Recently Nikki and I celebrated a date night together and had a fantastic time. It was actually 23 hours packed full of conversations, romance, and just pure enjoyment. So…
Today I wanted to lay out a few ideas that would help improve your date nights or simply improve your life!

Manage your Margins
What makes life enjoyable is having time to enjoy life! What makes a date night fantastic is having money set aside to enjoy! Having margins in our life allows us to move easily and spend freely. Don’t let the walls of busyness and poor budgeting keep you from enjoying life! Because Nikki and I routinely date and set money aside for those dates it was no problem when I said let’s get away for the night.
Try this -Set one day a week aside for you and yours to date. Even if you have been married for 25 years pick a day and stick to it. Set a budget. You’re going to spend the money somewhere why not on something you enjoy! (If you don’t enjoy your spouse that’s a different issue that needs to be addressed)
Manage your time and money in such a way that there are margins (room to move).

Invest in Experiences
The rooms at the Westin in downtown Atlanta gives you a floor to ceiling view of the city. The view is the experience. It was a great investment. We could have easily rented a room just for the bed and shower but, what’s the fun in that? Having a memorable story to tell is far better. Nikki and I have practiced this over and over. I can tell you stories of zip lining, hiking, fine dining, and views from the top of the Empire State Building. Good experiences are worth the investment.
Try this – Go to the theater instead of the movies. Go on a day hike. Rent a hotel room with a view!

Try Something New
I have always wanted to try a restaurant that had live music. Like the jazz club, you see in the movies. I can’t sing or dance, but I love music. We finally made it happen. A completely new experience for us. We visited a “Juke Joint” and set at a table right in the front. It was great. We even tried some new food (collard green egg rolls).
I like things to be comfortable. However, comfortable will only allow you to experience what you already know. There is so much in our beautiful world to be explored.
Try this- Go to a new city and try a new restaurant.

I believe we should enjoy the life God has given us. I also look for treasures along the journey.

So, what does this look like for you? I would encourage you to resist the common response “this sounds like a good idea” and do nothing.

Let me know how you celebrate your life?