Being a bride-to-be is certainly fabulous - a sparkling rock on your left hand, a valid excuse to go overboard on shopping (you need those Manolos for your honeymoon, after all), parties thrown in your honor, blowout arguments with your fiance... Uh, I beg your pardon?? Of course I jest but there's a hint of truth here. Remember, the engagement period is more than the time needed to plan a big party. It's also the trial run for your marriage and future life together. And guess what - any unresolved issues during your engagement are clues to future marriage woes. ... Read More ...

Here are the top fifteen complaints that I hear from women about the men they begin to date. Women are probably hoping that men will read this list and make some changes ASAP. But women also be willing to do their part to see how they can respond to men's dating pet peeves (and I have yet to see or write this list). When singles in my classes say to me"I just hate dating. It's so much work!" I am famous for responding with, "You think that dating is work, well marriage is work too!". Those who date to find ... Read More ...

The following 30 questions for couples are excerpted from Michael Webb's e-book, 1000 Questions for Couples. When you're done reading, follow the link at the bottom of the page to buy his book and have immediate access to 970 more questions! Email them to your sweetheart, one by one, or print them out and discuss them over dinner, on a road trip or whenever. 1. What does my family do that annoys you? 2. Is it ever appropriate for someone to express anger in a physical way? If so, when and how? 3. If a fire destroyed your home and ... Read More ...

This is a guest post by Sean Goudeloc. Not everyone goes through premarital counseling before they get married and that is a shame if you are left saying I want to get married. You need to be sure that you do all you can to be sure that this is right for the two of you. Here are some warning signs that marriage might not be the thing for you. Too Much Debt The first warning sign is if either of you has too much debt. Not only is now not a good time to get married just due to ... Read More ...

"My parents had a very good relationship," I often hear my clients say. "What do you mean by good?" I ask. "They didn't fight. They spent a lot of time with each other." That may have been the definition of a good relationship years ago, but now most people want more. Following are ten signs of a healthy relationship. 1. Kindness Is kindness more important to each of you than having your way, being in control, or being right? Do you each receive joy out of being kind to each other? Being kind rather than controlling with each other is ... Read More ...

1. Tell him how glad you are that he is part of your life, and how lucky you are to have him. 2. Tell him that you love him just the way he is and that you wouldn't trade him for any other man in the world. 3. Don't criticize, evaluate, or give advice of any kind unless he asks for help. 4. Touch him every single day - starting today. 5. The next time he makes a suggestion, follow it. 6. Ask for what you want. Make it easy for him to meet your needs. 7. Don't send mixed ... Read More ...

One of the biggest complaints from men and women about their spouses is how much they have changed since they were first dating. We tend to put our best foot forward during the courting ritual, doing our utmost to impress our dates. We try to be polite, courteous, caring, giving, sensitive, well groomed and well mannered. Then we get married (or engaged or move in together) and revert back to our old, self-centered, slovenly tendencies. If you feel that your relationship may have lost some of its "spark," ask yourself if you are acting the same way as when you ... Read More ...

This is a guest post by Dr. Jayant Kulkarni. Dr. Kulkarni has been a motivation and relationship counselor for 20 years. ------------------------------------------------ 1. Hand Over the Remote Control Handing over the remote control is another incredibly nice thing you can do for a woman. You may not want to sit through another episode of a homedecorating show but allowing the woman in your life to indulge in this without complaining about her choice will show her that you are not belittling her interests. 2. Get to Know Her Family & Friends If you want to do something really nice for the ... Read More ...

No doubt that you were the magic, the “poof” of his life, the “abracadabra” of your relationship. But now that the relationship is over, how can you tell that he has totally moved on? It’s helpful if you have an awareness of the emotional status of your former boyfriend- especially if getting your ex back is in your ulterior motives. So here are some tell- tale signs that your former boyfriend is still not over you. He hasn’t tried dating again. Or if he has, nothing seems to have stuck. His longest relationship is not more than six months. This ... Read More ...

She's no longer interested in sex, or worse, she's recently learned some new tricksA dramatic change in sexual behavior can mean two things: Either your sweetie is trying to avoid any situation where she might have to express emotion or attachment to you, or she's getting it somewhere else. Old dogs only learn new tricks if someone is teaching them. This isn't about Toilet Paper! This is about Life!If he's picking silly fights, or there's an unusual increase in emotional distance, you've got bad news. If your guy or girl is picking stupid fights all the time, they may be ... Read More ...

Did you know that love does NOT conquer all? You see, often people get married with the idea that their "chemistry" or undying love for each other will keep them together forever. However, with almost 50% of marriages ending in divorce these days, it's obvious that this isn't the case. Therefore, it pays to know a few little secrets before getting married. Here are 5 tips that help keep couples together long after tying the knot: Tip #1 - Continue dating Over the years, people often drift apart or relationships and marriages become stale because couples fail to do new ... Read More ...

Busy couples definitely need to learn ways to minimize time wasted so that they can turn "time wasted" into "time together". Below are some suggestions of ways to free up time in your life so that you can spend it with your love. Instead of you getting the groceries while your partner watches the kids, why not hire a babysitter and go shopping together. If you can't afford a babysitter pay attention to the next tip... If you know another couple with kids, take turns babysitting for each other for free. Try to do this once a month, they take ... Read More ...

I recently read a "Dear Abby" column in which a woman wrote in telling all readers about how she rekindled the romance in her marriage. Her relationship with her husband had been in a complete rut so she decided to try something that worked for another couple she knows. On a piece of paper she wrote 50 reasons why she appreciates her husband and another 50 reasons why she loves him. She said that when she gave him her list he was so touched that he practically cried. The woman ended by saying that her marriage has never been better. ... Read More ...

Did you know that love does NOT conquer all? You see, often people get married with the idea that their "chemistry" or undying love for each other will keep them together forever. However, with almost 50% of marriages ending in divorce these days, it's obvious that this isn't the case. Therefore, it pays to know a few little secrets before getting married. Here are 5 tips that help keep couples together long after tying the knot: Tip #1 - Continue dating Over the years, people often drift apart or relationships and marriages become stale because couples fail to do new ... Read More ...

Just when I think I understand men, I get a wake-up call reminding me that men really are from another planet. Recently my boyfriend gave me cause to ponder this age old question Why are some things so obvious to only half of the population at any given time? Don't get me wrong. I adore, admire, respect and appreciate the male species, especially my man...except (except in girl talk is a definite substitute for "this time you really messed up and I love you...but) when he does something that seems patently hurtful to me and yet, he's totally clueless that ... Read More ...

Have you been taking advantage of our partner without even realizing it? Change that today with these eight ideas! When your love gets home at the end of the day go to the door and great them with a smile and hug. Tell them how glad you are to see them. Tell your mate you've missed him or her when they've been away. Juice it up with a comment about something specific that wasn't the same without them. If you have kids, compliment an aspect of their parenting style that you admire. Are there certain chores your love always takes ... Read More ...

When we're agitated or generally stressed out, it's all too easy to take our frustrations out on those closest to us. One prime example of this is; keeping score. See if this doesn't ring a bell... You're having a bad day - your boss yelled at you for no reason, the dog ate your favorite slippers, you locked yourself out of your car, and the only thing in the refrigerator to make for dinner is a jar of pickles, a can of cheese whiz, and something brown that you're sure was a completely different color a day or two ago. ... Read More ...

This is a guest article by T.W. Jackson, creator of the "Magic of Making Up System"...get it now from his website. Are there 'magic' words you can use to get your ex to return your phone calls? Sounds hard to believe but there ARE words that will nearly cast a spell and make your ex feel almost compelled to return your call. Cool huh?... I am going to share this with you because this is one of the biggest questions I get from people just like you that are trying to put their relationship back together. So I am going ... Read More ...

I recently read a quote in a magazine, from a guy who was gushing about how his girlfriend compliments him in public. He said that he is always introduced to her friends and acquaintances as her "handsome boyfriend", or "hilarious boyfriend", or "romantic boyfriend", and he loves it! Who wouldn't love being appreciated and cherished in this way by their partner? The best way to make sure someone continues to do what you like is by appreciating them when they do do it. If you let your boyfriend know that you think he is the most romantic man in the ... Read More ...

Trust is the foundation of a good relationship. People who trust each other are happy together. They know that the other person is doing what is in both people's best interest. There are fewer disagreements and fights. They are in accord in all of their decisions and efforts. But when that trust is lost, the balance of the whole relationship is off. Gaining the trust back is the first step to rebuilding a relationship. 1. Admit Fault No matter what happened for the trust to be lost, the first and most powerful step to regaining it is to admit being ... Read More ...