We all get to that stage in a relationship where it's not so much that you're in a rut, as much as you need something to freshen the whole thing up. We need interesting ways to mix our daily life up, while still remaining within our comfort zone and making our partner feel loved.

A great and low-maintenance means of achieving this is by introducing morning gestures as you greet one another. This can be small or large scale, private or public, but it's such a personal and intimate gesture. Super high reward in terms of emotional gratification!

Having a significant other is great

Having great friends is also fabulous. In short, having people that love you is like drinking hot chocolate and watching Friends reruns. You feel all warm and toasty inside and can probably feel your heart lurching forward and growing three sizes. Affirmations of love are the best things since sliced bread, but the really surprising fact remains that they don't even need to cost a penny. You don't even need to spend hours planning!

At its crux, the words 'I love you' serve to express and remind ourselves that we are both capable of loving another person and that we are loved in return. It's like killing two emotionally distressed birds with one cupid's arrow. Okay, the metaphor got a little tangled, but you get my drift.

To be honest, these gestures don't even need to be romantic – often filial or platonic friendships are just as intimate and life-affirming. Don't be afraid to let your homies know how much they mean to you, too!

Here are some top tips to reignite that relationship spark!

1. Your smile could probably light up a city block

2. I would do stupid things to hear you laugh

3. I love us/I love our dynamic – this one doesn't seem as important as the big ILY on its own, however, this pairing of unified language and the explicit appreciation of your relationship together is extremely important. Your loved one can then feel both comfortable and powerful and desirable in a relationship, and alone.

4. You remind me of Spring

5. You have something of a world-ending voice

6. I could listen to you talk for days

7. Have I ever told you how much it meant to me that you (insert nuanced memory)

Or, some slightly more upscale suggestions...

1. Send them a postcard to their house just for the sake of it. Write something magical on the back or just copy up a naff poem or your favourite quote. I guarantee it's going straight on their pin-board.

2. Facetime them just when you want a chat. Texting is so last century, and it's always nice to know someone misses your face.

3. This reminded me of you – even if it's a funny Facebook tag or an Instagram DM, this is important. You might remind him of puppies or something goofy like people falling over, but either way, if he looks at his social media and thinks of you, you're golden. Plus, you get to see some excellent wholesome content; it's a win-win.

4. He links you to a game he's playing – while some hate this, I think it's cute. If he's playing Candy Crush when he's bored or waiting for a train, it's another level of intimacy and you guys can work together or play against each other. It's fun and passes the time, and often prompts more genuine conversation anyway.

Some of these are more meaningful than others, but they all have something in common.

They're thoughtful!

Either, you're proving to another person that you're thinking about them, or it indicates that you're willing to make an effort in general. Showing an interest in what interests them, while even the act of linking a game you're playing to them shows that you're willing to unite your two worlds. You're giving them an entry into your life.

That's super cute of you.

Now go and spoil your s/o to within an inch of their life and make them feel cherished!