Relationships are a delicate balance. When things are going well some people are hesitant to make changes out of fear of messing things up. Others feel like they can’t get enough of a good thing and suggest living together. Living together changes the dynamics of the relationship and can put the tightest couples to the test. I’m not saying that to discourage you but there are certain steps you should take before moving things to the next level.

Having a man in the house is a completely different feeling than living …

Once again, ‘tis the season for your annual quest to find the perfect Christmas gift for important people in your life. At the best of times, gift-giving can be a strange and stressful mixture of obligation and a genuine desire to show appreciation for the relationship. It’s hard enough to get it right with people you know well—close friends and family.

Where do you even start to select a gift for someone you only recently met? And not just “any someone,” but a person you think might turn out to be …

Scientists have long researched the connection between relationships and health. The majority of related studies conclude what many already understand experientially: love is good for you.

Relationship and Health Connection: A Good Marriage Is Good For the Heart
Researchers at the University of Rochester found that bypass patients in happy marriages had substantially higher survival rates than their single or unhappily married counterparts. Perhaps most notable in the study, women in unhappy relationships were far less likely to survive than men in unhappy relationships. Other studies have made similar findings: women only …

Love and happiness. When we’re unhappily single, it’s easy to assume that love would remedy our lack-of-happiness situation. But does it? Researchers have long tried to determine if there’s a correlation between happiness and the thing we call love.

Love and Happiness: Loneliness Sucks
From the category of “obvious research,” comes the finding that loneliness has a negative correlation with happiness and a positive one with depression. Happy people have social support and a circle of friends (of whom they are not jealous). Psychological research studies link social relationships with happiness, alongside …

When it comes to dating, here’s one thing you can count on: Everyone is looking for a romantic relationship that sizzles. No one actually prefers lukewarm leftovers to a fresh, hot gourmet meal. So why do so many relationships quickly begin to feel like they spend most of the time in the refrigerator wrapped in tin foil?

The answer lies in a bit of folk wisdom your grandmother told you when you were young: In any endeavor, you get out what you put in. Small effort yields small results. Too many …

The best romances involve two people who feel free to be silly.

If you observe the way dating partners and married couples interact—and most singles do—you’ve probably noticed that some men and women have a delightful ability to joke, tease, and act silly together. With their air of fun and frivolity, you just know they love being with each other.
Other couples, meanwhile, seem so serious, sensible, and somber that we might mistake their romantic partnership for a business partnership.
Which kind of relationship would you like to be in?
Having a lighthearted approach …

Kissing feels great, and is actually good for you on many different levels. Find out why…

Kisses that Count
Before we go into the actual benefits of kissing, it’s important to point out that being a good kisser is an essential element to these smooching stats. Avoid sloppy (and slobbering) kissing, make sure the person on the receiving end wants a kiss, and it’s got to be the right place and time. Go in gently and softly at first!
Kissing is a Stress Buster
As people kiss, the amount of the hormone we create …

Why do men or women cheat? What is the primary reason?

Emotional Disconnect
The biggest reason for cheating on a mate is a lack of emotional connection or feeling appreciated by their partner. According to relationship therapist Bree Maresca-Kramer, trouble starts when a couple stops meeting each other’s needs, stops talking about things that matter and get distracted by daily schedules, work or business. “They stop trying. It almost becomes a business relationship.”
It’s Not About Looks
In couple’s therapist Gary Neuman’s new book “The Truth About Cheating,” 88% of men surveyed said the …

Many wise singles look back at previous relationships to discover what went wrong and what went right. They learn from the past how to succeed in the future.

One such person, 34-year-old Stephanie, voices a vital issue common to many people: “I got married in my mid-twenties, and it was a ticking time-bomb from the beginning. We were two basically good people thrown together in a bad situation.”
Here’s what Stephanie realized several years after her marriage ended in divorce: she was looking for someone else to make her feel fulfilled, whole, …

1. Where do I want to end up—and is my partner headed there too?
In other words, are you compatible where key issues are concerned? It might sound fun and adventurous to simply strike out for the horizon, come what may. But if one of you heads for the beach, and the other for the ski slopes, what now? It is far better to get out the “relationship map” and talk it over in advance, to avoid trouble before it arises.

2. What does my partner want from me, and can I …