10 ways to make a romantic gesture

“Romance is for the unmarried.” “Chivalry is dead.” “Real men aren’t romantic.”

I’ve heard these sentiments uttered by people throughout my life. The truth? All men have the ability to be romantic.

Granted, many guys are afraid to do romantic things because they think it will be lame. Or they will get laughed at. Or it won’t go over as well as they had hoped. And so they don’t even try. Which is a shame.

She loves when you do romantic things for her. Because they are for her. Even if the gesture is silly, she likes it because it means that you like her so much that you’re putting in effort to continually woo her.

The 21st Century Gentleman: Romantic Mindset For The Modern Man

When most guys do work up the courage to do something romantic, it’s often dripping with expectation.

And if you’re using romance as a pre-cursor for wanting something in return, she will feel it.

The proper mindset of a romantic is one of wanting her to know that you think about her and care about her. You employ your gestures as pure acts of love to show your partner that she means the world to you.

Try to come up with your own romantic ideas.  They can be creative, observant, playful, simple or childlike, as long as they are thoughtful. As a rule of thumb, if you can picture her melting in front of your eyes with how loved the gesture will make her feel (often followed by a barrage of face kisses) that usually means you are on to something.

10 Powerful (And Tested) Examples Of Romantic Gestures

💋 1. Keep An Eye On Upcoming Concerts
Be on the look out for upcoming concerts and buy tickets to her favourite acts as soon as they are announced. People bond when sharing activities. Especially peak experience activities like art (music) and sports (sky diving, rock climbing, skiing).

Then deliver the tickets however you want. Leave them under her pillow à la tooth fairy, replace the bookmark in her latest novel with them, or put them in her purse or clutch to find on her own time.

💋 2. Drink Delivery
Bring her her favourite drink (smoothie/coffee/tea/etc.) without warning. Whether you bring it to her at work, when you return from the gym, or while she’s getting a manicure (bring a straw if it’s a cold drink), you can’t go wrong with this one.

💋 3. Sun Visor Surprise
Do you pick your lady up for dates? Pre-load a few handfuls of rose petals on top of the passenger seat’s sun visor with a taped-on message that says “I Love You” or “You look beautiful”. Then, when your date gets into the car, tell her that she has a little make up smudge on her chin. Wait until she pulls down the sun visor and BAM… flower petals to the face. Instant romance.

💋 4. Create For Her
Write her a list of 100 things that you love about her. Make her a mixed tape/burned cd/personal playlist of songs that remind you of her. Create a collage of photos of the two of you if you’ve been dating for a while. It’s not about the money that you put into your romantic gesture. In your woman’s eyes, it’s the meaning behind your actions that matters. The time, effort, and thought that you put into creating her unique gift means that you value her highly and want her to feel special.

💋 5. Simple Surprises
Bring her juice and tea and cuddles when she is sick.Did she just make a mess in the kitchen and now she’s in the shower? Do the dishes. Does she have a minor obsession with chap stick? Buy her surprise chap sticks. Invest in being an awesome partner and do it because you love her. It’s that simple.

💋 6. Cook For Her
Surprise her by making her an impressive looking meal – especially if you do it at her house while she is at work so she can come home to it at the end of her work day.

💋 7. Stay On Her Emotional Radar
Remind her of your love for her in unique ways. Text her “You’re gorgeous” out of nowhere. Pass her a crumpled up note while you’re watching your shows together that has an innocent message like “You’re my favorite”. Leave her a Post-It note in her wallet that says “Hello (nickname), I hope you are having a fantastic day. Why do I hope that? Because intelligent, compassionate, beautiful women like you deserve to have fantastic days – that’s why! Love you xox”

💋 8. Make A Night Of It
Initiate a surprise night of indulgence where you put on her favourite romantic comedies, order her favourite food (pizza, sushi, etc.) and pamper her with a massage, wine, or both.

💋 9. Help Her With Her Rituals
What do you know that she likes doing frequently but wouldn’t necessarily consistently do it for herself? Leave a glass of water by her bedside table if she likes to drink water upon waking. Throw her towel in the dryer while she’s in the shower so that she has a hot towel to dry herself off with when she’s finished.

💋 10. Be A Heat Seeking Missile For Ways To Improve Her Life
If you notice she’s been using the same ratty old umbrella for a few weeks, buy her a new one. If she is always in a rush in the morning and sometimes skips breakfast, make her something quick and easy to eat (that isn’t too messy) or pack her some snacks in a bag. Does she keep stretching her neck around because it’s sore? Break out the massage oil, my dude. It’s massage time! 

💋💋 Romance Isn’t Dead (But Some People’s Relationships Are) 💋💋
A thriving relationship is one where two awesome people come together and say “I’m going to make you feel as happy, understood, and appreciated as possible, all the time.” At the end of the day, she just wants to know that you are thinking of her. That’s the big secret. It’s one thing to read these words on your screen, and another to take action on them. Your partner does so much for you and they want to feel loved and appreciated more than anything. So take out your calendar, schedule it, and make it happen. The world is waiting for you to be your romantic self.

Originally appeared at JordanGrayConsulting.com. Jordan Gray is a relationship coach and best-selling author Jordan Gray helps people maintain thriving intimate relationships. You can see more of his writing at JordanGrayConsulting.com or buy his book here