The 7-7-7 Relationship Method
Is this a sustainable method to keep the excitement alive in a relationship?
Does this relationship method work? I think I’m almost a decade behind this curve because it first came out on Reddit in 2015. The 777 method seems to make a reoccurrence on social media, because as we know everything old is new again on social media. From what I gathered on this method is:
Every 7 days you go on a date
Every 7 weeks you go on an overnight
Every 7 months you go on a week-long vacation.
While this rule seems simplistic, it’s also unrealistic for most regular couples. Wholeheartedly I believe in date night in whatever form feels most comfortable for the couple. We need to disconnect from our phones and reconnect with each other.
I would assume who made this method has more fluid money than most of the general population, and while I love the idea, I think it needs some adjustments for those who can’t take two one-week vacations each year. How can we make this more affordable for everyday couples?
Firstly, every 7 days. One date night a week seems like a good idea and let’s get out of our heads that the only option for a date is going to an expensive restaurant and running up a tab that makes you dizzy. Our expectations of date night need to change, it’s about the moments shared between a couple and not how much they spend on that moment. Options can include, just getting ice cream and sitting on your porch shooting the shit, bike rides are pleasant whether you have bikes, or you rent them. Personally, I like simplistic dates and I don’t need much from dates; but I know that. Not every person likes the same thing I do and that’s okay. If you need date night ideas, please see the previous post, Alphabet Dating.
Every 7 weeks, I think this is still plausible for couples no matter the circumstance. Getting dinner that is financially within your budget and then follow up dinner with the purchase of a cheap hotel room for the night and the rest is left up to you and your spouse. It also doesn’t have to be a hotel room; you can even get a campsite for the night and try to not kill each other while setting up your tent. It’s about taking our perceptions about what together time should look like for couples and turning those preconceptions on their heads and giving other options. A common misconception about going somewhere overnight is that you must go far away to enjoy anything. Even if you drive 30 minutes, you can discover so much around you that you haven’t experienced before and even though it’s close to your home, it’s new to you.
Every 7 months, this one I believe is where this method kind of falls apart. I have been saving for a long time to take a week’s vacation, I can’t even fathom attempting to take one every 7 months. For those who may not be financially well off, this part of the method feels almost impossible. When we are undoubtedly faced with something that feels impossible then we must pivot in that moment and find a way to make it work.
I have some ideas:
o A cooking competition. Every day that week you swap prepping meals with a predetermined budget to ensure it doesn’t cost a fortune.
o A Mario Kart competition, and you can arrange “prizes” in whatever way you want. Prizes don’t necessarily need to cost any money. It also doesn’t have to be Mario Kart, Mario Party is also a viable option; regardless of which game there’s a reason strip poker was popular at one time. ;)
o Make a point to see local parks in your area that you have never been to, it can be after work, or you save it for the weekend.
o Buy your favorite childhood board games and make a night of figuring them again. I vote Candyland because who doesn’t love Candyland!
There are many options to feel like you are on vacation without it costing you a flight or a fuck ton of money. This sentiment that we must “keep up with the Joneses” is ridiculous. When the happiest couples are not splurging all the time, they value the time they spend together.
If possible, I would suggest one vacation away a year if it’s feasible. Feelings that often correlate with vacation is relaxation and there are many ways to attain that without feeling like if you go on vacation, you will come home to financial mayhem.
Remember, this isn’t something that the woman should plan and just force your spouse to participate in. This is something you should plan together because resentment will boil over if a woman feels like her spouse isn’t participating in the betterment of the relationship. This is the situation where communication is key. It should be things you both agree on doing, and sometimes you must sacrifice for your spouse; it may not be your favorite thing, but if it makes them happy then you can deal and vice versa.
Here's the #1 rule that I think you should have when participating in this method and should apply to all date nights and when you are supposed to be reconnecting.
LEAVE YOUR PHONE IN THE CAR. It’s too easy to fall into old habits and begin staring at your phone when you should be looking at the person you are with. You don’t need your phone; you don’t need to document your every move. Just live in the moment with the person who is supposed to be the most important in your life.
In my personal, and not professional opinion. I think this is a cute idea to come up with new ideas to keep your relationship from falling into monotony of the day-to-day life. But this shouldn’t be relied on to save a relationship. Communication and daily work of validating your partners needs and wants and a fuck ton of compromise are the things that should be worked on first. But it’s something worth trying out, it’s completely moldable to your financial situation and your own schedule.
Is this something you would partake in? If so, how would you adjust it to fit into the dynamic of your relationship?