Spring cleaning for your relationships:

We’ve made it through a long, isolating winter and into the energy of rebirth and hope that spring brings.

Getting here wasn’t an easy process, and our intimate relationships helped shoulder the brunt of the stress and emotional turmoil that came from quarantine-style living.

It’s time now to clear the emotional clutter of the past year so that our romantic partnerships can re-find their right place in our lives.

Thank Your Partner for Being Superhuman for You

This year, our partner became our everything: our best friend, lover, co-worker, co-teacher, co-chef, technology helper, apocalypse support, and trauma therapist through it all. And we did the same for them. We went above and beyond what is normally expected and healthy in a relationship.

There is no way that we each did all of these things perfectly. But we did our best and so did our partner. The first step in spring cleaning our relationship is acknowledging this and taking time to thank our partner for all that they’ve been for us this past year—perfect, imperfect, or somewhere in between.

Create a New Intention for your Couplehood

Now that we’ve taken the time to acknowledge what was, it is important to reset a new intention for our couplehood. We don’t have to be each other’s everything anymore. We can go back to holding a more balanced and fun role in each other’s lives that we get to decide on together.

Maybe we want to go back to being lovers and friends and doggy co-parents and that’s it. We get to determine this based on our unique relationship. But it is important that we take the time to reset this intention so that we’re each operating from the same expectations.

Decide what Patterns you want to Let Go Of

Spending so much time with our partner over the last year probably highlighted some of the relationship patterns that we would like to change. The rebirth of spring energy is here to help us go for it.

Begin by making a list of the things you would like to see change. Then, look over the list and determine what your role in continuing these patterns is. Make a commitment to yourself to change the way you act, interact, and respond to your partner. Remember, you can’t change anyone else, but you can change how you respond.

Focus on Where you’re Going Together

It can feel hard to focus on a positive future when things are constantly in flux and survival mode. Now that that is coming to an end, it is time to craft a vision for a more positive and thriving future for ourselves and our loved ones. The great thing about life being turned on its head is that we have a unique opportunity to create a future vision that works for us.

Take a moment together to make a list of how you want to feel moving forward. When you start to feel bogged down, or need to make decisions, use this list to help guide you.

You and your partner did a great job getting here, to this place, right now. Take the time to honor your relationship by clearing away emotional debris and make space for a more hopeful and exciting future together.