Now that we have reviewed the meaning of romance, I would like to offer some suggestions for how to infuse some romance into your dating life. While it is possible to induce romantic feelings by occasionally lavishing your sweetheart with gifts, enduring romance requires less spending and more thoughtfulness. Creating romance is all about making your partner feel special, loved, and genuinely appreciated. It is surprisingly simple to accomplish and can be pulled off with relative ease by getting into some of the following habits:

• Listen to your partner - Give your partner the gift of listening. I mean really listen to your partner. There are few things more romantic than knowing that your partner truly cares about your feelings and that what you have to say genuinely matters to him/her. In a world where most people hear but very few actually listen, having that one special someone who truly listens to you can make a person feel far more special than any other gift ever could.
  
• Be affectionate - Physical affection is an enormous part of romance. Make an effort to show your partner some degree of affection every single day. Affection can be as simple as holding your partner’s hand, giving him/her a warm embrace or surprising him/her with an unexpected caress or a soft kiss. Small gestures like these let your partner know that you still long to be close to him/her.
  
• Spend quality time together - Life can get pretty hectic, which sometimes makes it easy to lose sight of the things and people that matter most. Be conscious of this and make an effort to spend some quality time with your partner. Shoot for at least one hour per day of uninterrupted alone time with your sweetie. You can use this time to fill each other in on the day’s happenings, watch a favorite TV show, or just sit together in silence. What you do is irrelevant; what matters is that you have an opportunity to enjoy each other’s company for at least a little while each day.
  
• Compliment your partner - When it comes to the one who stole your heart, you can never be too generous with compliments. Let your sweetie know how great he/she looks, how sweet he/she is, or how easy it is for him/her to get those butterflies stirring in your stomach.
  
• Appreciate your partner - Never assume that your partner already knows how much you appreciate his/her presence in your life. Go out of your way to demonstrate your appreciation by simply saying so, leaving a sentimental note in an unexpected place, surprising your partner with a thoughtful gesture, or planning activities that you know he/she will enjoy. It is usually the little things that mean the most to those we love.