Continue to share your heart with people even if it has been broken.
Amy Poehler
Each year, we resolve to remedy some aspects of ourselves or our lives that we feel may be holding us back from our ultimate potential. Whether it’s to watch less TV or to look away from the scale, there’s something about the start of a new year that feels ripe with potential for personal growth.
As I’ve been meditating on my much needed changes, I’ve thought a lot about romantic connections. I’ve talked to a lot of friends with great relationships and successful attributes that keep the magic alive and sizzling. Relationship resolutions aren’t always as simple as being swept off our feet or picking up a new partner, so I’ve compiled a list of 10 intimate intentions to ignite the flame of love in your life that you may have left previously unprioritized.
If you’ve been looking for love in all the right places but coming up short of a sure thing, or feel that your current romantic bond requires a boost from Cupid, read on to find a new path toward ten romantic resolutions for 2022.
Make New Connections
You can’t love someone you don’t know yet! If the past year has been spent flying solo and you’re seeking a solution to your solitude, set your sights on finding and forging new social relationships. Try to put more energy into searching for like-minded individuals by joining online groups that meet your interests or volunteering for a worthy cause!
Nurture Existing Relationships
Often it’s the ones right under our noses that we don’t notice until it’s too late. Don’t let the love of your life be the one who got away: if there is someone you’ve been secretly harboring feelings for, make sure they know how you feel. Too afraid to speak up? Try writing a letter to let them in. It’s an uber-romantic gesture they won’t be able to get off their mind.
Send Love to Your S.O.
We spend so much time on trivialities in life and not nearly enough on the people we love. If your relationship has been on the back burner, it’s officially time to turn up the heat! Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and it’s an awesome opportunity to shower your significate other with adoration. Out of ideas? How does binging on romantic movies while eating breakfast in bed sound? Plan ahead for your day of love with my full list of at-home activities!
Cure Your Collective Wanderlust
There is no time like the present to explore new experiences with your partner. Cabin fever has been the foe of many couples over the past couple of years and there’s only one known cure: traveling! You don’t have to go globetrotting to reap the benefits of the great outdoors; here in the US we are lucky enough to be surrounded by some of the world’s best hiking terrain! Try taking your S.O. on a trek or two for an experience that will benefit your minds, bodies, souls and bond.
Prioritize Healthy Communication
The death of any relationship lies in words left unsaid and the passive aggression that collects like dust when you don’t communicate properly with your person. Put your needs out there and make sure you’re listening to theirs; consistently looking out for your partner’s best interests lets them know that they can feel safe when opening up to you in times of conflict. It also cultivates a mutual respect that will forever ensure the affirmation of your feelings!
Use Social Media to Make Connections
It’s not often you’ll find me advocating for intimate communication via social media. Don’t get me wrong. I totally appreciate the benefits of an online world, but too much reliance on the internet can end up feeling soul-sucking instead of stimulating. Infuse some intimacy in your screen-based activities by actually DMing a special someone instead of just scrolling their account. It may sound shallow, but in a time when our online presences are so pristinely curated, letting someone know you’re interested in their offscreen persona may be intriguing enough to spark intimacy.
Start a Book Club with your S.O.
How many times have you attempted to engage with a piece of literature at the end of a long workday, only to be left snoring one chapter in? Recruit a buddy by inviting your partner to begin a reading challenge with you! Pick books that speak to your collective curiosities and set page goals each week. When you get together to discuss the material, you may find the quality of your conversations growing more complex and stimulating!
Move Your Bodies Together
Fitness goals usually lack fulfilling intent. Wanting to better your overall wellness is one thing, but falling into the trap of trying to live up to external aesthetic pressures only leads to emotional pain. Purify your experience of exercise by basing your movement in joyful activities you can engage in with your significant other. Something as simple as having a post-dinner dance party in your living room or taking a long walk around a new area near can invigorate your bodies while bolstering new ways to bond.
Be Vulnerable
Always easier said than done, deciding to let others in on your inner life is a powerful step toward stronger social connections. Remember when I said “you can’t love someone you don’t know yet?” This rings especially true in regard to romantic relationships! Vulnerability is a practice that requires persistence; there will be many times when it feels far safer to stay locked inside your mind instead of unloading to a loved one. Remember that one of the agreements you make in any intimate relationship is to grow with them. Honor your bond by resolving to rip the emotional band-aids off first and not as a last resort.
Love Yourself First
Self-love is often celebrated in theory, but rarely in practice. We ingest and regurgitate about a million meaningless anecdotes a day on ‘self-care” and ‘treating yo’self’ without ever really taking a second to ask ourselves what it actually means to show ourselves kindness. While you’ll never find me foregoing a rose-petaled bubble bath or solo shopping spree, I believe inner love lies in the action of self-awareness. Is there a relationship intoxicating your life that you need to let go of? Have you been holding grudges against yourself for mistakes made long ago? Releasing responsibility toward your inner turmoil takes time and practice, but forgiveness is one form of self-love that is always worth the fight.