Being close with your family is a truly wonderful thing. And when you find a partner that loves your family and your family loves them back, that makes everything even more wonderful. But, there is such a thing as too much family love toward your relationship. Or, maybe not too much family love, just too much family in your relationship. That’s when your relationship stops being a beautiful thing between two people who are in love and starts be a really complicated thing among every single person whom you love. If you think your family-relationship dynamic might be crossing the line Read more
In the movies, getting married or partnering up with someone looks like it’s all surprise romantic getaways and nights snuggling on the couch. In reality, it’s hitching yourself to someone else and letting your life be majorly impacted by how smooth their ride is. I know that sucks that magic out of coupledom, but it’s basically what a long-term relationship is. Well, sprinkle in the joys of companionship, some good sex and maybe even a few romantic getaways. But, what do you do when you feel like your partner could be so much better than they are? Read more
I was recently at a game night. It was a big group with some singles and some couples. We were all having a grand old time until one of the couples got a little competitive... with each other! The woman kept rubbing it in the man’s face whenever she’d win. And he clearly felt like crap about it, so he’d play a lot more aggressively. Let me tell you what kills a friendly game night: cutthroat competition. The rest of us were there to drink cocktails and have fun, but those two let their rivalry ruin the night for all of us. Read more
I have a rule, and when I follow it, it works out perfectly.
I call it 30/60/91/20, and it’s my foolproof way to expose someone for who they truly are. Here’s how it works.
The First 30 Days
When you meet someone new, you're under the influence of love like there's no tomorrow.
The person can literally murder somebody in front of you, and you won't even notice it. Read more
Long-term relationships, like marriages, are long and winding paths. Sometimes you’ll go through long parts of the path that are romantic and sweet and then you’ll hit a turn where daily logistics overshadow sex and emotional intimacy. That being said, I know those less romantic stretches can feel lonely, especially when you’re not hearing “I love you” a lot. If you and your husband are walking down a part of the path that feels a little loveless and you’re wondering why he’s not saying “I love you” anymore, here are three reasons, and solutions, that should help you out. Read more
I’m a big believer in the idea that the best things in life are not free! That’s right. Everything comes at a cost and I’m not talking about money, necessarily. The best things in life take a whole lot of hard work. Love is no exception. Technically, it doesn’t take any money to fall in love, but you spend a whole lot of time, effort and work on your relationship. And the most consuming and emotionally costly parts of relationships are the tough conversations. They’re not fun, but even the happiest couples have to have really hard conversations. In fact Read more
