Seeking to rekindle a relationship troubled and unstable in the year that just passed? Wishing to right a love boat controlled by two lovers with opposing views and bout to sink in no time?
The New Year offers a good psychological reboot to wash away those bad experiences that seem to appear in a distant past. But realistically, lovers need to check themselves and take guide from these practical things we call New Year’s resolutions.
New Year Kiss
1. Make a resolution to listen to your partner. A partner not listening is a top complaint for many people, especially those in long-term relationships. Listening to your partner attentively can help you avoid resentment and negativity in the New Year.
2. Be open with your feelings. If your partner feels like you aren’t telling the truth or you’re holding things back, they’re going to be more likely to pull away themselves.
3. Avoid negative situations. You probably can’t avoid every situation that has started an argument in the past, but resolving to do what you can to avoid certain situations in the New Year can help tremendously.
4. Tell your partner that you care. It might sound simple and something that you don’t need to make a resolution to do, but when you’re in a long-term relationship, it can be easy to forget to tell your partner how important they really are to you.
5. Make a resolution to do more nice things for your partner in the New Year. Take them out to dinner, bring them flowers or just let them pick the movie. Little gestures can make a big difference in a relationship for a lot of couples.
6. Disagree but don’t fight. If you don’t agree with something your partner says about your relationship you should let them know. You also need to let them know you don’t think their opinion is wrong – just that you don’t share it with them.
7. Pick your battles. It’s age-old advice, but it’s still good advice. Minor disagreements and arguments are going to happen in healthy relationships, but they don’t have to happen all the time. Consider whether an issue really matters to you before engaging in an argument.
8. Talk willingly about your finances if you share money with your partner. Money is one of the top reasons couples fight. Make a resolution for the New Year that you’ll talk openly and honestly about your financial situation in a way that won’t lead to an argument.
9. Make more time to spend alone with your partner. Alone time is important, especially if you have children or have been together for a long period of time. Schedule it if you have to.
10. Apologize when you make a mistake. A lot of people in relationships seem to lose the ability to apologize, mostly because they don’t want to seem wrong or foolish to their partner. Make a resolution to apologize when you need to in order to reduce resentment later on.
Even to those who think they’re into smooth sailing relationship, these resolutions offer a reality check on what might be the missing in that  fledgling connection.
