5 Best Couple Resolutions for the New Year

No matter who you are or where your relationship is at, you can improve it by making small but powerful changes. Experts in the field of psychology and relationships agree on several tips, and these are my top five. Reminding yourself that the health of your relationship starts with you is the first step to creating one you love being part of.

1. Practice better listening.  Most couples believe they are good listeners and hear their partner, but real listening is about understanding why your partner feels the way they do and helping them feel validated and heard.

2. Continue to play together.  Experts agree that couples that play together stay together. Couples who share exciting, exhilarating activities together such as rock climbing, white water rafting, or adventurous tours report an increase in closeness and relationship satisfaction.

3. Say and show you love each other every day.  When couples receive and express love to their partner, they report feeling more affection for one another and experience better heart health. Feeling loved is good for your heart and brain.

4. Get involved in your faith as a couple. If you aren’t religious, commit to a cause the two of you can both support. Sharing a vision and having a community of support helps you feel as though you’re part of something bigger. This helps fortify and strengthen your commitment.

5. Practice forgiveness.  When you’re close to someone, you’re inevitably going to hurt, disappoint, and let them down at some time. Being able to let go of the past and forgive one another’s faults helps you resolve the past. No one is perfect. Understand and forgive your partner’s actions to move forward together and resolve hurts from the past. This frees you to embrace the future together.

The New Year is a celebration of starting over, building anew, and reinvesting in your relationship. These resolutions can help you make 2018 a fantastic year for you and the one you love.

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