Without communication there is no romance. It doesn't have to be verbal, just a simple loving glance or a kiss goodbye will suffice. In many cases, even simple gestures like these have vanished from long-term relationships. Smiling at your spouse in the morning over coffee will do wonders. So will kissing him or her goodbye or even leave a short love note in one' briefcase.

Love takes effort and so does romance. You can boost your romantic level by simply saying "I love you", words that probably slipped out of your mouth frequently in bygone eras! Try to make it a habit to tell your partner that you love them a minimum of three times a day. It's not hard at all. Just once afte ryou have woken up, when you meet after work and finally before you go to bed. If you can throw those three valuable words in there at other times of the day as well, go for it! We all need to hear that we are loved.

Avoid fighting in your free time. Finding time alone can be very hard, especially if you have children, so don't ruin it by bringing up problems you have with the other person. If you are annoyed that your husband left his shoes in the middle of the hall for the umpteenth time, wait until he is about to do it again to remind him gently where they actually belong. And if your wife prepares that mushroom dish that you hate so much, don't comment on it while you are having a date night! Spending this time talking about more constructive things will greatly help your relationship.

Have some cuddle time. You don't necessary have to use your free time in a physically intimate way, but just being able to touch each other, whether curled up together on the sofa or sitting side by side while you eat, can do wonders for boosting the romantic connection.

Take a vacation. It doesn't have to be a romantic second honeymoon to Hawaii or Fiji, but if you can take the weekend off from work and kids, do it. Get out of town, find a cozy bed and breakfast in an out of the way village and relax . . . together. Both of you will benefit from the downtime and this will reflect in your everyday actions toward each other.

TLC is highly under-rated. Why shouldn't you kiss or hold hands in public, or in front of your kids? You are not only proving your love to each other, but to the world. The children will actually learn positive things from seeing their parents still being in love!

Romance takes some effort and upkeep. It's best not to put it on the back burner or simply to ignore it. Take up the challenge and do something today to bring romance back into your relationship.