Nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes and you have to take the time to grow from your mistakes instead of beat yourself up over them. I am going to give a few tips to picking the right person for you and things you should REALLY think about before getting into a relationship....
- Choose a partner wisely and well. We are attracted to people for all kinds of reasons. They remind us of someone from our past. They shower us with gifts and make us feel important. Evaluate a potential partner as you would a friend; look at their character, personality, values, their generosity of spirit, the relationship between their words and actions, their relationships with others.
- Know your partner's beliefs about relationships. Different people have different and often conflicting beliefs about relationships. You don't want to fall in love with someone who expects lots of dishonesty in relationships; they'll create it where it doesn't exist.
- Don't confuse sex with love. Especially in the beginning of a relationship, attraction and pleasure in sex are often mistaken for love.
- Know your needs and speak up for them clearly. A relationship is not a guessing game. Many people, men as well as women, fear stating their needs and, as a result, camouflage them. The result is disappointment at not getting what they want and anger at a partner for not having met their (unstated) needs. Closeness cannot occur without honesty. Your partner is not a mind reader. THIS IS A HUGE ONE! People also have to realize that you have the right to state your needs, you have the right to have your own wants....people sometimes feel like they do not have the right to get mad about certain things but you do. If that is your opinion and that is something YOU WANT then bring it up because like I said your partner is NOT a mind reader!
- Respect, respect, respect. Inside and outside the relationship, act in ways so that your partner always maintains respect for you. Mutual respect is essential to a good relationship.
- View yourselves as a team, which means you are two unique individuals bringing different perspectives and strengths. That is the value of a team—your differences.
- Know how to manage differences; it's the key to success in a relationship. Disagreements don't sink relationships. Name-calling does. Learn how to handle the negative feelings that are the unavoidable byproduct of the differences between two people. Stonewalling or avoiding conflicts is NOT managing them.
- If you don't understand or like something your partner is doing, ask about it and why he or she is doing it. Talk and explore, don't assume.
- Solve problems as they arise. Don't let resentments simmer. Most of what goes wrong in relationships can be traced to hurt feelings, leading partners to erect defenses against one another and to become strangers. Or enemies.
- Learn to negotiate. Modern relationships no longer rely on roles cast by the culture. Couples create their own roles, so that virtually every act requires negotiation. It works best when good will prevails. Because people's needs are fluid and change over time, and life's demands change too, good relationships are negotiated and renegotiated all the time.
- Listen, truly listen, to your partner's concerns and complaints without judgment. Much of the time, just having someone listen is all we need for solving problems. Plus it opens the door to confiding. And empathy is crucial. Look at things from your partner's perspective as well as your own.
- Work hard at maintaining closeness. Closeness doesn't happen by itself. In its absence, people drift apart and are susceptible to affairs. A good relationship isn't an end goal; it's a lifelong process maintained through regular attention.
- Take a long-range view. A marriage is an agreement to spend a future together. Check out your dreams with each other regularly to make sure you're both on the same path. Update your dreams regularly.
- Never underestimate the power of good grooming.
- Sex is good. Pillow talk is better. Sex is easy, intimacy is difficult. It requires honesty, openness, self-disclosure, confiding concerns, fears, sadnesses as well as hopes and dreams.
So I hope this helps a little bit and make you all think twice about approaching a relationship. If you are in a relationship now remind yourself of this stuff and really work on it. I hate to give the bad news but you NEVER stop working on a relationship. It is a never ending process and your all going to have to work really hard to keep the relationship exciting and involved.
Do little things a lot and show the person you care. Something as little as a post-it saying a cute "i love you" or "i appreciate you in my life" will do the trick. It's all about showing you care and that you're in that relationship and willing to make an effort.
Don't run away from love and relationships...they sound overwhelming but when your in a good one....It's Worth It.
XOXO
Jenna Lyne
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