So, gentlemen, here we are.

We find ourselves within a society of our peers who desperately try to set themselves apart in order to win the attention, and hopefully the love of a woman. The challenge here is that if we all say that we’re different from the others, all it does is make us all the same.

Here are five ways to go above and beyond the rest and show the woman in your life you’ll step up for her.

Rose petals, champagne, and dinner.

Yes, rose petals. Plan for a night when you know you are going to be home before her, get a bouquet of roses, and peel off enough petals to make a path from the doorway to where you have set up dinner and a bottle of champagne. Can’t cook? Order a pizza. This gesture isn’t about the food, it’s about doing something special for her after she’s had a long day.

Plan a date on steroids.

If you live in or near a major city, it is likely you might have the Uber service available, which is a simple app that you download on your phone and at the press of a button, voila, a black car appears at your address of choice. If not, send a cab – the idea is anticipation.

Tell her to dress up, head to your date destination yourself, and have a car pick her up to bring her over. Be waiting with roses. If you’re going to a restaurant, make sure you have reservations so she doesn’t have to wait after getting there.

Put down the phone and the remote.

You didn’t expect every idea here to be extravagant and romantic, did you? That’s not what love and relationships are about – sometimes they are about simply shutting out the rest of the world and truly talking and listening to each other. It’s a rare occurrence these days, and a great way to show her you care.

Make her a collage.

One of the best gifts I’ve gotten was a great collage from my girlfriend on our first anniversary. She took photos of us together during events in our lives and put them in order in frames. The thought, time, and effort that you put into something like this will make her heart skip a beat.

Make her feel appreciated.

Yes, I talk about this often. But what is more important in a relationship than both partners knowing that who they are is truly appreciated by the other? Make it simple, a brief text during work to brighten her day, or a toast to her for no reason when the two of you are having dinner together.

Feeling taken for granted or just “expected” to be there is a great way to drive somebody out of your relationship.

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While I am a fan of performing grand, romantic gestures, it’s not always practical or possible. Fortunately, romance is not in what you do or the things you buy – it’s about who you are and how you make her feel on a consistent basis. Don’t just kiss her…kiss her. There is a difference.

Life gets crazy and it’s easy for sparks to fade as stress and distractions mount. Who says that you can’t step outside of your reality every now and then, hold her hand, and walk right into a fairy tale?

Romance and chivalry increase healthy relationships, which increases physical intimacy, which then increases happiness and fulfillment. Intimacy, in reality, is built outside of the bedroom.

Start building.

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