From the time we’re born, physically touching the ones we love is as natural as breathing. In a virtuous cycle, that natural draw is especially important in a long-term romantic relationship: you wish to physically touch the person you’re intimate with and that touch...

Virtually everyone in a long-term romantic relationship has disagreements with their partner. Occasional disagreements are typical and can even be healthy for the relationship if they’re resolved in a positive manner. (See How To Use Conflicts To Deepen Your...

Young people searching for a romantic partner sometimes look for a mirror image of themselves. Someone who shares every taste and belief. That’s not only unrealistic but probably not the basis for a healthy relationship. Still, there is typically a certain...

By the time someone reaches an age where they’re ready for a long-term romantic relationship, they’ve probably developed a basic outlook on life. They’re inclined to be either more of an optimist or more of a pessimist. Experience and natural temperament mold a...

If you are lucky enough to have had grandparents or parents who had a loving, stable long-term marriage, do you ever wish you had taken the time to have more (or any) serious conversations about their relationship? It is the rare young person — especially in the...

As most any parent can tell you, calling up advice that you remember your parents giving you can be strangely comforting. Those little rules of the road — actions speak louder than words, look before you leap! — are intuitively packed with common sense and wisdom. As...

OK, how about this for a pleasant little exercise: Remember a couple of the peak experiences of your life. Maybe it was skiing in the French Alps. Or your honeymoon in Fiji. Now imagine the peak experiences you enjoy on a more regular basis. Dinner at your favorite...

In most life situations, we’re rarely presented with clear-cut choices — obviously good or bad, right or wrong. When a choice is undoubtedly good or bad, it ironically makes your decision really easy. In relationships, we get a little guidance from something called...

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a crystal ball that unerringly predicted the future. It might be especially valuable when you first begin dating someone. Is this the one, oh crystal ball, who will joyfully be my lifetime partner? Well, it’s not a crystal ball, but a...