Valentine's Day Guide

It’s the season of love! Let’s put aside the everyday hustle and bustle of life and put your loved one’s top of mind and keep the flame alive at every stage.

Understanding the 4 phrases of a romantic relationship:

1^st Stage – Honeymoon/Romantic Euphoria Stage

The initial stages of every new relationship are typically marked by intense sensations of euphoria – the warm fuzzy thoughts of your partner taking up most of your waking hours. This “Honeymoon Stage” or “Romantic Phase” may last from 6 months to 2 years, or even longer, depending on the couple.[1]

2^nd Stage – Early Attachment Stage

Couples will next enter the “Early Attachment Stage” after the euphoria stage. At this stage, the relationship would have settled into a routine and pace that you are both comfortable with. You have introduced each other to your friends and possibly even family and have developed some sort of weekdays/weekends routine. You know you’ve entered this stage when you are not missing and pinning for your partner around-the-clock, check in on each other occasionally during the day but don’t feel compelled to be on your phone when you are apart. Basically, you’ve gotten more comfortable as a couple. While the excitement you felt when you first held hands and kissed may have subsided a little, you are now more adapted to each other’s eating habits, daily routine, pet peeves etc.

3^rd Stage – Crisis Stage

A relationship’s third stage is often known as the “Crisis Stage”, and this is frequently the “Make it or Break It” stage. Couples may experience drifting apart as a result of their differences, career directions, changes in life goals etc. To overcome this stage, couples must be able to overcome any communication and emotional obstacles, talk through issues and concerns by putting disagreements aside and thereafter making mutual commitments to better compromise and support each other. Couples will find their relationship emerging stronger and even more cemented than before as lifelong partners.

4^th Stage – Deep Attachment Stage

The fourth stage is known as “Deep Attachment”, where couples who have successfully navigated their relationship’s ups and downs to this point have developed a strong partnership and a deep emotional attachment to their partners. They have accepted the truth that the person standing in front of them is “The One” they have chosen to travel life’s path with wholeheartedly. Couples at this stage have strong trust and commitment towards each other. They have figured out their partner’s strengths and weaknesses and how they function best as a team by letting each other take the lead on areas where he/she is stronger in. They form a stronger and bonded relationship through every shared milestone, challenge, celebratory occasion, and crisis.

A relationship is a long journey that requires both parties to put on effort. It can feel arduous and strenuous on some days, taking all your mental and physical strength to keep going. But with commitment and good faith placed in your partner, you both get better and stronger together as a team. And with each finishing line cleared, you both share new reasons to celebrate the triumph over life’s challenges and hurdles.

Make Everyday Valentine's Day with these activities!

1^st Stage – Honeymoon/Romantic Euphoria Stage

Celebrate your new relationship by making special memories that you and your partner will treasure for years to come. As a newlywed couple in love, there is plenty of activities to do during free time.

♥ Go for your first couple musical or play

♥ Enjoy a sky-dining experience

♥ Watch favorite movies together at the theatre

♥ Explore Kuala Lumpur as a tourist

2^nd Stage – Early Attachment Stage

By this point, you have probably spent a fair bit of your free time with your better half. It’s time to take things to the next level by organizing dates and activities that show you understand your partner’s preferences or taking up a new couple hobby that both of you can develop together.

♥ Take a couple culinary class together

♥ Go art jamming or go for a pottery class

♥ Attend a DIY Scent Creation Workshop together

♥ Try out rock wall climbing or outdoor hike excursions

3^rd Stage – Crisis Stage

Engage in activities that you both enjoy reminding yourselves of the affection for one another. Planning small gifts to indulge each other and scheduling activities that your partner enjoys as ways to expressing your affection will go a long way towards cementing your bond and helping to get through relationship hurdles.

♥ High tea, movies, dinner dates or even a surprise treat at their favorite restaurant

♥ Day spa session for quality couple time

♥ “You and Me only” staycation

4^th Stage – Deep Attachment Stage

At this point in your relationship, comfort, familiarity and trust are important terms in your couple’s dictionary right now. Encourage each other to grow and embrace different life experiences by nurturing new interests and finding new hobbies. Here are some activities you can enjoy with your better half:

♥ Take a calligraphy class, dancing or singing lessons

♥ Explore new recipe in the kitchen together

♥ “You and Me only” staycation

♥ Embark on mini home improvement works such as freshening up your living space with a brand-new coat of paint or replacing some pieces of furniture.

 OUR V’DAY GIFT PICKS

Having found that special someone whom we want to spend the rest of our lives with, let’s not forget the importance of health. A good health will enable us to live the best quality of life and to enjoy a long and healthy life with our better half.

Here are some of our top picks for you and yours this Valentine’s Day!

Being in a relationship can have a strong impact on food choices. If your partner is not into healthy diet or always prefer to dine out instead of cooking at home, try to go food shopping together, ask what they are interested in eating for the week, and find out ways to prepare meals together. Limit the frequency of eating-out as foods serve at restaurants tend to have higher calories content and most of them are unhealthy food choices compared with home-cooked food. Alternatively, you may consider getting men or women supplements for your partner to cater for their daily nutritional needs.

If your partner is looking for something to nourish hair, skin, and nails, you may consider buying shampoo with argan, jojoba or coconut oil ingredients[2], or improve daily food intake that contains a high potency of Biotin which supports hair growth and strong nails. Biotin can be found in eggs, salmon, sunflower seeds and walnuts.[3] Alternatively, you may consider supplement that formulated with collagen and biotin for lustrous hair, skin and nails.

We hope that our Valentine’s Day edition has given you some ideas for this year’s Valentine’s Day plans! Falling in love is wonderful, but learning how to stay in love and live through your vows of “for better or worse” is the true test of what love means!

[1] https://www.verywellmind.com/the-four-stages-of-relationships-4163472

[2] https://www.myglamm.com/glammstudio/about-shampoo-ingredients

[3] https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-biotin