Okay, so this is what happens each time – every year ends with a resounding chorus of voices doing the countdown, then the ball drops, the confetti swirls in the air, and we pull our partners close to allow our lips to do some talking of their own. As the New Year is invited thus, hands are wrapped around waists and champagne flutes, and once the tipple kicks in, resolutions flow out!

Most of these resolutions are broken even before 3^rd of January rolls by, and we think, ‘Ah, what the hell, there’s a next year that’ll come knocking soon!’ Sometimes, these are silly things we had promised ourselves throughout December to remember to promise to put to effect in the New Year but more often than not, they are important things like hitting the gym regularly, quitting a bad habit or even going to bed early and waking up on time!! Interestingly, not many of us welcome the new year with a promise of building a ‘Happy’ (maybe even happier!!) new year with the one we begin the first few ticking moments with. So, we thought we’d roll out a few resolutions you’d love to make (read ‘not break’) to put some more ‘love’ into your ‘love life’ :

1. Capture the precious moments

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I remember my own harried rummaging through old trunks, bags and drawers to look for photo albums, hard disks – anything at all that might have cute-sy pictures of the two of us together. But turned out to be one disappointing day! We almost always forget to capture our precious moments and then, always regret having a tangible token of a thousand instances of the ‘day(s) when we …..’ Whether or not you like those shutterbugs – remember to make it a point to click as many of the precious ticks you spend together – coz those shall help you relive the priceless ticks for all the ones that follow!

2. Unplug the world

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If you are one of those who welcomes the bed-tea your partner brings in by flipping through your inbox and a cursory smile, it is time this new year changed that! When you spend time with your partner, make sure it is tech-free. Of course, that does not mean that married couples live without cell phones or that date nights mean you can kiss ‘connectivity’ with the world goodbye, but only that your partner is worth your undivided attention. So put those phones down and cultivate a conversation over a cup of steaming coffee!! Believe me, being ‘present’ in the relationship shall be the best ‘present’ you shall gift him/her in the new year!

3. Love ‘ME’ to make love to ‘WE’

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I know most relationship advice portals out there shall ask you to put your relationship first. I am going to deviate, and for valid reasons. I don’t mean that you need to put your relationship in the backseat – it’s just that you’d have to protect yourself with a seat belt first to protect the bond you have with the person in the passenger seat! If you do not love yourself enough, you’ll never come whole to the relationship you are building. Making your partner your ‘go-to’ person or ‘one-stop solution’ for all things in life can be harmful for you and your relationship. Make sure you kick the butts of romantic/emotional/sexual comfort zones and sneak some time for yourself. Be it healthy eating, sweating it out at the gym or taking mental health breaks, make sure you are coming to the relationship as a well-balanced individual. This renewed focus on ‘ME’ shall work wonders for ‘WE.’ Comfort is no excuse for boredom and laziness, dude – so don’t slack on your game and go trim your nose hair! Reason enough you’d want to be uncomfortable, eh? 😛

4. Say it with a hug-sy compliment

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Not ‘feeling appreciated’ is one of the major complaints that plague most relationships. And while a verbal acknowledgement is always welcome, a hug along with a ‘thank-you’ that shows that you notice the little things your partner does for you is bound to make them feel happy for hours afterwards. So, the next time you like how she looks, feel great on being kissed when you came home tired or love his electrifying touch, make it known. Throw in hugs and kisses and recharge that relationship, will ya? 😉

5. Spend TIME

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While slurping on noodles and watching Breaking Bad also falls under the category of ‘spending time together,’ it isn’t exactly ‘spending’ time. More like ‘squeezing’ time between work and sleep, if you ask me! :/ 2015 is the year you fix that! Set apart hours, maybe days on your calendar for your partner! Go out on dates, plan your trips together, explore new places, set out on adventures and FEEL the difference!

6. Don’t keep score

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If you hear or speak sentences like ‘you never ……..’ or ‘you always …….’ in your relationship, it is time you stop inhaling the toxic-o-gen that gets you to utter such poisonous things! As fatal as these are to your relationship, this habit is one that shall take your new year as far from ‘happy’ as possible! If you wish to be happy in your relationship, stop keeping score – it’s not the Olympics! Forgive freely, forget quickly, and learn to resolve each conflict as if it’s new. Do not broach old issues, but resolve and repair quickly!

7. Go the extra mile

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While grand, sweeping gestures are always a pleasant surprise, little gestures like offering to clean up after dinner, helping with the laundry or even changing the baby’s diapers can also go a long way in making your partner feel cherished. The bottom-line is to put in extra thought, make that extra effort to express how much you value your partner. Do not, for a moment, take things for granted. And remember that ‘LOVE’ is a long journey and treading that extra mile only gets you closer to the destination!

8. Hug ‘Health, Humor and Hobbies’ for Happiness

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There is a reason why health, humor, and hobbies are my recipe for happiness. You know how important each one is- add to it the pursuit of each in the company of your beloved and lo, the output gets trebled! So, walk the treadmill while your hubby bench presses, laugh a lot over silly jokes and maybe, sign up for Salsa or Netball! Don’t believe me? Try the triple H-formula for your trebled dose of happiness in the New Year! (You can come thank me when it works!) 😉

9. Rev up the romping

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This one should be the easiest one to keep! 😉 Get the temperatures soaring in the bedroom (bathtub, kitchen floor – wherever the mood strikes!) by making more of naked one-on-one time! Try new positions, experiment with different props – get naughty and naught-ier!! Make an aim to keep things as raunchy and ravishing so as to never have a mediocre romp ever again! 😉

10. Embrace the imperfections, they are perfect

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If you constantly dream of an ‘ideal’ partner, there are chances that you’d quit the road whenever you experience a bump in the road! It is a given that the next ‘ONE’ that comes along shall not be a ‘perfect prince’ either! So, quit that unproductive desire now and embrace your partner – imperfections and all. Minor flaws and/or mistakes can be overlooked and a perfect love story comes out by ironing out the creases to have your love saga writ across the stars!

11. Learn the ‘mutual’ language of love

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We all have our own ways of loving! The problem arises when we expect to be loved in the way we love our partners. This year, let this unrealistic expectation go. Remember that your partner shall love you in the way he/she knows best and try to understand it. Gary Chapman has written a book on the subject titled ‘The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts.’ It explores how the primary language of love differs for men and women, and how most of these problems can be resolved if we can choose to communicate in our partner’s ‘love language.’ In 2015, set about finding overlapping zones in your primary ‘love languages’ and weave the magic!

12. Blurt it to build it

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Communication is very important in any relationship. You need to talk of the problem areas instead of allowing them to simmer under the surface whilst you nod and smile away. In order to keep, build and nurture a healthy, happy and loving relationship, one must be able to voice all that troubles them without any fear of being hurt or judged! It is important to remember that a right/wrong game hardly resolves a problem. A blame game shall only tear you apart while a discussion of how your partner’s actions made you ‘FEEL’ shall help build understanding and validation. Make 2015 the year of building it, instead of tearing it down!

There you go. Happy LOVE year – 2015!! J

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