Its undisputed that our lives and society has changed dramatically since the days our parents dated, making their advice and experiences outdated and irrelevant.

Our modern world is governed by industry, invention and technology with most of our lives being played out either on line or in solitude.

Dating and romance has either become an interactive shopping experience or routine drudgery causing most of us to become disconnected. Its crucial therefore to plan for romance as part of a healthy lifestyle whilst juggling variety and security.

Whether you are finding love for the first time, or reigniting romance in a long term relationship, its imperative to remember that romance is about the little details and the small moments.

Love is about being passionate, fun and fearless with that special person with trust and great communication being the cornerstones of a longer term relationship.

Try some of these quick tips for Romance on the Run.

Quick and Naughty Messages

Due to technology and our hectic lifestyles, most people spend much of their interactive time chatting online, engaging in a level of conversation that keeps their facial expressions and true thoughts hidden behind emails rather than connecting on a personal basis in face to face relationships.

Instead of shunning this style of communication, harness it for moments of passion, enticement and teasing with your partner.

Obviously ensure that you do not send anything graphic, tasteless or material which will be picked up by the security systems at work; but rather make your own code for things, body parts or actions using mundane or unrelated objects.

You will be surprised how much fun it is to SMS or email your partner about buying milk and dog biscuits when there is a hidden coded message inside.

Spicy Sentences

Use email or SMS or by keeping a scrabble board out on a bedroom surface or utilising magnetic words on fridge to create sexy messages to one another. Agree to begin with how many words the sentence will have and the intention of the message.

One way is for one partner to periodically send one word at a time over the day to make up a sentence. Another is for each partner to take turns in building the sentence.

You may agree that the sentence is to describe something you love about the other person, or about what you’d like the other person to do with you. Agree before you start to when the act will take place.

Then, over the period of a day, add one word at a time. The feelings of anticipation and sly giggles as your next word appears will set the scene for a relaxed and fun filled experience with your partner.

Saucy Dip Jar

Setting this up will take the longest; but can be a fun activity for both of you to complete together. Cut slips of paper from colourful or quality stationary.

Write small acts of kindness and service that either you would like performed - or could gift to your partner. (examples being, cook dinner tonight, foot rub, 10 min back massage, clean out pantry/ plastics drawer/ fridge) Include some saucy ones as well - to be integrated in a more intimate setting.

Place your dip jar somewhere accessible. Every few days, offer one another a dip in the jar - particularly if one of you have had a rough day.

For many couples, the word romance is linked to spending great amounts on materialistic gifts. For most, these gifts are hollow and meaningless.

Romance is to do with the moment that it is created and the mood that is established.

When a couple keeps this in mind, almost any moment can be a romantic one. An important distinction too needs to be made between romance and intimacy. Romantic moments do not always need to end in physical intimacy.

Indeed, the anticipation and build up to those moments can be more delicious if its not rushed.

To paraphrase a famous quote, “The quality of your life is not how many breaths you take, but rather the moments the take your breath away.”

Capture the small moments and make them memorable. Examples might include

• An evening walk under a full moon or in the dark of the moon under a star dotted sky with the rule that you are only allowed to talk about how you feel about that exact moment.

• Hold hands as you stroll (not rush) along anywhere - shopping, at the park, on the way to a meeting - and stop only for the occasional tender kiss; ensuring that each person looks the other fully in the eyes and breaths in before you break apart again to walk. This is fully giving and being in the moment with your partner.

• A Memory Jar or Book. Fill a jar or book with snippets and memories of you as a couple. Include silly jokes or sayings, photos, observations, songs and music you shared. Every few days, pull a memory out and share it with your partner. As new memories occur - ensure that you add these to the book/ jar.

Out of the Ordinary Dates

There is a tendency of falling into the trap of taking our partners for granted and for accepting the mundane as the norm. To keep romance hot, variety needs to be introduced to some extent. Spicing things up starts with the environment and setting - so try some of these:

• Drive in Theatre - for some good old fashioned necking in the back seat or for just a different way to see a latest film.

• Stargazing pack a picnic of snacks and hot chocolate, bring big pillows and warm rugs and head out into the countryside; away from the city lights. Lay in a field on your rug and look up into the heavens. The silence will ease conversations bringing an intimate clsoeness.

• Feed the ducks - Most parks have ducks and water fowl desperate to eat stale bread. Soothing and fun, this outing can open opportunities to talk about less mundane or run of the mill things as you throw bread.

• Salsa Dance class. Get hot and sweaty with your hips swaying in rhythmic unison in public.

• Pick your own. Many small farms who offer pick your own fruit are situated close to city centres. Pack your picnic basket and wander the fruit trees or berry bushes to pick your own fruit.

• Sunrise on the beach or on a mountain. Pack a small picnic of croissants, orange juice and hot coffee, couple it with a blanket and head to either a beach or a mountain top to watch the sun come up. Theres something magical about the awakening day.

Alternatively you can try some fun packed silly dates such as

• Mini golf

• Go carting

• Horse back trail riding

• Quad bike riding

• Hiring a tandem bike - or just single bikes

• Peddlecar boats on a lake

• Ten pin bowling

• Canoeing

Just to remind yourselves that you are never too old to have fun or to discover a new interest. The important thing about these silly dates, is that it gives couples a shared experience to talk about.

For some it may be opening up a fear of undertaking that activity, for others a delight in learning new skills or remembering how much one had loved it when they were younger.

Although it has been said numerous times in many ways, most couples don’t fully appreciate the wisdom of communication being the cornerstone within a relationship.

Talking beyond the pedestrian day to day events and sharing moments, experiences, fears and joys creates intimate moments, trust and mutual respect.

Just with any business venture, managing your romance requires consistent input, emotional buy in and forward planning.

Whilst some events may run spontaneously, most benefit from solid planning and goal setting; where all participants look at the outcomes they’d like to achieve.

Planning for romance needn’t be an arduous task - just a mindful one.

Choose key ingredients and spices to be added to brew a quality portion of love.

By adding equal parts of trust, mutual respect and a dash of fun, you should have a delectable feast that will satisfy the hunger of companionship and intimacy.

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