i feel that when it comes to honesty, we must be honest about the role that a small business plays in a marriage, especially when your business partner is your better half. because too often than not, our business intermingles with our normal day to day life...what am i saying, it is our normal day to day life! but we also have to remember us as a couple and separate some of our time or efforts for us time. however one of our favorite topics of conversation is a new idea for development or how we can improve our business so it doesn't always get complete separation. and, when i really stop to think about it, a lot of the reasons we run a creative business is because we simply like to be creative. so, our "separate" time most inevitably involves that aspect but sometimes it's in just the right way that it seems different enough.
as i was thinking about how in our marriage we build and grow and run a business verses how we grow and build and run with each other as husband and wife, i thought about several ways that we can still be creative and separate that business time from us time. you might even call these simple date night ideas.
//one of my favorites, picking up a couple of small canvases and painting it for the other person. when we did this, we had no idea that we were both painting monograms. what can we say, we were present with the current trends.
//complete a project together. we needed a bulletin board and so we gathered a couple pieces of wood and cork. he cut, i spray painted, he assembled, and i decorated. wahlah. fun and efficient.
//cook together. we love to drool over those food shows or look at deliciousness online but it gets even better when you each choose a part of the menu and then cook it in the same kitchen together at the same time. you don't quite know what the other is cooking although you gather suspicions but when it is all done, you have something marvelous to show and taste together.
//simple picnic. there is something oddly exciting about packing up a small picnic [for us it was simple grilled cheese, apple slices, a side salad, and popsicles] and then heading to the park. lay out a blanket, take a frisbee with you, or lay on the blanket and read together. it's refreshing and more enjoyable than you would assume.
//watch a documentary. we do this all too often and so it's nothing too special around here but it definitely has a different feel than just watching a movie. it allows for conversation and new knowledge and always keeps us interested and intrigued.
//walk around the city or a small town. walking the streets of a city or town is oh so different than driving around. you'll go into shops you didn't know were there, find hidden gems, eat somewhere new, and be able to hold hands all the while...not to mention the good people watching.
//visit a book or music store. something that doesn't seem common for busy people to do for themselves is to just go into a music or bookstore and sit in a nook and read or put on some headphones and listen to a few tunes. we like to pick up design books and browse through gorgeous pictures, sitting side by side and sharing as we go through. we normally have so much to share we're constantly going back and forth with "look at this one, ooh look at that..." and of course, there is endless good music to be listened to. it's even better when that shop happens to have live music!
//attend a free event. it always blows my mind how many cool free events are available. the kicker is that you have to be on top of being informed or searching them out. it seems that you can always find a good free night of music, art display or gallery stroll, outdoor play, poetry reading, or even a little game of chess as sometimes made available in city parks.
//display inspiration. art galleries are always fun to visit and highly inspirational but so can be store fronts or displays. walk around a mall or down a store lined street and notice the art in the displays. talk about your favorite aspects and what draws you in. try to guess which displays your partner would favorite.
//get out in nature. and then of course their is always nature. we wonder why we don't visit the canyon more often as we always leave renewed. take a simple hike or a hard one for that matter! walk along a river trail, go for a bike ride, or collect shells or rocks on the beach [that's where we really wish we were]. their is nothing as rejuvenating and simply enjoyable as getting out in nature.
what ideas could you add?
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