15 New Year Resolutions Single Women Swear By (When They Actually Want Love)

Being single during the holidays can feel especially loud, even if you’re normally at peace with it. The season is saturated with romance, twinkle lights, mistletoe, cozy fires, and couple-coded traditions that quietly remind you of what you don’t have. Add in showing up to holiday parties solo while everyone else brings a plus-one, and the inevitable family gathering where someone asks why you’re still single even though you're “such a catch,” and suddenly the new year feels less like a calendar flip and more like a deadline. There’s no shame in being single, but there is a difference between enjoying your season and feeling stuck in it. If you’re tired of repeating the same patterns, entertaining the same types of men, or hoping next year will magically look different without changing anything, consider this your reset. These are the New Year resolutions single women swear by when they actually want love, not another situationship, not another talking stage, and definitely not another year of waiting around. 1. Open Yourself Up to New Experiences First things first, make sure you’re entering the new year with the right mindset. Think positive, and be open to new experiences. Saying yes more means you’ll have more opportunities to grow as a person and meet new people. 2. Date with Intentionality It’s no secret that casual dating and hookup culture are extremely harmful to women. If you’re dating to find long-term commitment, act like it. Don’t go on dates with guys who aren’t serious and do not sleep with a guy right off the bat. Ask questions, hold the men you date (and yourself!) to a high standard, and be honest about what you’re looking for. 3. Make a List of Your Must-Haves in a Potential Partner What do you want your future relationship to look like? What things are the most important to you in a potential husband or boyfriend? Make a list of those things so that you have a clearer idea of what you want and what you’re looking for. 4. Re-Examine Your Deal Breakers This does not mean lowering your standards. There are some deal breakers that are perfectly reasonable, such as shared values or a sense of humor. But there are some shallower deal breakers that you may want to re-examine. Does he really have to be six feet tall and speak two foreign languages? Re-examine your deal breakers to determine which ones are important and which are just “nice to haves.” 5. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone It’s all-too-easy to get stuck in the confines of your comfort zone, but part of putting yourself out there means stepping outside it as much as you can. Some radical ideas are things like sky-diving or trying stand-up comedy, but it can be smaller too! Maybe for you this just looks like finally walking up to that cute guy at the gym and saying hi. 6. Change Up Your Routine Are you sensing a theme to this list yet? It’s all about trying new things, especially new things that will potentially open you up to meeting new people. Instead of stopping at the same Starbucks you always go to, try a different one. Or better yet, try that cute new local place on the corner that you’ve never been to before! 7. Take a Cooking Class You know that saying “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”? Well, it turns out it’s actually true! Learning to cook is about more than just making a man happy though, it’s also a great way to grow your skills, get creative, and eat delicious and healthier food in the process. 8. Go to a Social Event Where You Don’t Know Anyone For us introverts, the idea of going to a party where you don’t know anyone is terrifying, but it’s another great way to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people. If you’re nervous, a good tip for going to parties alone is to switch up your mindset. Don’t focus on how you can make yourself more at ease, focus on how you can make other people feel more comfortable. Doing this will help you act more extroverted, ask people better questions, and make people like you more. And the best part is that you will actually feel more comfortable in return! 9. Travel Somewhere New It doesn’t have to be Paris, but taking a trip somewhere new is a great way to grow your independence, get out of your comfort zone, and meet new people! Traveling to new places and experiencing new things also makes you a more interesting person. You’ll have better stories to share on dates or with loved ones. It’s also just plain fun to travel, and just because you’re single doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. 10. Create Better Habits You want to find love in the new year, yes, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t continue to work on yourself! Quite the opposite actually. You want to find a great guy, right? Well then you need to be a great girl ! That starts with creating high-value habits that will help you live a higher-quality life. 11. Take Yourself Out on a Date Who says you need two people to have a great date? Make a reservation for a party of one at a nice restaurant, put on a dress you feel great in, and take yourself out to dinner! Doing this will help you feel more confident in yourself. And if people stare, let them! 12. Smile at Strangers I’m convinced that part of the reason it’s so hard to meet people “in the wild” these days is because we’re all so consumed by our phones and don’t even look strangers in the eye anymore. The next time you’re walking down the street or standing next to someone in line at the store, smile at them! You never know where it might lead. 13. Start Journaling Writing your feelings down is the best way to get to know yourself on a whole other level. It’s also extremely cathartic – almost like a form of personal therapy. Start small! Maybe it’s only a few sentences a night. 14. Volunteer with a Local Organization One of the keys to happiness is doing things for other people. Volunteering with a local organization will help you give back to the community, feel a sense of gratitude for the things you have, and meet other people who have similar values. 15. Find Peace in Solitude Just because you’re single doesn’t mean that you need to be unhappy , even if you strongly desire a husband or a family. Use this time to become a better person, strengthen your bonds with your friends, and try new things. Everything changes once you’re in a relationship – especially after you have kids. Embrace your singledom while it lasts. This is a special season in life, so don’t take it for granted. Finding love in the new year is about more than just swiping on a dating app or going to more parties in the hopes of meeting a guy. Take a holistic approach instead of a narrow one and start by simply opening yourself up more and being the kind of person you would want to marry if you were a man.