Tag: interests

Say it with me: Just as there’s no such thing as perfection, there is no perfect relationship. And whether you’ve been married for a long time or not, companionship is usually only as good as our own relationship with our number one: our very own self.

So if relationships aren’t supposed to make us whole, what are they for in the first place? This Valentine’s Day, consider the value of messiness in your relationships (romantic and otherwise). Messiness is what makes for more fun, deeper connection and intimacy, greater trust, expanded compassion, more room for acceptance and self-expression, and some of the best damn lessons you’ll ever learn. Here are my tips for how you can incorporate messiness into your own relationship—and learn to celebrate the imperfections.

While it's true we need to find a connection if we want to move forward together, it's not necessary for people to cherish all the same things. What's far more important is creating a soulful relationship by learning to link your values with your partner's; then both of you can feel that your inner traits are being honored and served.

One way to know when your values are not linked to each other's are when you encounter one-sided conversations or alternating monologues—when a person is speaking about what's meaningful to him or her while the other's mind is wandering away to his or her own concerns.

We are all destined for love, so while the statistics for second marriages aren’t appealing it is possible to make a second marriage work much better than the first. Many people, when they have divorced feel they "failed" and fear the thought of "failing" again. In life there is no failure, there are only learning and growing experiences. When you have taken genuine and thoughtful time to heal after a divorce you develop yourself into the whole, loving and confident person you have always desired to be. This gives you the fighting chance to make your second marriage strong and one that will stand the test of time the second time around. Here are four practical solutions on how to make your second marriage work.

So many women lose themselves in motherhood. I call this the "Silent War," the process of slowly fading away from yourself, your interests and your passions without even realizing that it is happening.

At some point, all mothers face this crossroad in parenting. We come up for air and realize that we can't answer even the most basic questions like: When is the last time you read a book and finished it? What is your favorite place to shop for clothing? What are your hobbies? When is the last time you had fun doing something that you love?

Marriage is for life. And life is a pretty long time to live with someone with whom you have no common interest. A couple is usually drawn together by attraction, physical or otherwise, and for the first few months or years that may be enough. Eventually, however, you'll need to embrace your common interests.

An article in my local paper recently talked about a couple who had been together for 70 years. Their mutual interest was dancing.