Advice on Relationships: Trust, Romance, and Everlasting Love

Let's face it, relationships are just not what they used to be.  The divorce rate is higher than ever, and many people are choosing to live a single lifestyle.  Some people even have the tendency to end a relationship without giving it the time to fix it.  Here are a few pointers on how to help rebuild your relationship, whether it be from lack of trust, romance issues, communication issues, or you are just looking to improve on an already great bond:

• COMMUNICATE!  What good is it to try to fix or improve a relationship if you aren't willing to talk?  Share your feelings and most of all, listen to your partner.  Be honest with what you are saying.  Lies only create more lies.  No relationship can be built on lies, but rather trust.  Being able to communicate with your partner will help you get through conflict better.
• Sexuality is a beautiful thing.  Stay intimate with your partner.  Let's be honest, no matter how much you love your partner for what's on the inside, it's what is on the outside that most likely caught your attention first.  A physical relationship is important to a healthy life together.  Try to touch each other daily (whether it's sexual or not).  Skin to skin contact stimulates the senses and makes us feel closer.
• Be understanding.  We are all human.  You can never expect something from someone that you are not willing to do yourself.  As much as you may think your partner is Superman (or Superwoman), they are still human, and they have feelings just like you do.
• Be aware of your partners emotions.  When you are with a person for a while, you can notice when something isn't right.  Communicate with them.  
• For better or for worse really means for worse or for worser (new word?).  There are times in every relationship when times get tough.  But what makes you stronger is knowing how to deal with tough times.  Financial issues, health problems, trust issues....these happen to almost everyone.  It's human nature.  Be patient, and never jump into a conversation angry.  United you stand, but divided you may fall.
• Create goals together.  Plan for a lifetime together.  Set goals for your future, work towards them together, and celebrate when you achieve them.
• Stress happens.  Deal with it.  Everyone gets stressed, so if you think life is against you right now, imagine how your partner feels.  They may notice the changes in you, and it could be making them feel the same way (or worse) for seeing you like that.
• Trust can be rebuilt.  I'm not going to say everyone cheats, because that's a lie.  But people do make mistakes.  Some mistakes can not be fixed, but sometimes, people do fall.  And they need help getting back up.  If trust has been broken, it can be earned back.  Evaluate your specific position and ask yourself, "Is this worth throwing everything away for?".  If it can be fixed, then it will take time.  You must be understanding, work together, be able to forgive and accept a genuine apology.  

If it's a love worth fighting for, then it's a love worth taking the time to fix.  For more information about rebuilding trust, visit:

http://www.truthaboutdeception.com/recovery-and-repair/rebuilding-trust.html

~ Tina