Matters of the Heart    

Romantic Relationships are rarely straight forward and many people are ill prepared for the myriad obstacles to be negotiated on the pathway to love. With the wrong approach a promising relationship can fizzle out. Unfortunately, there is no blueprint that you can follow to achieve a rewarding relationship and there certainly isn’t a magic wand. What works well in one situation may not work well in another. It is possible, however, to learn to recognize and circumvent the possible danger zones in order to give a relationship a better chance of survival. Communication is the key A vital ingredient of any successful relationship is good communication. No matter how strong the attraction between two people true bonding will be impossible to establish or sustain if the couple cannot communicate well. For a relationship to succeed is vital that partners are able to discuss their needs, hopes and fears. In this way a couple can achieve a level of mutual understanding that will keep them together and provide them with emotional strength through the most adverse of circumstances. At the very start of a relationship partners can lay the ground for such free and easy communication by opening themselves up and being sympathetically responsive to each other’s thoughts and feelings. If your previous romantic encounters have failed and left you emotionally scarred, it can be difficult to approach a new relationship with a completely open mind un marked by any prejudices or suspicions. But it is essential to do so if your new relationship is to stand a chance of success. Developing Trust Probably the most exciting phase of a relationship aside from the first thrill of physical attraction is when you discover that you share many of the same ideas, goals and interests. But as the two of you learn more about each other you must also assess whether any of the differences between you have the potential to undermine your relationship at a later date. Once past the discovery phase a relationship will survive in the long tern only if the partners develop mutual trust. Some people mistakenly feel that simply being in a relationship automatically gives them the right to their partner’s trust. But trust must be earned and like true friendship needs to be nurtured over many years to develop to its fullest extent. However, even when established trust cannot be taken for granted. A breath of betrayal can shatter the mutual confidence and leave it beyond repair Trust can be cultivated in a relationship by observing three golden rules: Never break a date without good cause. If cancelling an appointment is absolutely unavoidable, make sure your partner understands why and do something thoughtful to make up for it. No matter how trivial your partner’s fears or foibles seem to you, never tease your partner about them in private or in public. If someone entrusts you with revelations of their innermost doubts and anxieties, making fun of them, no matter how lightly amounts to a betrayal of that persons’ trust. Never lie to your partner. Once discovered a lie may prove a constant thorn in your relationship. Your partner will wonder why you felt it necessary to hide something from him or her and whether you lie about other matters too. Shadows of the Past   No matter how damaging your past experiences of love have been you should not allow memories of past unhappy relationships to embitter you or to dictate your attitude toward future partners. A woman who assumes that all men are liars, for example, because one or two have lied to her in past relationships will find it very hard to trust any man again. If a partner has done something bad to you don’t assume that this means all potential partners are bad. Give people you meet a chance to prove themselves. While it is wise not to let the past blind you to future prospects however, you must also guard again naiveté. Life is littered with unhappy lovers who keep on repeating the same mistakes and seem unable to learn from their experiences. Rather than dwelling unproductively on the down side of past disappointments look at them as part of a learning and growing process. Consider the possibility that you may have been at least partly responsible for what went wrong and try to modify your actions in the light of your experience It pays to be clear eyes and a it wary about new romance. Trusting the information contained within this News Article will have shed some light on the topic of relationships. There is nothing in this World comparable to being in a happy fulfilling relationship. One that has you feeling that your partner is your soul mate, someone you can enjoy and celebrate life with. Until next month take care, enjoy life and commit to learning something new every day.