Matchmaker-Approved New Year’s Resolutions for Singles

At the end of every year, resolutions are tossed around like flapjacks in a diner. Your work bestie is cutting out alcohol. Your younger brother is training for a triathlon. Your parents have agreed to spend more quality time together . . . but what about you? How will you kick off the new year?

As someone who is trying to find your person, making commitments to yourself and your journey to romance is crucial. The right New Year’s resolutions for singles can help you find happiness, peace, and confidence amid what can often feel like a challenging search for love. 

So, we went in search of the best dating advice for 2024 from our experienced matchmakers. Get ready to bookmark this article—our team has provided helpful New Year’s resolutions and insights that you won’t want to forget!

1. Commit to Learning Something New

What is the one thing you would do if you weren’t afraid to fail? Sometimes, we let our perceived weaknesses or fears keep us from doing something we’ve always wanted to try. So, this year, make a goal to learn something new.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to play the guitar or take dance classes or learn how to surf. At the beginning of the year, make smaller goals for yourself, like simply researching lessons or classes one week, making the phone call or sending the email the next week, and so on. From there, try to dedicate a certain amount of time each month to practicing this activity. Remember that success happens in small steps.

While there’s no need to keep something going if you don’t like it, give yourself the time and space to learn. You might be surprised by skills you never knew you had, the confidence you develop, and the independence you cultivate (hint: independence is one of the qualities of a good partner).

2. Leave the Past in the Rearview

In the world of dating, there can be so many ups and downs. From the highs of that first sparkling feeling of meeting someone new to the lows of a breakup or other romantic hurts, there is a lot to navigate—and some of those experiences can turn into heavy emotional baggage. 

One of the best New Year’s resolutions for singles is to let go. Let go of the negative feelings or memories you harbor against yourself or others. Let go of the pain from a recent breakup. Let go of any guilt you might have about past relationships. 

This process of letting go can take awhile because working through emotions isn’t quick work. But allowing yourself to feel your feelings and giving yourself permission to let them go will make room for new, fresh memories. 

Treat this upcoming year as a new chapter and hit the personal restart button so you can leave the past in the past and focus on the future.

3. Practice Gratitude

If you haven’t had much luck in the dating department, it can be difficult to focus on other aspects of your life that bring you joy. A healthy dating New Year’s resolution is practice gratitude, which can help shift focus from the potential setbacks and disappointments of dating to the positive moments in your life.

A good place to start is by putting pen to paper. Commit one day each week to jot down at least three moments or experiences that you’re grateful for. They could be meaningful conversations, a successful presentation at work, a beautiful sunset, or even something as simple as a stranger saying “good morning.” 

When you appreciate life’s simple pleasures, you generate more positivity by being aware of all you have (instead of focusing on what you don’t). This perspective seeps into every area of your life, including your dating experiences. 

4. Stick to Your Deal-Breakers

If you’ve found that the people you’re dating aren’t quite who you’ve been looking for in a long-term partner, it might be time to reacquaint yourself with your deal-breakers, goals, and values. Cue, your New Year’s resolution to find love.

Reminding yourself of these three very important things can help you date with intention because you have a set of parameters you’re working with. While it’s a good idea to be open to new people and experiences, it’s helpful to keep your deal-breakers top of mind (almost like guardrails) so that you’re spending time dating people who have similar relationship values and goals—the things that matter in the long run.

5. Check In with Yourself More Often

This New Year’s resolution for singles is all about prioritizing your needs—because it’s easy to put yourself on the backburner when your focus is on how to find a good man or woman to spend your life with. But you want to feel your best when you eventually meet your person. That’s why it’s important to routinely take a pulse on how you’re feeling. 

If you notice that you’re more exhausted than usual, it’s okay to take a breather from dating. Set some social boundaries and take time for yourself to recharge. If you find that you’re having a difficult time communicating your needs to someone you’ve started dating, try discovering your love languages so that you know what helps you feel loved and appreciated.

No matter what your needs are, make sure you pay attention to them in the new year. Your mental health and well-being should come first.

6. Find the Fun in Dating

Your personal and professional life is filled with enough deadlines, from work to loan payments to travel plans and more. Your love life doesn’t need to have a deadline, too. Our dating advice for 2024 is let yourself have fun!

When you meet someone, get out of your head and, instead, focus on being completely present. Throw the timeline away and find the fun in dating. Plan experiential dates, go in for the kiss, try something new together, embrace your silly side. Basically, lean into the enjoyment of getting to know someone. The more you let go of your love timeline, the more you’ll open yourself up to new experiences and ultimately find more joy in the process of dating.
Think of resolutions as gifts to yourself. So, what gift can you give to yourself to begin (and end) the new year with revived positivity and confidence? Use these New Year’s resolutions for singles as your foundation for a successful year, both personally and romantically.