Let's face it – break ups are BAD, to say the least. There are no two ways about. I have quite a lot of really tough and smart guys who stick to a relationship just fearing the worse – a break up. And there are guys who are out of it physically, but still very much in it mentally. After all it’s a matter of the heart.

To have and maintain strong family ties the seniors in the family have to make extra efforts. It is very important to know what one wants in life and what the family as a whole expects from the different members. As the couple come together to start a family they should try to figure out what they want out of their family life. They should share their goals and dreams.

Listening carefully to your partner improves your married life but listening to yourself does wonders. It is equally important to listen to how you talk. Listen to the tone of your talk. Listening is an important factor in a happy relationship. Make your partner feel you really love him or her but for that first learn to listen to how you talk and say, “I love you”.

Is your relationship in trouble? Do you spend more time picking it apart than cuddling together? If you feel like you’re constantly trying to fix things that should never have been broken in the first place, then maybe it’s time for some proactive steps to rescue your relationship before it ends up on the rocks - permanently

Words have the power to move the strongest of men in the world. Let the power of words strengthen your love life. Lovers often have taken the support of words to express their love. “It’s only words and word all I have to take your heart away”, the words from a famous song that have helped many lovers to express their love, proves the power of words.

Abusive relationships can be referred to as interpersonal relationships characterized by the threat of physical or psychological abuse. This kind of relationship attains epidemic proportions and tends to worsen over time. It is a common fact that there is an imbalance of power in abusive relationships.

Everyone wants to be respected by others but not all of them get it. It's important to first define who a respectable person is before giving respect to him. Many people who deserve respect do not receive it. This is mainly attributed to the fact that they don't know how to demand respect from others. Either they are ignorant of this right of theirs, or they themselves do not show respect to others.

The key to a happy relationship is laughter and fun. Laughter is the medicine that helps you reduce the stress you are undergoing. Try not to take things seriously all the time. Laugh and have fun it will help you face problems in a better way. Be happy and make other happy.

Men, or more precisely polarized couples, find difficulty in fully committing to recovery from infidelity or an extramarital affair.

The situation requires acceptance and forgiveness. Can you accept and forgive without dwelling on the idea that it is truly none of your business whether the other person will mend the hole that is now part of your heart?

But if you want love. Well that’s a different story. Love means naked, raw, honest, exposed, vulnerability. I hear people say, “I need to trust before I become vulnerable” and that is a horrible lie. The only person you need to trust in being vulnerable is you. Shame makes us worry about trust. Why would we be holding back anything if it weren’t for shame. Shame means we are not worthy of love, therefore, we can’t trust ourselves being open and natural and vulnerable. So we seek out people with the same ego issues and open up to them, only because they agree that we are victims.

Love is the most universally sought, most profoundly cherished, the most humanly persued element in the universe. Yet, it is the most abused, misunderstood, undervalued commodity in all of human existence. Why? We are stupid. How do we deal with this? Here are 22 suggestions that will turn the tide in your life and the lives of anyone who chooses to read and follow them.

Remember that effort you put into your relationship in the first months or year? Remember how important making love and holding hands was before the children came along? Remember those tears of gratitude that welled up in your eyes each time you woke beside your lover, or had candlelit dinners?

This may come as a surprise to you. I took a while to figure this one out as well. Men like pornography.

Sometimes men find it terrific to stay all weekend at home in his PJs, without shaving, brushing teeth, combing hair, or showering. They will do this to de-stress and not to embarrass us. It is the time when they let go of his ordinary activities and roles and almost literally enter their caves.

It’s a constant and ongoing battle in your marriage. You like to have things laid out and to be prepared for what’s coming. He doesn’t plan at all. You know you’d relax if only he’d be a little more focused, and then you could stop having these arguments. How can you get him to work with you on this? Is it even possible?

Why do you say, “I have a bad marriage?” Maybe what you should be saying is, “I am a bad marriage partner?” The reality is folks, marriage takes a giving and forgiving attitude, and without that, what is left? You tell me what happens when you don’t forgive your spouse?

Relationships with good friends are always wonderful. Is that true? Have you ever had the experience with someone you dearly like as a friend that it just feels exhausting to be with them sometimes? One reason might be the ‘cardboard image’ effect.

If you are thinking of employing the services of a marriage counselor, here are some tips to ensure you get the most value for your time and money.

Presents will never make up for the lack of presence.

Sleep deprivation affects over 50% of the western world. Its effect is devastating. Changing mood, concentration, happiness, health, vitality and emotional balance. Sleep deprivation is a hidden gremlin that lurks behind so many of our day to day problems. Depression, exhaustion, anger, frustration, laziness, mental fatigue, poor decision making, anxiety, fear, relationship breakdown, impotence, sexual performance drop, abuse, violence, alcohol addiction and obesity. Sleep deprivation affects over 50% of the people you know, and yet, they will say their problems are not associated with poor sleep or the lack of it. 50% of your friends will be visiting chiropractors, health food shops, health farms, yoga classes, exercise programs, beauticians, doctors and taking “magic herbs” to deal with issues that at their root, come from sleep deprivation.

What you appreciate grows. Good management is to appreciate things. Make them bigger. You make people bigger by appreciating them. You make businesses bigger by appreciating its assets. You make relationships bigger by appreciating how much you can do together as a couple (rather than as two individuals) and you make yourself bigger by appreciating life, and the gifts you have.

Complacency like many other common marriage problems is a bit like the plague. It's catching and it spreads, you don't hear it and you don't see it and by the time you realise what is happening the damage is done.

Everyone dreaded report card day in school and if you are dreading making your own relationship report card, then you need to buckle down and study! When you rank all of the aspects of your relationship with your spouse, you want (and need!) to score in the high nineties for an A+.