Once a year, talk like you are not rushing past each other

Between work deadlines, family obligations, and endless household logistics, many couples find themselves talking past each other rather than with each other. Conversations become transactional—about bills, schedules, and who's picking up groceries—while the deeper connections that brought them together slowly fade into the background.

Even couples who live together can feel worlds apart when days are filled with back-to-back commitments. For long-distance couples, the challenge is even greater, with precious video calls often reduced to status updates rather than meaningful connection.

What if you could pause once a year, between the end of December and Lunar New Year, to really see each other again? This ritual isn't about fixing everything or making grand resolutions. It's about creating a small, sacred space to acknowledge what matters most.

Pick a quiet evening when neither of you is rushing anywhere. Make tea or pour wine. Turn off phones and notifications. This is your time to remember why you chose each other in the first place.

You don't need a complete relationship overhaul or expensive therapy. All you need is:

• •One Thank You Card from each person—acknowledging the specific ways your partner showed up for you this year
• •One small New Year Pact with just 1-3 promises you both genuinely want to keep

These two simple tools create a ritual that's meaningful but manageable. The Thank You Card helps you practice gratitude, while the New Year Pact builds shared intention for the year ahead.