Strategies for Success in the New Year
If you’re looking to elevate your life in the new year, consider shifting your focus to what studies have scientifically proven to have the highest return on investment — your relationships.
Multiple studies have shown that, at the end of the day, the quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life. Rather than repeating the same old resolutions for 2024, why not redirect your energy towards strategies that promote growth and connection and ultimately, better relationships?
Achieving success in any area of life requires consistent effort and dedication, and relationships are no exception.
Here are some effective strategies to help enhance your relationships in the new year:
Why These Strategies Work
Each of these strategies contributes to the growth and success of a relationship by fostering emotional connection, promoting effective communication, and maintaining the fun in your relationship.
1) Seek to Understand Your Partner Better
In order to be a better partner, you have to tailor your approach to the person you are in a relationship with. Too often I see people who are trying to use something that “worked in my last relationship” with their current partner — who is not enjoying it at all! The first strategy to being better at relationships in 2024 is to be more curious and open to learning about the person who you are in a relationship with.
Attempting to build a relationship without a clear understanding of your partner’s needs is like setting off on a journey without the right map. Without this understanding of what your partner’s desires, needs, and boundaries are, you risk miscommunication, unmet expectations, and potential conflicts. When you understand your partner’s needs and desires, it allows you to choose actions and behaviors that aligns to meet them.
2) Maintain Open and Healthy Communication
When you establish a foundation of open communication, you approach relationship challenges as a team. Instead of viewing each other as adversaries, you become teammates collaborating to solve problems. This shift in perspective promotes unity and fosters a sense of working together towards shared goals. By actively working together to create a safe space for open dialogue, you cultivate an atmosphere of trust and vulnerability which allows you to address issues before they escalate, prevents resentment from building up, and promotes an environment of emotional safety.
A simple start to implementing this strategy in your 2024 relationship is to set up a time to have a daily check in with your partner. This consistency can help to normalize ongoing open communication. If you need some tips for structuring a check in, here are my “3P’s” that I encourage couples to check in about: 1) a point of Pride, “what made you proud of yourself today?” 2) a point of Pain, “anything been bothering you today?” and 3) a point of Pleasure, “was there anything fun or special about today?” From there, a conversation can go in a variety of directions, but the main goal is to have a check in that allows for a deeper conversation than just a “how was your day?”
3) Spend Quality Time Together and Engage in Novel Experiences
In the busyness of life, it’s easy for relationships to take a back seat as other obligations and responsibilities of life and work pile up. However, by not taking quality time as a couple to enjoy each other, you are really missing out on the whole reason for being in a relationship in the first place! By consciously carving out time for each other and making the relationship a priority, you send a clear message that your connection is valued and something that truly enhances your life.
Novelty and excitement play a crucial role in relationship longevity. Engaging in new experiences together triggers the brain’s reward system, reinforcing positive associations with your partner. When we do something new (and fun) with our partners, our brain releases dopamine and other feel-good chemicals, which contribute to feelings of excitement, pleasure, and bonding.
Regular date nights and trips also serve as intentional reminders to prioritize and invest in the relationship, rekindling romance and passion. This process helps to maintain a sense of novelty and freshness in the relationship, even as time goes on.
Here’s to 2024 being your best year yet in building and maintaining more fulfilling relationships!
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Kristal DeSantis, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional is the author of STRONG: A Relationship Field Guide for the Modern Man
Follow my instagram @atxtherapist | Facebook @strongloveatx | TikTok @atx_therapist
