Every January, without fail, something inside me flips on.
It’s not just the urge to buy a new planner or the sudden belief that I might actually start meal prepping (still waiting on that miracle).

It’s something deeper — a feeling that this is a moment to pause, look back, and reorient myself before life picks up speed again.

And, funny enough, the researchers say that’s exactly what our brains are wired to do this time of year. Which makes January one of the best times to start writing your love story.

Let’s break down the science — in a way that is more fun and friendly (and less like sitting in Psychology 101.)

Researchers found that beginnings — like a new year, a birthday, a fresh notebook — create a natural mental shift.
Our brains suddenly want to connect dots, find patterns, and understand our story.

I like to think of it as your brain saying,
“Hey… this might be a good time to make sense of things.”

That’s why the New Year makes us wonder:

• How did we get here?
• What really mattered this year?
• What do I want the next chapter to feel like?

Which means you don’t have to force yourself into reflective writing right now.
You’re already halfway there. Your mind is in that sweet, introspective headspace that makes love-story writing feel natural instead of overwhelming.

This study uncovered something very human:
When life changes, we automatically reach back for our origin stories.

It’s like your heart wants to double-check your roots before moving forward.

And think of all the transitions New Year’s brings—even the subtle ones:

• new challenges or changes
• kids growing up (faster than you expected)
• thinking about retirement
• realizing time is moving faster than you thought
• or just feeling the weight of “another year already?”

That’s when your early love story becomes an anchor.

Those first glances, the little inside jokes, the sweet awkward moments — they’re not just memories. They remind you that your relationship has a strong beginning… and that strong beginnings create strong middles.

The New Year already puts you in an “anchor-seeking” mood, which makes revisiting your story feel comforting instead of daunting.

Here’s where it gets fun.

Robinson & Litman found that nostalgia is not just a “warm fuzzy feeling.”
It actually changes how you think about the future.

When you revisit a hopeful moment from your early relationship, your brain becomes more hopeful too.

Isn’t that beautiful?

Remembering:

• that first flutter,
• that first note left on the car,
• surprise pop-ins,
• or the first time you thought, “Oh no… I like this person,”

—all of that boosts your confidence in the future.

Suddenly you’re thinking:

“If we could figure things out back then, we can do this now.”

And that little bump of optimism makes starting a writing project feel doable, even welcoming.

Nostalgia gives you emotional momentum — exactly what you need to start capturing your story.

Batcho’s research found something sweet and surprisingly practical:

• emotional stability
• perspective
• gratitude
• and a feeling of being rooted

Which is exactly what most of us crave in January.

It’s that “let me get centered before I dive into this new year” feeling.

Writing your love story gives you a soft place to land while you think about:

• how you got here,
• what you’ve survived together,
• what has changed,
• and what has stayed wonderfully the same.

It’s not just telling old stories. It’s grounding yourself in who you are as a couple — so you can move into the new year with more clarity and confidence.

This one isn’t directly from a research paper — it’s something I learned by living it.

January has this quiet in-between feeling.
The holidays have settled.
Life hasn’t ramped back up yet.
There’s a little more space to think, breathe, and pay attention to the things that usually get rushed past.

And for me, that quietness lead to something surprising. January is actually the month I started writing my own love story.

February was coming, Valentine’s Day was on the horizon, and I remember thinking, Maybe I could do something more meaningful this year… something from the heart.

So in January, I started gathering memories, making notes and writing my love story. Each day, as February 14th (the big LOVE holiday) crept closer, I added a little more to the story.

What I didn’t expect was what happened to my heart.

Going through memorabilia…
remembering past moments…
sitting with the details of how we met…

It touched me in a way I never saw coming. I felt something shift — almost like the spark of new love returning, but richer… steadier… more meaningful.

January gave me time to feel that.
January gave me the space to listen to those old memories and let them warm me again.

That’s why I say January is special.

It’s not just the first month of the year.
It’s a doorway —
a soft one —
into remembering what matters most.

And writing your love story, even a few lines at a time, fits beautifully into that winter quiet.

The science says it.
Your heart probably feels it.
And your story definitely deserves it.

The New Year:

• helps you reflect
• nudges you toward meaning
• pulls up your sweetest memories
• boosts optimism
• grounds you
• and creates the perfect pocket of calm to begin writing

If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to start your love story, this is it.

January is your green light — warm, hopeful, and already nudging you toward the memories that made you a “we” in the first place.

And I’ll say this the friendly way:

Your love story is worth writing.
And this is the perfect time to begin.

Until next time,

Tami