From Routine to Refresh: How to Keep the Spark Alive

Let’s be real—most long-term relationships eventually trade fireworks for comfort. And that’s not a bad thing! There’s something sweet about knowing your nightly ritual: dinner, a shared show, maybe some scrolling or snuggling before bed. Rinse and repeat.

But if every day starts to feel like a rerun, even the coziest love story can start to go a little…flat.

That low-effort together time is actually important. It’s vital to just be with each other. On the flip side, falling too deep into autopilot can quietly drain the energy out of your connection.

The good news? You don’t need extravagant date nights or a weekend in Paris. Just swap out one routine now and then. Try cooking a meal together instead of defaulting to DoorDash. Or trade another night of The Office reruns for a spontaneous trip to the movie theater or a walk around your neighborhood with no phones.

Our new afternoon host Nick Jordan inspired me.  We were at a station event together over the weekend and I said what are you guys doing after this.  He said, “We’re gonna go home, build a blanket fort in the living room, and order a pizza.”  And then he sent me pic.  That’s exactly what he and his girlfriend, Aimiee did.  Just a sweet silly thing like a blanket fort created connection and disrupted the routine of a show and pizza on the couch just enough. 

The goal isn’t to overhaul your calendar. It’s just to remind each other that the spark is still there—you just have to nudge it now and then.

Keep it comfy. Keep it curious. Keep it yours.

In addition to hosting The Sean Show on B105.7, Sean Copeland is a therapist at Evolve Therapy in Greenwood, IN.