One Question to Make Next Christmas Even Better 🎄✨

The Spark (by Hunter at Show Her Off Dance).

Connecting Conversations

Sometimes a great question is all you need to start a meaningful conversation :)

This weekend, try asking your significant other:

• What is one thing we can improve about our Christmas / holiday experience for next year? (good time to reflect on how things went this month and note them for next year)

• What is one thing I can do tomorrow to make your day lighter?

• What is one magical memory for you from this past year?

Romantic Idea

With Christmas behind us, how about some chill time with no family drama?

This week, make your partner a personalized playlist. 

This can be music that makes you think of them, that expresses something you haven’t been able to say (or just says it better 😉) or brings up a memory you have together.

Something to think about when planning:

• Do you want to set a romantic tone or mix it up for a livelier mood?

I suggest popping your playlist on during an evening when you’re eating in. You can start listening while cooking and continue on during dinner. 

It’s the perfect time to let the music spark the conversation.

Bonus: after all that Christmas spending, this idea is free if you already subscribe to a music streaming service.

The Love Lab

It feels good when your partner makes you feel good, doesn’t it? 

In healthy relationships, our partners actually see us more positively than anyone else in our lives (even ourselves!). 

It’s called “the Michelangelo Phenomenon.” 

As a sculptor, Michelangelo would look at a slab of stone and see an ideal human form “hidden” inside.

In a loving relationship, our belief in our partner is a tool we can use to help each other get closer to our ideal selves. 

In other words, you can bring out the best in each other.

That means that offering to help your partner with advice and support can boost their mood and make you feel valuable to them. Win win :)

So what are ways you can bring a Michelangelo vibe into your life?

• Be the helper: If your partner is struggling to achieve a goal, is there a way you can help with one step or aspect of it?

• Show them their strengths: Tell them how what they’re good at can help them reach a goal or do a task. They may not be able to see it in themselves!

• Share a goal: It can be fun to create a goal you’re both interested in and then pursue it together, creating shared memories.

A book that goes deeper into cultivating healthy relationships is Aaron Ben-Ze’ev’s The Arc of Love: How Our Romantic Lives Change Over Time.