Free Marriage Tips-New Year Resolutions

New Year Resolutions

I want to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year.

I wish that this year will be better than last year. We have to be careful taking on resolutions for the New Year as we often set ourselves up for disappointments and failures because we are too global in our wishes. We tend to think of what we could improve and make better in our lives and try to change our habits and temperaments in a major way all at once.

Take on something small and concrete that is easily attainable.

Maybe your major goal is to improve your marriage or try to get back some of the love that you started with. Or, perhaps you want to become more physically active or spend more time with your family. I give suggestions below on how to break down your major goal into smaller steps that are easier to work with and have more chance of success.

Your resolution should be something that can become a lasting habit.

It should be something that you will continue long past January 1st. When you break your major goal down into small and concrete mini-goals, your resolutions might be something like these:

• Make a commitment to help your spouse with some task or chore on a regular basis such as taking out the garbage, doing a carpool, giving your spouse a lift to the train station, helping to clear the table after dinner, reading a story to the children at bedtime or bathing them once a week.
  
  
• Perhaps you could file while your partner pays the bills. Be creative. Each of you could think of a small task to help the other with. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback about what your spouse would appreciate the most, and don't be afraid to make guesses on your own. Maybe there is some hated job that you could help with that is a breeze for you to do.
  
  
• Decide to spend quality time with your spouse. Take a walk together once a week. Establish a date night once a week or even once a month. Meet once a month for lunch. Be creative and find free or low-cost things to do if finances are an issue.
  
  
• Resolve to give one to five compliments a day to your children or your partner. If you have criticism, you don't "earn" the right to give it unless you give compliments to criticism in the ratio of 4:1 or better. That is four or more compliments to one criticism.
  
  
• Make sure that you say "thank you" once a day for something that you appreciate.
  
  
• Communicate with your spouse every day with a phone call or an upbeat email, or send a card for no reason at all.