good ones, adventurous ones, funny ones, scary ones that turned out fine. Live a little. Have something to tell your grandchildren, or your 12 cats.

How?

Brainstorm ideas! What have you always dreamed of doing? Perhaps it’s something you would both like to try. Look at what local activities there are in your neighborhood. Try out weird random stuff together, like playing bingo at the elderly home, exploring an exhibition on toothbrushes or join a lecture on how to nurture a bonsai tree. Check out bulletin boards. Keep an eye out on flyers, posters and local websites. Use your network for ideas on what’s interesting in town. You might also want to check out these 35 fun date ideas for when the weather sucks or my 1001 ideas. And finally, work with what you’ve got. Dates don’t have to be expensive or include going out. Your home and imagination provides an endless source of possibilities.

Do you have any fun dates scheduled that you’re excited about? Do you have any recommendations or ideas you think I will love doing? Please tell me!