As an individual, you look forward to the beginning of the New Year with hope and enthusiasm. You make new year’s resolutions because you want to be better than you were the previous year.
It’s the same way couples make New year resolutions to make their relationships better. This is the best time for couples to create the future they want for their relationships by planning ahead.
Making resolutions as a couple bonds you and your partner. It also makes you accountable to each other as well as to the points you have both agreed to work on in your relationship.
If you are wondering where to begin in making new year resolutions as a couple, try these points for a better, romantic and sweeter relationship in 2017.
Set time to connect with each other everyday
Life sometimes gets in the way of connecting with your partner. In 2017, promise to set aside a specific time each day that you and your significant other will spend quality time together. Many couples touch base throughout the day but spend that time only reviewing the mundane details, this is not healthy in the long run. With your resolution, decide the time you set aside is time you will really connect with each other. You can catch up on the day’s events, but also discuss feelings about the day or try asking your partner questions that help you to continue to get to know them more intimately.
Don’t forget to be financially fit
Make 2017 the year you hit your financial goals. Whether it’s a financial bucket list, a vacation savings plan, or deciding what to do with your incomes, financial goal-setting as a couple is a wonderful way to start off the new year. It makes couples feel they are taking charge of their money, together. That’s not just a good feeling, it’s a relief of stress over financial issues that couples have not dealt with in the past.
Plan to be more sexual with your partner
Sex is a key component of a healthy relationship. So if your sex life could use a boost, set a resolution to no longer put sex on the back burner. Couples need to make a commitment to prioritize being sexual together, plan it and make it work. Having one of your new year’s resolutions devoted to this shows that you understand the importance of continued physical intimacy in your relationship and makes it more likely it will happen.
Turn off your tech at bedtime
Technology has become such a big part of people’s lives and interactions. And while smartphones, iPads, and everything in between make lives easier, they also make people disconnect and not be present with their partners in the true sense of the word.
In 2017, couples can decide on a time and put away their devices at a certain time each night to focus on each other and on being present for each other. Disconnecting from the internet at some point so that you can connect with yourself and your partner is important to creating a beautiful relationship.
Decide to be fit for your partner
Chances are you and your partner have fitness goals. So tackle them together to make achieving them even easier. You can decide to join a gym together or decide to take up a new sport together. This easy but structured fitness resolution will give you a great goal together and as individuals. And when you are healthy, you are going to reap the benefits in other parts of your relationship.
Limit squabbles and petty quarrels
It can be difficult to avoid quarrels with the one you love but if you have a misunderstanding with your partner, it’s important to bring it up, but try to avoid petty arguments and insults. One nitpicky fight isn’t a big deal, but over time, small backbiting comments can erode the foundation of your relationship. Pick your battles. When you sense a fight on the horizon, try to calm yourself momentarily and ask “Is this worth disturbing the peace for?”
Strive for emotional honesty
When couples are emotionally dishonest, it takes a toll on their relationship. It’s hard to keep trusting someone who is not honest with you. In 2017, couples who are serious about building a lasting relationship can focus on being emotionally honest with their partners without fear. When there is honesty and transparency in relationships, couples are better off for it and their relationship can stand the test of time.
Listen more, talk less
Don’t nod automatically as your partner talks. Don’t wait for your turn to speak. Don’t do the dishes while your partner is telling you about their day. Sit down, look them in the eye, pay attention to what they are saying and ask follow-up questions. This is one of the best things you can do for your relationship in 2017. Active listening is a skill that you have to hone with time and effort, but it’s incredibly important. Work at it.
Criticize less than you praise
When you spend a lot of time with someone, it becomes easy to overlook the things that are great about them. Instead of dwelling on your partner’s bad habits, remind yourself of the reasons you fell in love with them in the first place. Then remind them of their great qualities. Couples who have been together for a long time tend to forget to compliment one another. Try to dish out three compliments for every criticism, and don’t be shocked if he mirrors your actions. Shared appreciation breeds kindness and consideration, and what couple couldn’t use more of that next year?