A Couple’s Guide to Aligning in the New Year!

Setting Emotional, Financial, and Personal Goals Together

The start of a new year is more than a fresh calendar — it’s an opportunity to reset, reconnect, and realign with the person you love. Whether you’re engaged, newly married, or simply building a life together, intentional goal-setting is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen your relationship.

This isn’t about becoming a “perfect” couple or mapping out every detail of your life. It’s about carving out time to slow down, listen deeply, understand each other’s needs, and step into the new year as a united team.

Below, you’ll find a guided checklist to spark meaningful conversation around emotional wellness, financial alignment, and personal growth. These are the same themes I explore with couples in premarital counseling — and they can transform how you communicate, support each other, and build your future.

Set aside an hour. Sit together without distraction. Put your devices away. No problem-solving — just curiosity, honesty, and connection. Talking about emotions, finances and personal growth may be overwhelming all at once. If that is the case, I recommend giving each of the 3 topics in 20 minute gatherings.

1. Emotional Goals: How Do We Want Our Relationship to Feel This Year?

Emotional wellness is the foundation of a resilient partnership. It’s how you respond to stress, how you communicate during conflict, and the way you show up for each other on ordinary days. Many couples assume emotional needs shouldn’t change — but they do, and revisiting them regularly keeps your relationship strong.

Discuss together:

• What three words describe how we want our relationship to feel in 2026?
  (Examples: calm, supported, playful, safe, adventurous, connected.)

• What helps each of us feel emotionally safe?
  Safety looks different for everyone — for some, it’s being listened to without interruption; for others, it’s physical affection or a consistent routine.

• What do we each need when we’re stressed or overwhelmed?
  One partner may need quiet; the other may need reassurance. Neither is wrong — just different.

• How do we want to handle conflict this year?
  Agree on one or two supportive approaches: taking a pause, staying curious, no name-calling, or using “I feel” statements.

• What habits help us feel closer?
  Think small: a nightly check-in, a weekend walk, or sitting down for dinner without screens.

• How will we prioritize quality time?
  Schedule it the same way you schedule the dentist — because connection shouldn’t be optional.

Reflection prompt:
“What makes me feel most supported by you?” or if it’s easier to ask each other “What makes you feel most supported by me?”

This one question can unlock a year of deeper understanding.

Okay, deep breaths before we continue.

2. Financial Goals: How Do We Want to Approach Money as a Team?

Money is not just math — it’s emotional. Your financial story is shaped by childhood experiences, fears, values, and personal priorities. When couples avoid talking about money, tension builds. When you talk about it openly, you create trust, stability, and shared direction.

Explore these topics together:

• What are our individual and shared money values?
  Do we prioritize stability, freedom, generosity, comfort, adventure?

• What are our spending styles?
  Savers, spenders, and “it depends on the day” are all valid — the goal is understanding, not judgment.

• What are our financial stress points?
  Being honest about what worries you makes it easier for your partner to support you.

• What are our top financial priorities for 2026?
  Examples: saving for a wedding, buying a home, paying down debt, planning a trip, or building an emergency fund.

• How do we want to talk about money — especially when it’s stressful?
  Set ground rules that avoid blame and keep you on the same team.

• How often will we check in about finances?
  Monthly is ideal, but quarterly is sufficient as long as you stay consistent.

Reflection prompt:
“When it comes to money, what helps me feel calm and supported?”

This allows you to think personally and see where similarities and differences lie. It also creates a shared language for navigating financial decisions together.

3. Personal & Shared Growth Goals: Who Are We Becoming Individually and Together?

A healthy partnership includes space for two people to grow — not in the same direction, but in ways that complement each other. This category is often overlooked, but it matters just as much as emotional or financial alignment.

Use this section to reflect on the bigger picture:

• What is one personal growth goal for each of us this year?
  This can be career-related, health-related, creative, or spiritual.

• How can we support each other’s goals?
  Support doesn’t mean doing it for them — it means encouragement, accountability, or simply not getting in the way.

• What shared experience or tradition do we want to create in 2026?
  Date nights, a weekend ritual, an annual trip, a monthly check-in — consistency builds connection.

• How will we protect rest and wellness?
  Consider boundaries with work, social obligations, or family.

• What do we want more of this year?
  Laughter, intimacy, calm nights in, adventure, time outdoors.

• What do we want less of?
  Overcommitting, rushing, resentment, clutter, comparison.

Reflection prompt:
“How do we want our life together to feel one year from now?”

This anchors the conversation in possibility rather than pressure.

4. A Closing Intention to Anchor Your Year

End your conversation by completing this line together:

“In 2026, we are committed to building a relationship that feels __________, __________, and __________.”

Write it somewhere visible. Revisit it quarterly. Let it guide your decisions, conversations, and habits throughout the year.

It would be super easy to read this and just say, “great, we should totally do this!” However, you really need to do this! So, grab your calendar and schedule an hour or 3 20-minute sessions to align your relationship! Of course, if you need any guidance or want an actual checklist (with boxes you can check!), do not hesitate to reach out and let me know.