What if I told you there was a surefire way to adds years to your life, improve your mental and physical health, and make a bunch more money . . . all without diet, exercise, supplements, extra education or investments?  And this is an opportunity you’ll never see on television or in the stores, because the only two people it will benefit . . . are you and your significant other! 

I wouldn’t blame you if you were a little skeptical about such a bold promise, but it’s true: there really is a way that you gan guarantee a longer, healthier, happier, more lucrative life.  And it’s called romance!

But don’t just take my word for it.  There are countless studies and surveys floating around out there that have focused on people who are in committed, romantic relationships with a loving boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife.  And all of those studies prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that having a romantic lifestyle makes you healthier, happier and richer, too.

It’s the truth: people who are in a loving, monogamous relationship have fewer health problems, both mental and physical.  And they live longer, too; having a strong marriage is a better way to add years to your life than any vitamin or supplement.

And if you want to make more money over the course of your life, there aren’t many ways to guarantee a bigger bank account and more financial security than having a long-term, committed romantic partner.

So the next time someone rolls their eyes at you for trying to add more romance to your life, set them straight: being romantic isn’t just good for your relationship.  It’s also one of the best ways to improve your health, happiness, and lifestyle, too!

The word “romance” is both powerful and personal, and inspires unique memories, reactions and emotions in every individual who hears it. It defines a quality of life, a type of story, a class of languages, a kind of art and music, and exciting and mysterious qualities that are difficult to define.

Since Romance Tracker’s mission is to deliver fresh romantic ideas to our readers, we’ve dedicated a series of posts to the all-important question: what exactly is romance, and what does the word “romantic” mean?

Last week we talked about the Romantic Languages. Today we’re going to discover the genre of literary romance, also known as chivalric romance, which was a type of writing common in the middle ages and Renaissance periods.  Romance literature (not the popular romance novels of today) generally describes writing that was widely read during these periods by the masses in the common languages of Spanish, Portuguese, Spanish, English and German, as opposed to more highbrow Latin literature.

It was common in medieval romance literature to see a brave, chivalrous knight doing battle with fantastic magical monsters, usually as part of a quest to save a fair maiden.  Still, these medieval romance stories didn’t really have romantic themes, and didn’t dwell much on actual relationships between the knight in question and the maiden he rescued.  Instead, the stories tended to focus on adventure and heroism.

In these early examples of literary romance, the heroes often had amazing magical powers themselves that they used to defeat their foes.  These abilities and magical qualities were reflective of the fairy tales and legends of the time, but they became less and less prevalent in romance stories as the genre advanced.  Eventually, the knights and heroes were written as characters who didn’t have magical powers themselves, but who did battle with magical enemies.

As the medieval period gave way to the Renaissance period, the popularity of such romance masterpieces as Le Mort d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory inspired many writers to try to imitate with works of their own.  With the coming of such comedic farces as Don Quixote, though, the medieval concept of romance started to get a tongue-in-cheek treatment from writers. 

By the 1600’s, the fantastic romance literature of knights, maidens and chivalry began to lose its popularity with the masses, and many literary authorities of the time started to look at the romance genre as poor literature.  But although the genre eventually faded, great romance literature still inspires the style of literary artists to this day.

The word “romance” is both powerful and personal, and inspires unique memories, reactions and emotions in every individual who hears it. It defines a quality of life, a type of story, a class of languages, a kind of art and music, and exciting and mysterious qualities that are difficult to define.

Since Romance Tracker’s mission is to deliver fresh romantic ideas to our readers, we’re going to dedicate a series of posts to the all-important question: what exactly is romance, and what does the word “romantic” mean?

Last week we talked about the Romantic Period of art, music and literature. Today we’re going to explore the Romance or Romantic Languages, also known as the Romanic Languages, which are languages that evolved from Latin.

There are more than 700 million native speakers of Romance Languages in the world, made up for the most part of people in Europe, the Americas and Africa. The most common Romance Languages spoken around the world are Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Romanian, and Catalan.

Romance Languages originated in the vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, not the classic Latin spoken by the more sophisticated upper class. The Romans had much success in conquering a large portion of the globe beginning in 200 BC, and they made Latin the most prevalent language in the places they ruled.

The Roman Empire fell around the 5th Century, but the Latin that had been spoken in the areas they had ruled continued to evolve and become unique languages. Many of those languages still survive today and are spoken around the world.

So the next time you hear about someone who speaks a “Romantic” language, keep in mind that it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a romantic person! English may not be a Romantic Language . . . but you can be just as romantic speaking it as you can be speaking textbook Romantic Languages such as French, Spanish and Italian.

Everyone knows that in order to nurture a marriage romantic relationship, it’s important to spend time with your sweetheart, find out about their interests, and participate in fun, exciting experiences with them.  But what many husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends don’t realize is that there’s another element to a successful romance that’s just as important: alone time.

You can spend too much time together

It’s good to spend time with your significant other, but there’s no doubt about it: it’s definitely possible to spend too much time together.  Human beings have an occasional innate need for privacy and time to themselves, and when we don’t get our sporadic quiet time, our relationships and mood can suffer.

In extreme cases, a lack of privacy and time for oursleves in a relationship can lead to disenchantment, boredom, and even resentment–all of which make a breakup or divorce much more likely.

Early in a romantic relationship, you and your sweetheart may have no problem at all spending every free moment together.  Learning about each other, laughing together, and experiencing the world together is a wonderful way to build a strong foundation for your future life.

Are you ignoring your need for alone time?

As your relationship progresses, however, make sure you remain mindful of your body and mind’s need for private time.  Occasionally experiencing things away from your special someone will help you appreciate them more, put your thoughts in order, and love yourself more, as well. 

On the flip side, do you allow your lover to have private time to themself occasionally, too . . . or do you become resentful when they want to get away occassionally?  Trusting your sweetheart to do the right thing when they are away from you, and allowing them the important outlet of alone time, is essential to any successful romantic relationship.

So the next time your sweetheart wants to take a short walk or spend some quiet time away from the rest of the world, keep in mind that the healing power of being alone is important to your relationship.  And if you occasionally feel the need to spend a little time with yourself, don’t ignore it! 

The word “romance” is both powerful and personal, and inspires unique memories, reactions and emotions in every individual who hears it.  It defines a quality of life, a type of story, a class of languages, a kind of art and music, and exciting and mysterious qualities that are difficult to define.

Since Romance Tracker’s mission is to deliver fresh romantic ideas to our readers, we’re going to dedicate a series of posts to the all-important question: what exactly is romance, and what does the word “romantic” mean? 

Today we’re going to explore the Romantic Period, a period of history that produced some of the world’s greatest works of art, literature and music.

Romance as a Time Period

In the history of culture, the Romantic Period was a span of about a hundred years that started near the opening of the 19th century and ended near the opening of the 20th century.  While art, literature and music created during the preceding Classical Period was based on order and strict rules, Romanticism inspired productions of raw emotion and unbridled imagination.

Authors, artists and musicians of the Romantic Period were surrounded by political unrest, revolution and fresh new ways of interpreting the world, and it shows in their work.  While artists of the Classical Period produced works inspired by reason and their employer’s wishes, Romantic artists created works of art based on a new concept: their own feelings.

Some historians say that the Romantic Movement was inspired by revolt against the aristocracy, order, politics and scientific reason that defined the preceding age.  This desire to concentrate on individual experience and emotion is said to have been intensified by the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution.  

Artists of the Romantic Period

Some of the more famous Romantic composers include Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin and Felix Mendelssohn.  Their contemporaries in literature and art included Nathaniel Hawthorne, William Blake, Francisco Goya and John William Waterhouse.

The groundbreaking literary, musical and artistic methods developed during the Romantic Period remain with us to this very day, and even our contemporary culture is saturated with concepts and melodies inspired by Romanticism. 

So the next time you hear the word “romantic,” remember that it has many definitions . . . not all of which are rooted in passion or love.  The romantic artist is one who creates masterpieces inspired by raw individual emotion, but that emotion doesn’t necessarily have to be love.   

You’d be surprised how many new visitors we get here at Romance Tracker every day who are searching for ideas to make their wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend more romantic.  Adding romantic ideas to your relationship is a wonderful, addicting way to make things fresh and inspiring, but it’s an unfortunate fact that it just doesn’t come naturally to everyone. The type of family environment they were raised in, disappointing past relationships, and even self-consciousness and embarrassment can all play a roll in your spouse or significant other being an unromantic person.       

But what if I told you there was a surefire, guaranteed way to make your significant other more romantic, enthusiastic about your relationship or marriage, and more excited about loving you?  It’s true!  And the secret to making your lover more romantic is the same secret that successful leaders have used countless times to inspire others.

Leading by example

The secret to making your sweetheart more romantic is this: leading by example.  No, leading by example is not an instant problem solver that will immediately make your spouse a more romantic person.  But it is an effective, personally satisfying way to show your lover that romantic living is easy, feels great, and is important to you.

Make no mistake about it: inspiring positive change in others through leading by example can be a long, arduous process that may require a lot of patience and persistence on your part.  Even after months of adding exciting romantic ideas to your daily routine, you may be disappointed that your sweetheart hasn’t turned on to romance yet.  But if you’re committed to making your relationship work, and you have faith that your lover really can become a more romantic person, quitting isn’t an option.

Romantic leadership styles

When you want to inspire change in someone, there are basically two types of leadership styles you can use: making them fear the consequences if they don’t do as you say, or inspiring them to change by stepping up to the challenge yourself. 

Personally, I don’t like the first type of leadership.  The greatest leaders in history have used leading by example to inspire their troops or teammates to do things they never thought possible.  Inspiring others through leading by example makes people work harder, enjoy the process more, feel like they are making a real difference, and take more satisfaction in the final product.       

The same goes for inspiring your sweetheart to be more romantic.  Instead of putting them down or making them feel miserable for not being romantic enough, why not show them yourself how fun and easy it can be?  If you’re truly a romantic person, simply being romantic is reward in itself.  With practice, you’ll become better at perfecting the subtlety, gentleness and patience that defines the best kind of romance . . . the kind that inspires others to be romantic, too!

Don’t overdo it

When trying to make your sweetheart more romantic through leading by example, however, make sure you don’t overdo it.  Being too clingy or sappy can actually have the opposite effect and make your lover more cynical and embarrassed about your relationship. 

Remember, real old-fashioned romance is subtle, not flashy.  Sometimes less is more when it comes to making your sweetheart feel good.  Occasional grand, sweeping romantic gestures are great–especially on special occasions like anniversaries.  But the understated is almost always preferable to the overstated.  

A single rose, if presented properly, can be much more romantic than a dozen roses.

So what are you waiting for?

There’s no better time to start leading by example and making your lover more romantic than right now!  You’re at a computer, so why not send them a romantic email and let them know you’re thinking about them?  Or pick up a nice bouquet of flowers after work and give it to them for no reason at all?

Leading by example to make your wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend more romantic will take plenty of time, patience and persistence.  But if your reward simply come from the act of being romantic, leading by example can be a satisfying and fulfilling experience.  

One of the things I love about blogging here on Romance Tracker is that the subject of romance is so broad; just like relationships, romantic ideas come in an endless variety of shapes, sizes and types. It’s tough to run out of ideas for posts when your subject matter is so diverse.

Like fingerprints or snowflakes, no single romantic relationship is the same as any other. And the perfect ways to improve a specific relationship aren’t the secret knowledge of anyone who isn’t a part of that relationship. Sure, there are generic tips and advice that might help you reach your goals, but the best relationship advice you can get comes from just one person: you.

That’s why I really don’t like the term “relationship expert.” You may be able to find plenty of romantic ideas here on Romance Tracker and from other similar sources, but there’s really no one else who’s an expert on your unique relationship with your wife, husband boyfriend or girlfriend. Only by applying these generic romantic ideas in ways that fit your individual situation can you really make any positive changes.

So don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that any “relationship expert” can tell you exactly how to fix or add more romance to your marriage or relationship. Instead, you need to focus on becoming the one true “expert” when it comes to your romance, and reshape generic relationship tips to fit its uniqueness.

Don’t settle for just regurgitating the romantic ideas you find here on Romance Tracker without modifying them to fit your relationship. Make the decision to use the great ideas you discover here and on other sites as inspiration for positive changes in your relationship . . . but remember, the only “relationship expert” who can truly help you . . . is you!

We’ve focused before on how romance is alive and well in millions of loving relationships around the world, in spite of our society’s tendency to trivialize romantic people. And yes, there are countless men and women out there who have decided to use romantic ideas like those highlighted here to improve their relationships and the world.

But regardless of what kind of unique ways these many romantic people add excitement and love to their relationships, they all have one important thing in common: none of them were always romantic people. The appeal of a romantic lifestyle is something that many people don’t appreciate until later in life, but regardless of your unromantic past, your future can always be made more romantic and fulfilling.

Feelings of regret or guilt over a less-than-perfect past can sabotage our efforts to create a loving, romantic relationship and a more satisfying life. Whether it’s failed relationships, embarrassing acts, or unromantic attitudes, your past can sometimes seem insurmountable of you’ve decided to change your life for the better.

Your past may seem insurmountable, but it never really is. As I said, every member of a successful relationship has an unromantic past, to some degree. We all have done things or been in relationships we regret, but making the decision to become a romantic person is the first step toward moving on and putting your past behind you.

Notice I say “put your past behind you” and not “forget your past.” Your past experiences and actions, good or bad, shaped you into the person you are today. Completely forgetting your unromantic past may seem appealing, but in doing so you’d lose the benefit of the many important lessons you’ve learned.

Instead, promise yourself to use your past mistakes to learn how to avoid actions that don’t encourage romance in your relationship. Never dwell on your mistakes, but use them as a reminder of why you made the decision to become a more romantic person.

It’s a bit of a cliche, but never forget: just because you’ve done bad things in the past doesn’t mean you can’t become a good person. And one of the most effective ways to remake yourself into a more loving, positive person is to find the same kind of person to share your life with.

Telling your wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend about your regrets can help you find some closure if they are understanding enough to accept them, but commit yourself to becoming a more romantic person before dredging up the past. Learning about your lover’s past can be a lifelong process; for the present, concentrate on showing your special someone how dedicated you are to making your relationship or marriage work.

And just as you would hope for patience and understanding if you decided to become more romantic and overcome your past, make sure to do the same for your sweetheart if they make that decision, as well. Remember that your special someone’s past has no bearing on your relationship if they’ve truly decided to make positive changes in their life, and prove to them how worthy you are of their love by helping them to change.

Overcoming your past and becoming a better, more romantic person is never impossible, regardless of your previous mistakes. Simply decide to learn from your past and apply one simple new romantic idea to your relationship every day, and you’ll be amazed at the new, positive person you can become!

Posting about romantic ideas every day here on Romance Tracker is a pretty easy thing to do, but actually adding more romance to your relationship or marriage and making it more fulfilling for your and your sweetheart can be difficult if you’ve hit a rough patch. If you’re having problems in your romantic relationship and want to avoid a breakup or learn how to save your marriage, the best ways to refresh your love life and bring back excitement aren’t always easy to discover.

Every relationship faces its own unique challenges and difficulties, and the solutions to your romantic problems can be just as unique. Loss of romantic interest, not having enough in common, family difficulties, even unfaithfulness or suspected cheating . . . any can spell trouble for a relationship, but none have to mean the end of your romance.

Remember, relationship problems are inevitable for any romantic couple, but if you face them as a determined team, they can actually make your love even stronger. With optimism, patience, and understanding, you can turn any problem into an experience that will help you and your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife or husband fall even deeper in love.

And while you’re the only person who can discover the best ways to save your struggling relationship, there are many foolproof, effective and simple methods you can use to add more love to the mix and make yourself more likely to succeed and stop a divorce or breakup. Ten of the easiest ways to stop your relationship from breaking up are listed below . . . but don’t stop with them!

Top Ten Ways to Save Your Relationship

1. Make your sweetheart your number one priority

We all have responsibilities in our lives that take us away from our families and lovers, and fulfilling those responsibilities is part of being a good partner and a romantic person. But even if you can’t spend as much time with your sweetheart as you would like, there are lots of ways to make it clear to them that they are still the number-one priority in your life.

2. Learn about your sweetheart’s interests

We all bring unique interests, hobbies and talents to a relationship, and learning about your lover’s tastes and skills is a great way to appreciate them more and share rewarding time together. Learning from each other and experiencing new things as a couple will bring you closer together, make your relationship more exciting and expand your horizons.

3. Brag about your relationship

No one likes a loudmouth who never shuts up about their love life, but telling your friends, family and coworkers about how much you love your romantic relationship is a great way to make your sweetheart feel appreciated and make you excited about your romance. Making it a habit to tastefully mention how thankful you are to have your lover will only make your relationship stronger.

4. Say “I’m proud of you” to your sweetheart

Everyone likes to feel that they are appreciated, and telling your lover that you are proud of them is one of the simplest . . . and least used . . . ways to make them feel good about themselves and your romantic relationship. Whether you’re telling them how much you appreciate the job they do, their role in your relationship, or their sacrifices, “I’m proud of you” are four of the most effective words you can use to save your romance.

5. Lead by example

Keeping score of who’s more romantic in your relationship is one of the worstways to promote romance in your relationship. Just as members of any successful team have learned, the best way to encourage a certain kind of behavior in others is to lead by example. So be more romantic with your lover, but don’t insist they do the same. With enough encouragement, you may be surprised to see them start to come around themselves.

6. Call in sick to work to spend time with your sweetheart

I’m not saying you should try to get fired from your job, but if you’re doing well at work there is nothing wrong with taking a tiny holiday to spend time with the most important person in your life. Briefly putting off other responsibilities to be with your lover is a great way to show them that they are the number one priority in your world.

7. Introduce some competition into your relationship

No, I don’t mean to make your sweetheart jealous by dating another person. But a little good-natured romantic competition–whether it’s through competitive games, contests, sports, or bets–can be a terrific way to add a little excitement, interaction, and playfulness into your relationship.

8. Compliment your sweetheart every now and then

Sure, it’s easy to overdo compliments and come across as over-the-top or insincere. But regardless of whether or not your lover knows how you feel about them, a simple, kind compliment once in a while goes a long way in making them feel good about themselves and your relationship.

9. Get over your fear of coming across as too “clingy”

There’s a big difference between being tastefully romantic with your sweetheart and being “clingy.” Hand-holding, simple kisses on the cheek and other subtle acts of love are nothing to be ashamed of. It shows your lover that you aren’t embarrassed of your romance and will add a much-needed dimension to your relationship.

10. Learn to love yourself

Part of the reason why some people have a difficult time appreciating romantic gestures is that they don’t understand why their lover is so fond of them. Learning to appreciate your own talents, gifts and innate goodness will help you appreciate your sweetheart’s feelings and let you accentuate your best qualities. Ultimately, learning to love yourself will teach you how to love your romantic partner more.

Congratulations are in order today for Romance Tracker reader Holly Schwendiman and her husband on their 15th wedding anniversary. Holly dedicated a really amazing post full of romantic ideas to her husband on her blog, Holly’s Corner, and I hope you get a chance to go read the whole thing. Here’s an excerpt:

Thank you for being strong enough to cry with me when both our children were placed in our arms.

Thank you for being the best daddy in the world. For spending time playing with and talking with our children. For setting the best example for them in every aspect of their lives. Thank you for helping them with math in school - something I could never do. Thank you for playing endless hours of games with them and spoiling them rotten. And thank you most profoundly for recognizing my efforts and job as full time mom. Thank you for being man enough to admit that there are things about my job that are harder than your day job. I don’t think you know how truly unique that is.

It looks like Holly and her husband know exactly what old-fashioned romance really is, and Romance Tracker is wishing them many, many more years of happiness together!