Tag: emotion

Is your marriage lacking intimacy? Has the affection gone from your relationship? Although the first (and most obvious) sign that things have cooled between the two of you is a lack of sex—or even mundane sex where you feel no connection with your partner—"intimacy" covers other things as well. It can be touching, holding each other, kissing, cuddling... any form of physical contact that creates a positive emotional response in you.

Unfortunately, for many couples the intimacy has all but gone from their marriage. They're simply "going through the motions" of marriage without any signs of physical affection. Often this is more painful for one person than the other.

Most of us have experienced some level of resentment at one point or another in our lives. Many of us may feel resentment often, maybe even constantly. Resentment can spiral out of control, fester in our lives and begin to take over our thoughts, actions and even our wellbeing. Resentment can overwhelm our innate sense of joy and ease.

How do we overcome these feelings and regain contentment and peace of mind? Here are 10 steps to help control the downward spiral of resentment.

How many times has a simple conversation with your partner about something fun, like a vacation or buying a new piece of furniture been ruined by an argument about money that becomes much larger than the topic you are discussing?

Money decisions are usually filled with emotions because our underlying motivations can be ignored when we make decisions. In other words, when someone says you spend too much, they might be ignoring the fact you may have a genuine desire to do something to validate your hard work.

We’ve all seen people who walk around with a chip on their shoulders. People who never get over a wrong or a hurt. You know exactly who I’m talking about.

As a divorce attorney, I came into contact with many people who built great big walls around themselves to avoid getting hurt again. In fact, I myself discovered the art of building a fortress around my own heart. It contained a tiny little door that only my children, dog, and cat could squeeze through. Heaven help the man who tried to love me and knock those bricks down!

When people think of divorce they never fully consider the emotions that will occur if they proceed. As children we hear fairytales, all of which end with, "And they lived happily ever after." Of course, that is really the beginning of the story not the end. But the concept lives on in all of us as we contemplate what to expect from our very own marriages.

Unfortunately, marriage is not always perfect. It has its ups and downs. It is not always a 50/50 proposition. At times it may be more like a 90/10 proposition. Marriage and maintaining a relationship requires work every single day.

If you’re like many people, you’re dealing with a snowstorm of not-so-joyful feelings during the holiday season. First, you have the stress of buying a vast array of gifts and juggling an over-packed schedule. You have obligatory family visits, which may carry their own emotional baggage. And if someone you love has recently passed away, you may find yourself trying to "celebrate" through a miasma of sadness.

Most of us have mixed feelings about the winter holidays.

Many couples find it confusing and extremely disappointing when emotions like anger, resentment and even hatred seep into their loving relationship—especially around Valentine’s Day when expectations for love and romance run high. But experiencing these more difficult emotions doesn’t mean your marriage is bad or on the rocks. In fact, they all go hand-in-hand with long-term, loving relationships. Once the euphoria of love’s initial, intoxicating phases wears off, they will inevitably set in. That’s because in day-to-day life, there are plenty of opportunities for people to let each other down. The pain of disappointment triggers resentment and anger, which in turn can cause momentary feelings of hatred to flare.