Holly’s Dating Advice: 5 New Year’s Resolution Ideas for Singles

Single? Here are some New Year’s resolution ideas to revitalize your dating life this year.
5. Figure out what you want. This one is crucial. Resolve this year to figure this out. If you don’t want a long-term relationship, be clear about that from day one. If you want a long-term relationship, be clear about that, too. But beyond that, figure out the qualities you think are most important to you in a partner. If sense of humor is vital to you (it is to me), don’t ask for a second date with someone who doesn’t make you laugh. One book I recommend to help you with this resolution? How to Meet Your Half-Orange by Amy Spencer. It’s one of the few dating books out there that will help you clarify to yourself what matters rather
4. Build Your Singles Family. Resolve this year to nurture your relationships with single friends who understand the dating scene. Don’t let this year be another year where you hide your feelings because you don’t want to seem like needy. Be open and honest about your experience and resolve to listen to others be open and honest about theirs. Check in from time to time. Schedule a singles night in. Become a better listener, a better friend and a better person all at the same time. Learning how to talk about emotions with others will, in fact, eventually make you a better partner.
3. Clean out your clutter. If you harbor any leftover feelings for someone in your past, now is the time to resolve to get them gone. That means packing up the things in your apartment that remind you of a retired relationship. It means hiding exes from your Facebook feed. I’m not saying you need to throw people out of your life, but you do need to give your heart the time to grow without them for a while. Only then will you be in a position to let someone else in.
2. Set realistic first dates and keep them. Stop setting yourself up for disappointment by planning elaborate escapades. Don’t go out for drinks and wonder why all you meet are hookups. Brush up on whatever is on the front page of the New York Times and meet for coffee. Resolve this year to learn how to have a conversation–like an adult. And don’t flake out last minute because you’re tired. If you want to meet someone thoughtful and considerate, you have to be thoughtful and considerate, too.
1. Say yes. The one piece of advice I try to give over and over again is just say yes. Open yourself up to more opportunities by saying yes. One yes will likely snowball into a dozen new opportunities if you let it. So let it! Life sucks in a straight line.
Check out other advice from Holly here.