This week is about shaking things up! Go out and do something new—something that is new to both of you (or all of you, if you’re doing a family Date Night). Choose a new restaurant you’ve never tried, go to a new side of town, visit a park you’ve always driven past & never stopped, try an activity you haven’t tried before. Doing something new to both parties levels the playing field while pushing us out of our everyday comfort zones…which, as a mom, can look like a rut from time to time.
It’s my anniversary week, so I’m choosing my husband for this Date Night challenge. We are creatures of habit for our anniversary. We have always gone back to the Lavender Farm where we got married or eat at Mama’s Fish House where we had lunch on day 1 of our marriage. But this year we are choosing the something new challenge and heading to a restaurant in South Maui that neither one of us has ever visited. (Just the idea of changing things up has us nervous and excited).
Bring your loved ones in on it
Let them know about the Date Night challenge this month. Say out loud that you love them and want to spend more one on one time with them. Choose the same person or a someone new each week. It could be marriage month or not. April’s topic is more about fostering relationships with people we love and/or admire.
List who. Who will you choose? Call them, text, make face to face plans. Reach out today to see who is available & when, start scheduling childcare, etc.
Make plans
Write down the who, what, when, where, etc. for each potential Date Night. Busy lives require pre-planning, especially when others are involved. Look at your calendar for the month. Block out dates/times for possible Date Nights. Schedule a sitter or mom swap. Today is about setting ourselves up for success.
Think about the person/people you chose
What was it like the day you met them? Do you remember? Write about your first impressions, any details you remember about that day, how you felt, etc. Write them down as a way of honoring that memory. Take it further: let that person know you’re thinking about this memory. Text or mention it.
What’s your favorite thing about your date(s)?
What do you admire about them? Why did you choose them?
April is about fostering our relationships and investing time, thoughts, and energy into people we love. This can happen outside of the scheduled Date Night. Take today’s journaling a step further…tell them what you admire (today or in a note for this week’s Date Night).
What do YOU offer them?
How are you a good friend to your date? Relationships are about give and take—it’s healthy to acknowledge what you bring to the table. Take some time today to write about what you bring to your relationship.
Brainstorm
Make lists of “new” places, restaurants, and activities you would like to try in the future. Bring your date in on the brainstorm.
Reflection
Write about your Date Night this week. Include details, your feelings, etc. Did the newness of your Date Night bring a ‘newness’ to your relationship, even for the just the date? Were you satisfied or disappointed with the date? What was good? What wasn’t? What did you bring to the table…tired? stressed? expectations? a positive attitude? Write about it.