Create a “Relationship Bucket List” for the Year Ahead

There’s something about a new year that invites reflection, intention, and hope. Not the rigid, high-pressure resolutions that most of us forget by February! But the softer kind that includes dreaming, imagining, and envisioning what life could feel like in the coming months.

It’s my personal belief that for couples, January presents a powerful opportunity that few other months do.

So, one of my favorite practices to recommend this time of year to my clients (and you too!) is creating a Relationship Bucket List. 

But wait! This does NOT need to be a list of extravagant trips or expensive outings (though those can be fun too). A Relationship Bucket List for 2026 is simply a meaningful, values-guided roadmap for connection.

So, let me walk you through how to create one.

Why a Relationship Bucket List Matters

When life gets busy…and let’s face it, life ALWAYS gets busy eventually…connection often becomes something you “get to when you have time.” I hate to be the one to tell you this, but connection in relationships doesn’t thrive on tired, burnt-out, or leftover energy.

A Relationship Bucket List can help to shift your connection with your partner from accidental to intentional. That’s because couples who regularly build shared experiences—big or small—tend to feel closer, communicate better, and navigate challenges more smoothly. Really! Science proves it! My guess is that by having a Relationship Bucket List, couples are actively maintaining the emotional bank account between them.

Start With How You Want the Year to Feel

Hold up, because before you make a list of activities, I need you to pause and ask:

“What do we want this year to feel like for us as a couple?”

Calm

Playful

Connected

Secure

Adventurous

Soft

Supportive

The feeling you choose becomes your “why.” And then that theme can give your bucket list direction rather than randomness.

For example, let’s say you choose playfulness as your couple word in 2026. Your bucket list may include light, fun things you haven’t done in years. Roller skating! A trip to your local zoo or botanical gardens with only the two of you! Surprise one another at work with a picnic lunch! On the other hand, if you choose a word like calm, you may focus on rituals that bring quiet and stability. Cuddles on the couch after the kids are in bed. Helping one another prepare dinner and having a conversation while you do so.

Dream Individually, Then Share Together

Before sitting down as a couple, spend a little time individually brainstorming:

✨ What would make this year feel more meaningful?

✨ What have you wished you did together but didn’t get to?

✨ What experiences do you want to create or repeat?

✨ What memories do you want to look back on next December?

Once you have your individual ideas, share them with each other. This step often becomes the most meaningful part because it's not really about the activities. It's about understanding what your partner is longing for.

And oftentimes, the dreams they share are windows into their deeper values.

Build Your List: Big, Small, and Everything in Between

Your Relationship Bucket List should be a blend of simple and special, doable and dreamy. Here are some categories that make it easy to build:

1. Connection Rituals

These are small, consistent habits that strengthen emotional closeness, such as:

• A weekly check-in night

• Morning coffee together once a week

• A monthly “no plans” evening

• Listening to a podcast or audiobook together

2. Play & Fun

Couples often underestimate the power of joy:

• Try a new hobby together

• Have a spontaneous date night

• Take a day trip somewhere new

• A silly challenge (board game tournament, cooking challenge, etc.)

3. Growth Experiences

Moments that stretch your perspectives or deepen understanding:

• Attend a class or workshop

• Read a relationship book together (or separately, then discuss.

• Explore a value or goal you want to strengthen

4. Rest & Restoration

Because not everything needs to be big or social:

• A weekend that is intentionally quiet

• A technology-free Sunday morning

• A shared wellness ritual (yoga, walks, meditation, etc.)

5. Memories to Make

These are the things you want to look back on and say, “I’m so glad we did that this year”:

• Visiting a place you’ve always talked about

• Taking seasonal photos together

• Celebrating small milestones

Remember: the list is not a checklist. It’s a menu. A collection of possibilities you can pull from at regular intervals throughout the year.

Revisit Your Bucket List Quarterly

Just like people grow and seasons change, your Relationship Bucket List should evolve too.

I recommend revisiting it every season—Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall—to check in:

• What have we done so far?

• What no longer fits who we are right now?

• What new ideas do we want to add?

This keeps your connection active, fresh, and aligned with your current life, not just the version you imagined in January.

Let Your List Be a Love Letter to the Year Ahead

Creating a Relationship Bucket List isn’t about perfection or productivity. It’s about intention. It’s about saying:

“Our relationship deserves time, curiosity, and joy, and we’re willing to create that together.”

Even a simple list of 5–10 possibilities can anchor your year in closeness.

Because love grows in the shared experiences, the laughter, the small rituals, the adventures, and the gentle moments of choosing each other again and again.