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20 Relationship Tips: Give Your Relationship the Attention it Deserves

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20 Relationship Tips:  Give Your Relationship the Attention it Deserves</h1>
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<strong>Richard
 Nicastro, PhD explores specific ways you can improve your relationship,
 noting that it usually doesn’t just “happen” but requires effort to be 
sure it gets adequate attention.  </strong></div>
Let’s face it: there 
is a staggering volume of marriage/relationship help advice out there. 
Any Internet search on the topic will give you page after page of 
relationship “How to’s” and “What not to do’s.” Depending on your 
perspective, this can be either good news (the easy availability of 
helpful information) or bad news (trying to navigate the overwhelming 
maze of relationship tips).<br />
The truth is, there is also a great 
deal of overlap in what is being said about how to strengthen a 
marriage/relationship—and while some authors are more eloquent in how 
they get this information across than others, often the underlying 
message is consistent. This is good news. The repetition in 
marriage/relationship advice suggests that there are important 
hard-and-fast principles that couples should pay attention to.<br />
So 
rather than searching for the golden goose that will magically send you 
down the path of marital or relationship bliss, it’s time to roll up 
your sleeves and give your relationship the attention it deserves.<br />
<br />
<strong>20 Relationship Tips:</strong><br />
<ol>
<li>Couples need to set up a <strong>clear boundary</strong> around their relationship—this boundary involves saying “no” to the influences that can undermine your relationship.</li>
<li>Healthy marriages/relationships require <strong>balance</strong>
 between having shared couple-experiences that will feed the 
relationship while at the same time nurturing their individual interests
 and pursuits.</li>
<li>Without a clear expression of <strong>commitment</strong> to the relationship, trust and emotional security will suffer. A strong relationship foundation is built on mutual commitment.</li>
<li>Direct, <strong>clear communication</strong> should always be a top priority.</li>
<li>Being <strong>attuned to your needs</strong>,
 wants and desires is the first step in getting them met—when you’re 
unclear about your own needs, how can your spouse/partner ever meet 
them?</li>
<li>Not everything needs to be discussed, analyzed and “processed” between partners. Letting go, <strong>giving your partner the benefit of the doubt</strong>, and practicing forgiveness will go a long way in creating a fulfilling relationship.</li>
<li>Words have the power to build empathic bridges between partners, and <strong>words</strong> also have the power to hurt and create a wasteland of distance between you. Choose your words wisely.</li>
<li>Important
 issues that are repeatedly ignored, minimized or go underground will 
resurface with a vengeance. A healthy relationship requires <strong>facing uncomfortable issues</strong> from time to time.</li>
<li>Like
 a wildfire, emotional wounding and defensiveness can spiral out of 
control and quickly consume a relationship.  Couples need to be <strong>mindful of the negative cycles</strong> that arise in their relationship.</li>
<li>Deliberately <strong>creating positive experiences</strong>
 and interactions between the two of you (while facing the uncomfortable
 issues that need to be addressed) should be an ongoing priority.</li>
<li>Emotional intimacy and closeness are built upon both partners being consistent, <strong>emotionally available</strong> and responsive to one another.</li>
<li>Expecting
 to get all (or even most) of your needs met whenever you want is like 
expecting the weather to change based upon your whims and preferences.  
Unrealistic <strong>expectations</strong> lead to unhappy marriages/relationships.</li>
<li>For some, emotional closeness is a prerequisite for sexual intimacy; for others, sexual intimacy leads to <strong>emotional intimacy</strong>.</li>
<li>Passion and <strong>fulfilling sex</strong>
 often needs to be talked about, planned and negotiated (a lack of 
sexual spontaneity isn’t necessarily a sign of marital/relationship 
problems).</li>
<li>What makes you feel loved and <strong>emotionally connected</strong>
 may be very different from what makes your partner feel loved and 
emotionally close. Communicating and understanding these differences can
 go a long way in improving your relationship.</li>
<li>Certain differences between your and your partner’s <strong>communication styles</strong>
 and emotional expressiveness need to be accepted. You can’t make an 
introvert outgoing, and likewise, don’t expect an extrovert to happily 
sit home every evening.</li>
<li>Friendships are built on joint activities and common interests. In addition to being lovers, couples need to <strong>learn to be friends</strong>.</li>
<li>Couples who actively practice <strong>gratitude and appreciation</strong>
 feel a deep sense of connection with one another. It’s too easy to 
simply focus on what bothers you about your mate while ignoring why you 
fell in love with him/her in the first place.</li>
<li>While a relationship obviously takes two committed people, one person can make a difference in improving the overall <strong>quality of the relationship</strong>.</li>
<li>Fulfilling, healthy relationships are co-created, not found. Couples who <strong>work together</strong> (at keeping their relationship strong) are more likely to stay together.</li>
</ol>
While
 it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the information presented in this
 article, remember that you can pick one or two items from the above 
list and began implementing them into your relationship right away. As a
 marriage/couples counselor, I’ve seen couples make big differences in 
their relationship with a simple and relatively small change—the goal is
 to be consistent and persistent with whatever positive change you’re 
trying to make.</section></div>

20 Relationship Tips: Give Your Relationship the Attention it Deserves

20 Relationship Tips: Give Your Relationship the Attention it Deserves Richard Nicastro, PhD explores specific ways you can improve ...

25 Rituals That Will Make Your Relationship Last Forever

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dU07b0dc9oF2PPdrr1D5L9UA1hyphenhyphenLJ9f5jNGVovmIyCI0Ad0xzYcPI171JrEE65ACzfFCxvvD3jJg6MPsf7MqaXBYxTMRuWKl5ZB5X60r12MwGA60WlfP4Ald3GqFjGemGQjDk39vwq4/s1600/coupledating.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dU07b0dc9oF2PPdrr1D5L9UA1hyphenhyphenLJ9f5jNGVovmIyCI0Ad0xzYcPI171JrEE65ACzfFCxvvD3jJg6MPsf7MqaXBYxTMRuWKl5ZB5X60r12MwGA60WlfP4Ald3GqFjGemGQjDk39vwq4/s400/coupledating.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> <span style="line-height: 1.5;"><br /></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> <span style="line-height: 1.5;">People these days think relationships are all about the social side of things, of how “cool” other people think the two of them are together and how the rest of the world perceives them. It’s not like that, relationships are solely about two people regardless of what society thinks or makes of them because it’s their own lives at the end of the day. This piece is going to be about simple rituals, simple ways of living that people need to adapt in order to keep a healthy and balanced relationship and to also make it last long. This is for the people who seek a serious future with their partners and are willing to do anything and everything to make it work. Let’s begin.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 25. Don’t limit the number of chances you give each other</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> People make mistakes, it is only human to make mistakes and it is also human to forgive those mistakes. Don’t ever be the person to take away the chances from your partner, they will make mistakes just like you and they too deserve chances to make things right and to work harder for the relationship and for your collective future.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 24. Don’t expect a walk in the park</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Even the happiest of relationships aren’t a walk in the park, every good relationship has a lot of ups and downs and it’s natural. Some people think that just because they’re facing a lot of problems, maybe that relationship isn’t for them. That’s not the case, nothing good in life comes easy. If it’s not worth fighting for, it’s not worth it at all.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 23. Forget the rest of the world</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> If you let the world make your decisions, you won’t have a life of your own to live, you’ll solely be a puppet of society and the norms it follows. Do NOT listen to the world and what it has to say about you and your partner. Be content with your partner, be as happy and as sad as you want to be with your partner without the fear of being judged by others. It’s your life, start owning it.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 22. Accept your mistakes</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Like I said before, it’s only human to make mistakes. And it is completely okay to accept those mistakes, it’s actually advised that you accept your mistakes rather than running around them and make up stories or to eventually lie about it, just be clean and simple about your actions with your partner. Relationships work best when there is complete transparency between two people, and acceptance of mistakes is something that makes it that much more transparent.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 21. Forgive more often</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Forgiveness is a virtue not everyone can master. It takes a lot of strength to forgive someone and to forget their mistakes, but it’s the way of nature if you want to move on with your lives happily. Learn to forgive your partner for their mistakes, imagine yourself in that situation and imagine how helpless they feel, would you let your partner feel that way? I don’t think so. Forgive and forget. Live and let live.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 20. Trust, trust and more trust</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> A strong level of trust is the building block of every relationship, it’s one of the major pillars on which a relationship stands on. Build as much trust as possible between the two of you. Be completely open about your past, expose your weird sides to them and don’t hesitate to admit to any wrongdoing. A strong level of trust is what takes two people from “just a couple” to “a healthy couple”.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 19. Time</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Give each other as much time as you can. Time is the most precious gift you can give someone and your partner needs nothing more than your time. Spend as much time as you can together, it is the only way the two of you will grow as a strong unit with a happy future. Learn to manage time if you have a busy schedule, do not bring up excuses when it comes to love. You should always be “there” for your partner regardless of how busy you are in your life.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 18. Compliments</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Compliments aren’t out of fashion and go a long way. No matter how long you two have been together, never forget to compliment each other. It could be on the way they look, on the way they work or on the way they make you feel, but keep the compliments alive and make sure it happens on a daily basis.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 17. Strength</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Be each others’ strength in tough times, a strong couple is one in which both partners act as a unit. During tough times, we look at our partners for help and support (even when it’s just emotional support) and it is the key to make or break a relationship. Infinite support is what’s essential in every relationship.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 16. Realistic expectations</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> I’ve mentioned this a lot of times because a lot of people don’t seem to get it. Expectations should be kept very real, unrealistic expectations can lead to a lot of problems and fights. You and your partner are both human, you both know what the other person is capable of and you know where you two stand in life. Do not give each other the burden of expecting more from them, more than they can give.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 15. Not even the smallest of lie</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Lying is just wrong, it cannot be justified in any way possible. If you think you lied to your partner to save them from some sort of sadness, you were unfair with them because they will find out sooner or later and the fact that you lied is going to hurt them more than the lie itself. I’ve been through this when my ex lied to me and I just felt dazed and confused about it. Keep the level of trust maintained.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 14. Give more and expect less</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Giving more and expecting less is one of the golden rules of every relationship. When you give more and expect less, you are being the best person you can be with your partner. I’m not saying you’re not going to get anything in return by being so selfless, but that’s the beauty of being selfless. You will find the happiness by giving and by being selfless. It’s a very satisfying feeling.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 13. Keep your promises</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Promises are supposed to be kept, they shouldn’t be broken. When one promise is broken, no matter how big or small, it starts damaging the trust between two people and it takes a lot of time to get the trust back to normal after that. Be very careful with your promises, don’t just make promises for the heck of it. Make sure you only make promises you can keep.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 12. Clear communication</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Clear and open communication is key to every lasting relationship, you should be able to talk to your partner without thinking twice about it. Be open, speak your mind, say whatever is bothering you and don’t start keeping things to yourself. Keep a very clear level of communication, even if it feels awkward or uncomfortable, just do NOT keep things to yourself or you’re going to talk it all out at once.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 11. Talk openly about personal problems</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> It is okay to think that you can solve your own problems every once in a while without your partner knowing about them but it’s a good thing to tell them anyway. Let your partners be a part of your problems, no matter how personal they are. Even if sharing those problems feel a bit weird, just do it. It’s for the good of your relationship.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 10. Actually listen to each other</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Like I said before, open and clear communication is very vital for every long-lasting relationship. Listening to one another is also vital. And when I say “listen”, I mean to actually understand what your partner is saying and not just nodding your heads.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 9. Help each other grow</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> When you’re in love with someone, you need to focus on their positives and to make sure those positive features get stronger with time. You need to help each other grow and make each other as emotionally strong as you can. This is how relationships go beyond all limitations of time.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 8. Do not try to change each other</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Strong couples accept each other just the way they are, they don’t try to change each other. Love your partner for how unique they are, not the way you want them to be or how someone else is. You are with your partner because of their individuality, never forget that.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 7. Respect each other’s feelings</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Respect is very important for every relationship. When respect goes out the window, not much is left to work on. Respect each other’s feelings, think twice before saying anything mean or hurtful to them no matter how angry you are. Words can make or break a person.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 6. Lift each other up</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Like I said, you need to be each other’s strength and you need to focus on the positives. Lift each other up, with your words, with your actions, in any way you possibly can. Do not let your partner feel down because of someone and just remind them of how amazing they are and tell them they can achieve anything in the world.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 5. Share a good sense of humour</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Two people can go a long way if they know how to make each other laugh. When you have a good sense of humour, you’re one of the blessed ones. You’re one of the people who are hard to come by and can make anyone laugh no matter what they’re going through. And if you can find someone who matches your sense of humour, you have a keeper. Make each other laugh, in even the worst of times.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 4. Understand each other</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Mutual understanding is something that is very hard to achieve and it goes a long way. Go out of your way to understand each other. Try and understand their problems and their happy moments, try to understand what makes them tick. Do not try to get inside their minds, but understand on your own level. We aren’t supposed to be mind readers here.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 3. Appreciate every action</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Know how to appreciate each other. No matter how small the gesture may be, appreciate it and don’t let it go unnoticed. When you appreciate your partner, you make them feel like they’ve achieved something in life, you make them feel like they’ve achieved in making you happy and that is a very nice feeling. Appreciate each other.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 2. Forget the past</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> You two love each other because of the present, not the dark past. If you’ve shared anything dark about your past with your partner, you’ve trusted them with everything and you’ve also trusted the fact that they won’t judge you and that they won’t use your past against you in the future. Move on and learn to be happy in the present, do NOT use your partner’s past against them no matter how angry or upset you may be. It will only be a moment of anger for you, but it’ll take your partner back to their dark times and will remind them of everything.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> 1. Loyalty over everything</h2> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> It goes without saying that loyalty is everything. It is above everything else when it comes to relationships. Emotional and physical loyalty. Be loyal with each other, with your words and actions. Do not even mentally cheat on them.</div> <h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 200; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;"> Talk your heart out</h3> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px;"> Is there anything I’ve missed out in the list? Please add your comments below and let me know. And as always, stay blessed and keep the love alive!</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dU07b0dc9oF2PPdrr1D5L9UA1hyphenhyphenLJ9f5jNGVovmIyCI0Ad0xzYcPI171JrEE65ACzfFCxvvD3jJg6MPsf7MqaXBYxTMRuWKl5ZB5X60r12MwGA60WlfP4Ald3GqFjGemGQjDk39vwq4/s1600/coupledating.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dU07b0dc9oF2PPdrr1D5L9UA1hyphenhyphenLJ9f5jNGVovmIyCI0Ad0xzYcPI171JrEE65ACzfFCxvvD3jJg6MPsf7MqaXBYxTMRuWKl5ZB5X60r12MwGA60WlfP4Ald3GqFjGemGQjDk39vwq4/s320/coupledating.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div> </div>

25 Rituals That Will Make Your Relationship Last Forever

People these days think relationships are all about the social side of things, of how “cool” other people think the two of them are to...

15 Tips On How To Make A Long Distance Relationship Work

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <img alt="how to make a long distance relationship work 15 Tips On How To Make A Long Distance Relationship Work" border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_G6sxU0JXIkwsP6JWptkfcRjHmCxEIXf6EWom6I0Q-RUMtUJy0I5Tg9KCTf6Z7zKKXq5reDZUHzcBr1JMyXZwV4CTWxfNuRnPOx8DXzCAGZ6mHWZW3LNUBJj1iKJNSSKZEw0FikNuiM/s1600/how+to+make+a+long+distance+relationship+work.png" title="15 Tips On How To Make A Long Distance Relationship Work" width="361" /></div> <span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span> <span style="font-kerning: none;">If you're starting a long distance relationship or you're currently in one and you're struggling to make it work, here are the best tips you can do with your partner to make a long distance relationship work.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">It's normal to have questions and concerns in a long distance relationship such as; what if I lose communication in my relationship? What if they meet someone else? What if we fall out of love? What if the relationship doesn't work?</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">There are so many ways to maintain a long distance relationship and things you can do with your partner to keep the connection between you and keep the spark alive. Long term relationships are very common and it's definitely possible to make them work in the long run.</span><br /> <span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Related Articles:</span><br /> <span style="font-kerning: none;">- <a href="https://justandmyguys.blogspot.com//search?q=15-signs-you-need-to-end-your-relationship"><span style="color: #e06666;">15 Signs You Need To Break Up With Your Partner</span></a></span><br /> <span style="font-kerning: none;">- <a href="https://justandmyguys.blogspot.com//search?q=15-signs-you-need-to-end-your-relationship"><span style="color: #e06666;">5 Reasons You Need To Stop Comparing Yourself To His Ex</span></a></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>How To Maintain A Long Distance Relationship With Your Partner</b></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">1. Regular Communication</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">It's important to have regular communication with your partner and keep up on contact by talking with each other throughout the day. Texting each other and waking them with a 'good morning' and calling them to talk about your day and wish them a good night will keep the communication going strong.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">2. Make Plans For When You Next See Each Other</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Instead of focusing on how long it will be until you see your boyfriend or girlfriend, plan what you're going to do when you next meet up or when they come to visit. This will take your mind off the fact that you're far apart and instead get you excited to see each other by making fun plans.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">3. Send Each Other Photos</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Texting and calling each other is a great way to communicate but sending photos of yourself and what you're up to will strengthen your bond and make the distance seem less great. Seeing your partners face can really brighten up your day and photos are a good way to make memories with each other while apart.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">4. Don't Lose Trust</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">It can be easy to let your mind wander and start to worry about whether they might meet someone else or they might cheat on you if they're out with their friends. Always trust your partner and make sure they trust you and if you love each other your should have no worries about them being unfaithful. Trust is very important in long distance relationships.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">5. Voice Your Concerns</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">If you're having any worries or doubts, it's completely fine for you to talk about them with your partner. It's better to have your concerns out in the open instead of bottling them up. If you're worried about them meeting someone else or losing interest in you, talk to your partner about it and I'm sure they'll be thankful that you're honest about how you're feeling and they'll put your mind at ease.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">6. Stay Interested In Each Others Lives</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Ask questions about what your partner is doing such as how their work is going, what interesting things they've done recently, have they taken up any new hobbies? Showing an interest in your others half's life is important to show them that you still care and want to know more about them. Likewise they should do the same for you, because a one sided relationship can be very difficult, especially if it's long distance.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">7. Don't Get Paranoid</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Don't let your thoughts run away with themselves and don't start to get paranoid about what your partner is doing every second of the day. If you let yourself panic about your boyfriend or girlfriend's social activities or feelings towards you, the paranoia will only make you upset and anxious about the relationship. Just know that they're committed to you in this relationship and they're thinking about you a lot also.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">8. Support Their Choices</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">It's important to support your partner in their life choices even if there is a big distance between you. Whether it's a career choice or anything else, your partner will value your advice and really appreciate your support in the decision.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">9. Make Little Heartfelt Gestures</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">It's nice to remind your partner how much you love them by sending them little gestures like letters in the mail, or small presents now and again to surprise them. It will keep the relationship fun and they'll really appreciate you going out of your way to make them feel special. Having things that remind you of them, and them of you, will keep a strong connection between you both.</span><br /> <span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #e06666; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://justandmyguys.blogspot.com//search?q=15-signs-you-need-to-end-your-relationship"><span style="color: #e06666;">Read next: 15 signs you need to end your relationship now</span></a></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">10. Stay Positive</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">It can be hard to stay positive when all you want to do is be with your loved when they're miles away, that's why it's important to keep a positive mindset and look forward to the time you'll spend with your partner in the future. Remind yourself of good memories you've made and focus on the great parts of your relationship.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">11. Give Each Other Space</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">It's tempting to feel like you need to contact your partner all the time to make up for not seeing them, but it can put strain on the relationship if you're always in contact with them. Give them space to live their life and don't over do it on the texts and calls.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">12. Stay Busy With Your Own Friends And Hobbies</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Keep yourself busy by hanging out with your friends and participating in hobbies to keep your mind off the fact that your partner isn't with you. Long distance relationships can be tough but your friends can cheer you up and having fun in your own time will make it easier to deal with the situation and make you feel less lonely.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">13. Visit Your Partner Often</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Make sure you frequently visit your partner whenever you can. Take every opportunity you can to see your significant other because real life interaction with your partner will benefit you both so much. Whether you're just doing boring, mundane things together, it'll be so worth the distance travelled to see them in person.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">14. Know That It Won't Be Long Distance Forever</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Remind yourself that you're going to have a future together and you won't be this far apart forever. It may seem like ages until you'll finally be together but plan ahead for the future where you don't have to be miles apart and your long distance relationship will just be a normal one. Keep the end goal in sight of the two of you being together.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next Condensed"; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">15. Establish Rules In The Relationship</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">You can make rules such as: you won't go longer than 2 months without seeing each other, or something along those lines so you'll always know where the relationship is heading and where you stand with each other. It's also important to discuss the type of relationship boundaries you have; are you exclusive? Are you dating? Are you seeing anyone else? Establish what exactly the rules of the relationship are so everyone can be happy.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Avenir Next"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">There are many ways to keep a long distance relationship alive and keep the love strong between you and your other half. Trust each other and enjoy your time together and the relationship will work out.</span><br /> <span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>   <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-kerning: none;">Pin it for later:</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxy7y775bCJBSdmcVo0heaVrHumYEQs3jplv840-hLndt74FDSagVhCxlIQGw6WgrWi7_XuLp0PQiyH4nLjeRw7LWOAr2hg8Ps-7BbqCFKtWldMnArW95oMD_lv1HiY1pcKVwJv_sZ5kc/s1600/how+to+make+a+long+distance+relationship+work.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="how to make a long distance relationship work 15 Tips On How To Make A Long Distance Relationship Work" border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="735" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxy7y775bCJBSdmcVo0heaVrHumYEQs3jplv840-hLndt74FDSagVhCxlIQGw6WgrWi7_XuLp0PQiyH4nLjeRw7LWOAr2hg8Ps-7BbqCFKtWldMnArW95oMD_lv1HiY1pcKVwJv_sZ5kc/s1600/how+to+make+a+long+distance+relationship+work.png" title="15 Tips On How To Make A Long Distance Relationship Work" width="225" /></a></div> </div>

15 Tips On How To Make A Long Distance Relationship Work

If you're starting a long distance relationship or you're currently in one and you're struggling to make it work, here are t...

5 Tips For Starting A New Relationship

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5L3oeBKplVY1XHMT-1w-Qa33P7UbeAbQ74LTNenRV4mEmds7k-AeZR0u3PZtJzmE_PGU1GxEnQi1KOr5qC07xBGn22vB3b3JdHkXGJyq00C0mStzWUfXhak1ltQ7wGQ8kB6TwiZpH0Kk/s1600/5-tips-start-relationship-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5L3oeBKplVY1XHMT-1w-Qa33P7UbeAbQ74LTNenRV4mEmds7k-AeZR0u3PZtJzmE_PGU1GxEnQi1KOr5qC07xBGn22vB3b3JdHkXGJyq00C0mStzWUfXhak1ltQ7wGQ8kB6TwiZpH0Kk/s400/5-tips-start-relationship-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> Beginning a relationship can feel a lot like entering uncharted waters (no matter how many times you've done it). There's no map. Every girl you date has unique personality traits, needs and desires, so you can't necessarily approach each relationship the same cookie-cutter way.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> Perhaps you're ready to take things to the next level with someone you've been dating. Or maybe you want to be with a friend you've developed feelings for over time. Regardless of how you've arrived at this crossroads, five practical tips can help you get off to a good start and navigate your path as a couple. These tips aren't tricks, rules or games. Leave that to dating -- you know, that casual, noncommitted time spent together doing things like going to movies or out to dinner. The approaches we'll discuss here are fitting if you want to set yourself up for something much more: a relationship that's about an emotional, committed connection.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 46px; line-height: 19.695999145507813px; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: middle; width: 380px;"> 5. Get Clear on What You Want</h2> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> First things first. Identify what you want out of a relationship. Think big picture here. Maybe you want to see multiple girls at one time to play the dating circuit. Or maybe you want to fall in love and be in a monogamous relationship. Whether casual or committed, relationships are much easier (and more fun) if you know what you want out of the experience before you start one.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> Our brains are wired to experience lust, romantic love and attachment (a sense of calm and security for a long-term partner), according to Dr. Helen Fisher, an anthropologist and expert on romantic love. She says it's possible to experience these three distinct types of love simultaneously -- even for three people at the same time. Which ones are most important to you? If you're after all three in one person, great! Just get clear on what you desire so you can manifest it.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> Actualize your ideal relationship by listing qualities you’re looking for in a partner. Religious values, intelligence, hair color: Whatever you care about, put it on your wish list. Next, whittle it down to qualities you can’t live without. You might have a list of 30 preferences, but only seven non-negotiables. Consider only dating people who make your short list. Why? It’s simple: You’re more likely to find the relationship you want.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> When you find your non-negotiables in one person, you've got something special! That kind of connection doesn't happen every day, so protect and cherish what you have.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 46px; line-height: 19.695999145507813px; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: middle; width: 380px;"> 4. Share Your Intentions With Her</h2> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> Share your intentions with the girl you're dating. Do it relatively early on, not six months into seeing her. This means explaining your expectations and hopes not only for your own future, but for your future together. Do you hope the relationship grows into something long-term, or do you plan tosplit up when you move across the country for school soon?</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> Talk instead of making assumptions. Different activities and gestures mean different things to different people. Meeting each other's parents or getting physically intimate automatically equates to a monogamous relationship to some people, but it might mean casual dating to others. Remember, sharing intentions doesn't mean you have to know specifics like whether this girl is right for you now or is the one you want to marry down the road. It's about disclosing the direction you're going, not necessarily the destination. Where are you headed? Answering this question helps avoid miscommunications, hurt feelings, lost time and bruised egos.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 46px; line-height: 19.695999145507813px; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: middle; width: 380px;"> 3. Be Your (Best) Self</h2> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> You should be able to be yourself around your special lady friend. What are you normally like when it comes to things like hobbies, humor, spirituality or goals? Do you change when you're around her? Hopefully, not much. Sure, sometimes change can be a good thing if she helps you evolve and mature. But in general, if you behave in ways that are inconsistent with who you really are to satisfy, impress or appease her, you might be dating the wrong person.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> Real affection is when someone is into you for you. It comes from a place of acceptance, not a place of deception where a woman has been duped by an act you've put on.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> Gravitate toward girls who celebrate and encourage the authentic you, not the ones who press you to change for them rather than for yourself.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 46px; line-height: 19.695999145507813px; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: middle; width: 380px;"> 2. Show Her You Get Her</h2> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> People mostly feel (and give) affection in one of five main ways, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, author of best-selling book "The Five Love Languages." Chapman defines the five love languages as physical touch, words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time and gifts. He advocates <a href="http://health.howstuffworks.com/relationships/tips/5-communication-tips-for-romantic-relationships.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: none;">communicating</a> your feelings for your partner using the language she most identifies with. You can tell her "<a href="http://health.howstuffworks.com/relationships/advice/first-to-say-i-love-you.htm" style="color: #005288; text-decoration: none;">I love you</a>," "You're so beautiful" or other words of affirmation 100 times a day, but if her language is physical touch, she's not going to feel the magnitude of what you're trying to communicate. A hug and kiss when she walks in the door or a foot rub while watching a movie probably will go further in making her feel cherished and close to you. (And don't forget to let her know your own love language.)</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> A big part of a successful relationship is to show your girl you get her. For example, don't keep giving her roses if she's made numerous comments that wildflowers are her favorite. If spending quality time together is big for her, say yes to her invitations to go on walks, watch the sunset or turn off the TV at dinner and talk instead. If you don't, no matter what you do, she probably won't feel very loved or understood.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 46px; line-height: 19.695999145507813px; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: middle; width: 380px;"> 1. Mind Your Money</h2> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> If you want to date one or more people at a time just to have fun, carefree experiences, knock yourself out. Spend whatever you've budgeted for the ladies. Have a great time!</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> But if you're looking for an intimate relationship and perhaps something more long-term, let's assume you want to be with a woman who's with you for you -- not your money (or lack thereof). It's fairly easy to have a good time with almost anyone when you're doing fun things like dining at nice restaurants, attending swanky events or living the high life. Right?</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"> So, find out if you two have a close bond by doing free or cheap things together. If you're able to feel closeness and have a blast without spending a dime, what's holding you two together probably has more to do with your dynamic than you simply being a vehicle to fun times.</div> <h2 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 46px; line-height: 19.695999145507813px; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: middle; width: 380px;"> <br /><br /></h2> </div>

5 Tips For Starting A New Relationship

Beginning a relationship can feel a lot like entering uncharted waters (no matter how many times you've done it). There's no m...

Married Sex Can be Great Sex

<header class="article-header"><h1 class="entry-title single-title" itemprop="headline">
Married Sex Can be Great Sex</h1>
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<em>Richard
 Nicastro, PhD takes a deeper look at married (or long-term 
relationship) sex and some of the unique reasons it can be so 
satisfying.  He encourages couples to understand their ruts and look for
 opportunities for change.</em></div>
You might have read about—or 
personally experienced—the challenges some married couples (or couples 
in long-term relationships) face when it comes to keeping sexual desire 
and sexual passion alive. The newness of a relationship clearly brings 
with it certain perks, one being the euphoria and excitement that seems 
to envelop every aspect of our life (including our sexuality). It’s not 
uncommon for married couples to look back fondly on the days when more 
frequent love-making, greater sexual exploration and risk-taking, and 
heightened sexual intensity were a part of the relationship landscape.<br />
The
 struggle of married couples—as well as couples in long-term 
relationships—to keep sex a rewarding part of their union is the reason I
 created <i>How to Spice Up Your Marriage</i><em>.</em><br />
But this 
is only part of the picture for married couples. Clearly, not all 
couples who have been together for years (or even decades) complain 
about a sexless marriage or have to settle for mediocre sex. In fact, a 
percentage of married couples report that sex within their long-term 
union has benefits they couldn’t have imagined. Even if the frequency of
 sex has diminished, these couples report high levels of sexual 
satisfaction, and a deep and meaningful intimacy that arises from sex.<br />
Let’s turn our attention to five benefits of married sex (as well as sex in a long-term relationship).<br />
<h3>
Sex As an Expression of Love</h3>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>“Every time I have sex with my wife, it is an act of deep, profound love.”</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~Ken, married almost twenty years</div>
</blockquote>
It’s
 usually assumed that couples who are married love each other, unless, 
of course, their love has faded and they’re heading for divorce or 
staying in a loveless marriage for the sake of their children. But for 
the many married couples who do love each other, they have the wonderful
 opportunity to express and share their love through sexual expression. 
The entwining of sex and love takes sex to new heights for many 
couples—in these instances, the act of sex itself becomes a powerful way
 to transform the subjective feelings of love into tangible acts of 
loving expression and appreciation.<br />
<h3>
The Benefits of a Shared History</h3>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>“Married
 sex is like dancing with a partner you are totally familiar with; it 
makes for a great dance because you know his particular rhythms and 
moves.” </em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~Holly, married fourteen year<strong>s</strong></div>
</blockquote>
A
 deep connection arises out of a shared history where trust is 
established. It is through a couple’s shared history that a deeper 
knowing and understanding of the other occurs—a knowing that results not
 just from time spent together, but from ongoing, meaningful 
communication. For intimacy to be nurtured, the evolution of this 
communication must include discussions about one another’s most 
important desires and longings; sexual and emotional likes and dislikes;
 as well as an understanding of each other’s hopes, dreams and 
vulnerabilities.<br />
When this knowing occurs in the bedroom, a sexual
 empathy is set in motion that becomes part of the foundation for a 
couple’s sexual exploration. Great sex arises from sexual empathy: a 
mutual appreciation of what each partner/spouse needs sexually, as well 
as emotionally.<br />
<h3>
A Sexual Foundation Built upon Emotional Security</h3>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>“The
 longer we’ve been married, the more secure I feel in our relationship. 
That security allows me to take risks sexually with my wife. I always 
felt sexually anxious the times I had sex and didn’t know the person 
really well.”</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~Michael, married seven years</div>
</blockquote>
When
 you love someone, they have a great deal of power and influence over 
you (there’s no denying this fact). Feelings of insecurity and anxiety 
arise when we start to feel we no longer matter to our partner, that our
 needs and concerns are falling on indifferent ears. But when we feel 
emotionally secure and safe, a whole new world of possibilities is 
opened to us.<br />
Sexually, this might take the form of taking greater
 risks sexually (like it did for Michael in the above quote)–a giving of
 the parts of you no one else gets to see (your emotional 
vulnerabilities, as well as a sharing of your sexual longings and 
fears). This emotional security gives you greater emotional and sexual 
freedom; a freedom to let your guard down and be swept away in the 
mutual pleasures and connecting moments of sexual intimacy.<br />
<h3>
When Sexual Passion and Love Converge</h3>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>“I’ve had passion without love and love without passion. Now I have both, and it’s indescribable.” </em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~Raquel, married eleven years</div>
</blockquote>
One
 of the common sexual complaints of couples in long-term relationships 
is diminished passion—what was once spontaneously ignited now requires 
effort and planning. Many of these couples might still have a rewarding 
sex life (“We enjoy sex whenever we have it…<i>if</i> we have it…”), 
even if their sexual dance has become somewhat predictable. But for some
 married couples, passion and love have blended, making for mind-blowing
 sex.<br />
These couples aren’t afraid to be sexually adventurous. They
 trust each other enough to try new things and give fully of themselves.
 They communicate effectively about their sexual needs and use their 
deep knowledge of each other to generously give and openly receive 
sexual and sensual pleasure. And, most importantly, these couples create
 a shared space (unencumbered by the stresses and obligations of daily 
life) where sexual passion is allowed to take root.<br />
<h3>
Playing Between the Familiar and the Unknown</h3>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>“I
 got so turned on when my wife did something totally unexpected the 
other day…she became a little unrecognizable to me in that moment, and I
 have to admit, it was hot…”</em><i> </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~Daniel, married four years</div>
</blockquote>
Part
 of the emotional security married couples take comfort in arises out of
 the familiar and predictable routines that come to define their 
couplehood. Psychologist Esther Perel, in her brilliant book <i>Mating in Captivity</i>
 describes how a certain level of emotional closeness (the hallmark of a
 loving marriage) also has the potential to extinguish sexual desire. 
It’s when a level of psychological separateness occurs that the other 
person can be seen and experienced; and it is in this contact with a 
separate other that the fires of sexual passion are able to ignite.<br />
Why
 does this make married sex so amazing? It’s a very different experience
 having someone you know well (your spouse/partner) let go sexually 
and/or act in a surprising or provocative manner, compared to someone 
you’ve just met or don’t know so well. Married couples are in an 
enviable position in this regard since they can bounce back and forth 
between the familiar/secure and the novel/tantalizing. In the psychic 
space between these seemingly contradictory experiences, a tension 
exists, a tension that can fan the flames of sexual desire and allows 
for passion’s potential.<br />
While the above list is by no means 
exhaustive, it does point to some important benefits that married 
couples can enjoy when it comes to sex. The loss of sexual intimacy and 
passion in long-term relationships is not an <i>inevitable</i> outcome 
of domesticity. In fact, couples who have been together for a long time 
have unique opportunities to build upon their emotional foundations of 
love and security, whether this involves nurturing love and emotional 
intimacy through sex, or pushing against each other’s sexual boundaries 
in order to stimulate moments of sexual excitement.<br />
The challenge 
is for married couples to identify any routines that may have led to 
relationship and sexual ruts, the routines they may too heavily rely on 
out of habit or complacency. Once those routines are identified, you can
 create and nurture opportunities that make your sex life a rich and 
meaningful part of your marriage or long-term relationship.</section>

Married Sex Can be Great Sex

Married Sex Can be Great Sex Richard Nicastro, PhD takes a deeper look at married (or long-term relationship) sex and some o...

Twenty Tips About Courtship For Women

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <ol style="font-size: 18px;"> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img src="http://www.responsys.com/blogs/nsm/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/customer_relationship.jpg" /></div> <blockquote> <span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Only consider courtship at a time in your life when you are ready to consider marriage.</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Until that time–foster the virtue of friendship and hold off the romance until you are really ready for it.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Only enter into a courtship with a man whom you would consider marrying.</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">A woman might consider “just” dating any guy that she’s attracted to as long as she has no sense of long-term commitment. The duduk kasus arises when she’s grown attached to him after a period of time and can’t bring herself to breaking off the relationship, even when it’s not good. She may end up marrying a man that she otherwise would not have. Set the stakes higher–only court with a man you’d consider marrying.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Enter a courtship to discern whether or not you are called to marriage with a certain man.</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Courtship is dating with a purpose. If you know that you would not consider marriage with this man, or you are not ready to consider marriage yet, then don’t enter into a courtship. Stay friends or acquaintances for the time being. Courtship is about prayerful discernment, which means you will decide either that God is not calling you to marriage with this man or that He is not. Both outcomes are valid in a courtship!</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Take time through prayer to discern God’s will.</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">You need to foster prayer in your lives individually and as a couple. You can not know God’s will without prayer.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Base your courtship in the family:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">As much as possible, spend time with each other’s families. This is so important–for if you do end up married, you’ll want to get along. Family is an invaluable resource and such an integral part of who we are. You will learn much about each other by seeing how each other relates to family members. And your family, in turn, can give you much insight about the man with whom you are courting (and his family, about you!) Family sees things we don’t always see. Love can be blind at times–family (and friends) can really help to correct our vision. If you are far from family, make every effort to get home and spend time with them. And in the meantime, adopt a family (friends from Church, for example) to provide for you all the benefits of a family-based courtship.</span></blockquote> <div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Items 6 – 15 deal with setting guidelines for yourselves from the very beginning of your courtship. (If you’re starting over–changing from a dating relationship to a courtship model–then begin now with guidelines.) The following points will cover areas you should consider in those guidelines.</span></blockquote> </div> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Emotional Intimacy:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Guard your hearts and do not dive emotionally into a courtship relationship head first. Give yourselves time to learn about each other. Do not open up all your intimate secrets, desires and longings to each other immediately–just because you are courting. Allow your relationship to grow naturally. Keep the mystery alive by not revealing everything all at once. The duduk kasus with “dumping” on each other emotionally early on in a relationship is that if you later discern that you are not called to marriage you could have many regrets over having shared those intimate thoughts and secrets with someone who will not be your husband. You need to be honest with each other, but that does not mean you have to reveal everything right away. As the relationship grows, you will discover a natural pace for sharing those emotional intimacies.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Physical Intimacy:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Decide what your limits will be and write them down. Remember that as you store up your treasures of physical intimacy before marriage–every sacrifice that you make to stay pure becomes a jewel for you to share with each other in marriage. At that time–you will be able to delight in the beauty of giving yourselves to each other completely and totally. And your pleasure in marriage will be magnified by your time of waiting.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">To kiss or not to kiss:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Are you going to allow for kissing or not? Kissing is NOT a sin. It is not bad. It does not mean that a couple is less virtuous in courting if they allow for kissing. It is a decision you make as you set your guidelines. So think through the reasons why you would choose to allow for it or not!</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Saving that first kiss:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Many couples decide to leave kissing out of their relationship–as kissing has the power to ignite their passions. They choose to wait until the altar for their first kiss. They also might be coming out of past relationships–where they are struggling to keep control over their passions. They might be coming from a position of never having been kissed before, and now that they’ve waited this long–they want to go all the way with it! There are a variety of reasons why some couples choose this path.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Saving that “next” kiss:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Other couples, who have allowed for kissing in their relationship, sometimes decide to cut it out and wait to have their “next” kiss at the altar–which could be quite a wait! But they’ve seen how kissing is stirring passions that are making it harder for them to stick to their goal of staying pure in their relationship.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Kissing with limitations:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Some couples allow for kissing–but they limit how and when and where–which is wise if they want to keep it from stirring those passions that can be so easily ignited.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Hugging:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Are you allowing for hugging–and in what context? Hugging is a completely acceptable and beautiful expression of affection, support and love. However, prolonged hugging—while all alone and at times when you might be feeling weak (like late at night)—can stir passions. Just be careful that you are guarding the context well so that it doesn’t begin to undermine your good intentions.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">How, where and when you spend time alone:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">During courtship you obviously will want and need to spend time alone together. But how and where are important questions. If you are spending time alone late at night or in complete isolation, you may just find that your resistance to temptation is weakened. It’s best to find time alone together while doing something–going for a walk, cycling, canoeing, playing sports, taking in a show or going out to a restaurant, etc.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Avoid the near occasion of sin.</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">This is not to say that a couple who is courting will only stick to their goal of purity if they are NEVER alone together . . . as if to say the only reason they resisted temptation is because they never went near temptation. But there is a teaching that exhorts us to “avoid the near occasion of sin”. We should not deliberately put ourselves in temptation’s way. Hopefully, any couple who makes these resolutions–even if they were given the opportunity to break them–wouldn’t break them, because they are persons of integrity! But we are all weak at times. All it takes is one moment of weakness (and be sure Satan will be watching for it) for you to make a mistake that you could regret for a lifetime.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Don’t give rise to scandal.</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">But what if we’re not being tempted? Why wouldn’t it be alright to be off, alone, in isolation together–for example staying late over at one or the other’s apartment alone? This is where we get into the whole issue of giving rise to scandal. The duduk kasus a couple faces here–even if they are strong enough to resist all temptation–is the impression they are giving to others. “So what?” You may ask. “Let them gossip–what do we care? We know we’re not doing anything wrong!” When others perceive you to be leading an impure life, it gives others a sense of it being okay to not embrace purity in their own relationships. They’ll be thinking, “After all, they’re doing it and they’re a nice Christian couple. Obviously it doesn’t make any difference if we do or don’t.” Even though you had been embracing purity, you still misled others to believe you weren’t. In this way you would not be helping to build the body of Christ by your good example. Rather, through the scandal you would have given rise to, you would have inadvertently led others to sin. It is our sense of responsibility in the body of Christ that leads us to make the necessary sacrifices for the sake of others when we decide not to give rise to scandal. </span><br /><br /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Accountability:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">We all are more responsible when we are held accountable for our actions. Make a list together of your resolutions and guidelines for your courtship and give that list to some mentoring couples and accountability partners. These could be your parents, other married couples from Church, friends, roommates, family members. Basically you are looking for people you trust and respect to be able to talk with openly about your relationship. They should be able to ask you at any time how your are doing–if you are keeping your resolutions–and you need to be able to answer them honestly.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Mentoring:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Along with this idea is the need for mentoring couples–ideally that would be your parents, but it is not limited to parents. These couples should be well-versed in the Church’s teachings on marriage and the sacraments. They should be couples who can advise you on all kinds of issues related to marriage: finances (especially tithing), family networking, Natural Family Planning and the gift of human sexuality, balancing work and family life and so on.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Time to pray and time to play: </span><span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Obviously prayer time is important for a couple who is courting–as they are trying to discern God’s will for their relationship. But a couple should never neglect to be sure to allow for play time! Have fun. This season of life should be fun and filled with excitement and adventure. Don’t forget to make time to play.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Keep the romance alive:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Remember that courtship is a time of romance. Don’t cheat yourselves out of that. Enjoy dynamic, exciting, God-glorifying romance by seeking ways to give of yourselves to each other, to serve each other and to show your love for each other in simple ways. Romance–true romance–is about blessing the other by giving of self . . . and that’s what true love is about, too. So you see, the two go hand in hand. Couples who engage in an intensely physical relationship often lose out on this very point–because physical pleasure has become the focus of their relationship. By converse, couples who do not distract themselves with physical intimacy have more time on their hands to spend creatively doing romantic things for each other and together–blessing each other with their loving deeds and gestures as often as they can.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Be active in your faith community:</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Courtship is a great time to grow in faith together–and to spend time together in your faith community. In this way your relationship is supported by like-minded people who will become for you that community that celebrates with you in times of joy, consoles you in times of grieving, and that lifts you up you in times of hardship. We cannot live in isolation–we need that community to be there for us, which means, we need to be there for them as well. Be involved, have fun taking in events and activities together, volunteer service time together, and join in prayer groups and Bible studies together. These opportunities to spend time together, in a larger group setting, help you to learn much about each other by seeing how each other deals with a variety of situations and other persons . . . and are great opportunities to dedicate your time and talents to the Lord.</span></blockquote> </div> </li> <li class="style25" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div align="justify"> <div align="justify"> <blockquote> <br align="justify" class="style25" /><span class="QuestionBodyItalicsGreen" style="color: #003a00; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">There is a great deal that can be said about courtship.</span> <span class="QuestionBody" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">And each family will establish their own model–sometimes a different model for the varying circumstances of each child. What is import is that you discuss these things in the family and when the time comes in your life for courtship you will be prepared with an excellent game plan!</span></blockquote> </div> </div> </li> </ol> </div>

Twenty Tips About Courtship For Women

Only consider courtship at a time in your life when you are ready to consider marriage. Until that time–foster the virtue of friends...

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