While others pledge to lose weight or give up smoking, why not think about making love your New Year’s Resolution?

In order to truly experience a rewarding relationship, couples have to commit to making love last.  Within the first few days and weeks of a relationship, it’s relatively easy to generate feelings of excitement and wonder.  However, around the six month period, the initial spark starts to feel as though it’s waning. Couples start to ask themselves – ‘Is this going anywhere?’

For those who are unwilling to recognise the commitment and effort a truly wonderful relationship requires, the answer is often a resounding ‘No!’

The good news is, for couples who are willing to make love a priority within their lives, a whole new relationship dynamic awaits.

Here are some suggestions for making your love last in 2017:

Keep the chemicals of love fizzing : Oxytocin is the hormone released via physical closeness and touching.  It’s responsible for much of that feel-good emotional closeness.  Studies show that a man’s level of oxytocin goes up by 500 per cent after making love.  Make time to be physically and emotionally close. Remember the early days when just looking at each other felt like the most wonderful way to spend an hour or so?  Keep up that adorable eye contact!

Do something thoughtful every day :  Show your partner that he or she is special to you at least once a day with a thoughtful gesture.  It could be as simple as slipping an I Love You note into a coat pocket on a rainy morning, or as grand as organising a surprise date at a favourite restaurant.

mature couple

Be kinder and more forgiving to yourself : The better you feel about yourself, the easier it will be for love to flow around you. Allow yourself to be fully present in the moment, free of self doubt or resentment. For more about letting go visit tinybuddha.com or check here for some helpful tips: how-to-meditate.org

Make time to play together : Your partner should feel like your best friend and playmate. Try new activities together. Laugh together. Be silly. Most of all, be yourself. Never take yourself too seriously with your partner. Be comfortable being honest, open and vulnerable together.

At Searchmate, we believe that making love a New Year’s Resolution is the key to lasting happiness in 2017!