There are hundreds of things you can do to better your relationship. To help get you headed in the right direction, I’ll highlight many ways to build, strengthen, and enhance your relationship.

Remember, little steps taken every day will add up to big successes.

1. Start Over

When couples first get together, everything is new and exciting. They overlook the little annoying things the other person does. However, after time, the nagging starts, instead of hearing, “You look beautiful,” they might hear “Why are you wearing that shirt?” If this sounds like your relationship, first, the two of you need to sit down and be honest that things have changed. Identify the things each other did in the beginning of the relationship that created the attraction in the first place. Then together, make a commitment to start over. The truth is, both of you will have to work on this. It will not automatically be easy but it is possible. Start by forgiving each other, forgetting the past, and then start over with the flirtation. Focus only on the special things your mate does and relearn to put the unimportant things aside. It will take some time so be patient.

2. Schedule Time

Spending quality time together is crucial. This time can be with friends, dining out, attending a sporting event, or cuddling together while watching a favorite movie. The activity is not what is important but the fact that you are together, doing something that you both enjoy. People have extremely busy schedules and between work, family, the home, errands, and everything else going on, finding time for your mate can be difficult. Just as you would schedule a meeting on your calendar, show some courtesy in the relationship by scheduling time with each other. Once the plan is in place, no backing out unless you have some life and death emergency.

3. The Power of Touch

When a child is ill, doctors will tell you that it is proven that a simple, loving touch of a parent can quickly pull the child through a crisis. It is the same for relationships. Playing with your mate’s hair, rubbing their hand, a soft kiss on the neck, a soft pat on the leg or giving a gentle back rub will make a huge difference in how your mate responds to you. When was the last time you walked up to your mate for no reason and without saying a word, affectionately placed a kiss on their neck? This is not in a sexual way, but an affectionate way. There is a difference. The next time the two of you are sitting in the car, at the grocery story, or standing in line at the theater, quietly reach over and take their hand. Do not be surprised if you get a strange look of curiosity the first time!

Mia LaCron is the founder of guide-to-happy-relationships.info – guide-to-happy-relationships.info guide-to-happy-relationships.info – devoted to helping individuals build strong relationships with significant others.

1. When will I see you again? You’ll see him when you see him. If he wants to see you again, he’ll call. If not, next. You don’t have time for anyone that doesn’t have time for you.

2. Why didn’t you call? There’s only one answer to this question: Because he didn’t want to!!! What you’re really asking is, “Why didn’t you want to call me?” Who knows!! There could be a lot of reasons, but you shouldn’t be sitting around wondering why. You should be out dating lots of different guys and not worrying about ONE guy. Don’t be so quick to put all your eggs into one basket, because if they break, it’s a big mess!

3. Where were you? If he wanted you to know where he was, he’d tell you. What you’re really asking is, “Where you with another female that you like better than me?” Your insecurity is showing, sweetie. If anything, he should be wondering where you were.

4. I love you. You’re saying it in the hopes that he’ll say it back, but what if he doesn’t? You’ll be devastated and probably feel foolish. Saying “I love you” is not going to speed things up if he’s not ready to say it back. So just cool it, and let him be the first to say it when he’s ready.

5. Did you sleep with her? As long as he’s not sleeping with her now, who cares? The past is gone. Don’t torture yourself (and him) with these thoughts. In this case, ignorance really is bliss.

6. Are you seeing anyone else? Mystery is to men what romance is to women. You’ve just indirectly told him that you want to be exclusive, you’ve handed over control of the relationship and you’ve killed the mystery. Who knew 5 words could be so powerful?

7. Where is this going? Nowhere fast if that’s your attitude. Guys want someone fun and easy to be with, not someone that’s constantly worrying about the future. His actions or non-actions will tell you where it’s going. If it’s going somewhere, you’ll know it. If it’s not, you’ll know it too.

8. We need to talk. This is the equivalent of, “Go to the principal’s office”. Guys know it’s not going to be a fun conversation, so they’re already on the defense. If you need to discuss something, just casually bring it up when the both of you are relaxed. Don’t try to talk to him when he’s tired, stressed or trying to watch tv!

9. What are you thinking? What you’re really asking is: Is something wrong? Are you mad at me? Are you thinking about our relationship? Are you thinking about me? Are you thinking about someone else? If he wants you to know what he’s thinking, he’ll tell you on his own. If he doesn’t, he’ll lie when you ask.

10. I don’t trust you. What you’re actually saying is, “You need to step up your game, because I can see you’re up to something.” If he is up to something, he’ll just become even sneakier. Better to think smart and act dumb-it’ll be easier to get the evidence you need to confirm your suspicions.

Lucia is a dating and relationship expert, columnist, author and host of the TV Show “The Art of Love”.

With over 20 years experience on the relationship market, Lucia has dated men of all nationalities in six cities, four countries and two continents. Her practical know-how makes her the perfect candidate to dispense relationship advice – after all, in almost every dating dilemma she has been there, done that and lived to tell about it.

For more information go to: lessonsoflove.net lessonsoflove.net

All through history there have been similarities in the wedding traditions and marriage customs of people from all over the world, but each nationality of people seems to have their own little way to go about the union of a man and woman too. The one thing that all wedding ceremonies seem to have in common is the commitment of love and devotion for all time and eternity during a public ceremony.

Everyone at a wedding hopes for a productive and happy union between the wedding couple. Wedding traditions are usually a way of showing signs of this hope for ultimate happiness. Some of these traditions are very interesting.

In the United States a favorite tradition is the best man to auction the garter instead of tossing it. The best man carries a hat around the reception site and the guests put dollar bills in it. Someone acts as auctioneer to count the money, and after a specified time has elapsed, the best man gives the garter to the last person to put money in the hat.

In Sweden, the traditional bride will end up wearing three rings by the end of the wedding ceremony. The first is the engagement ring that she entered the ceremony with. The second, the wedding band, is added to the first. A final band, however, is added as well. This band is known as the ‘motherhood’ band. This is said to indicate the hope that marriage is about more than just love, it is about building a family.

Wedding traditions in the Philippines include the Pandango, a dance which can last for hours. During the Pandango, guests pin money to the bride’s dress to pay for their honeymoon.

A traditional Irish bride may wear a blue wedding dress – believing blue to be a lucky color. English lavender is often mixed with her wedding flower. It is traditional for the bride to braid her hair – as it is considered a sacred way to preserve one’s feminine power and brings luck to the newlywed couple.

In Mexico wedding tradition dictates that a white ribbon or rosary be placed around the necks of the newlywed couple, symbolizing the joining of the two souls.

A wedding tradition in Egypt – just before the marriage vows are spoken – there is a musical wedding march called the Zaffa. There is traditional Egyptian music, belly dancers, drums horns and performers with flaming swords. Many Egyptians believed that the ring finger has the “vein amoris”, the vein of love, which runs straight to the heart.

In ancient civilizations of the Middle East sandals (walking was the main mode of transportation) was exchanged as a sign of good faith whenever a commitment of any kind was made. Today, that tradition has died off in all but weddings where the practice of tying shoes to the bumper of the bridal couple’s honeymoon continues.

There are many wedding traditions around the world which may differ from what you are used to, but if you are about to plan a wedding you may find it interesting to incorporate some of these traditions in your own wedding.

Jeanette Shinn is a wedding professional with over a dozen years experience making dreams come alive. Find helpful tips to

What does a wife need from her husband? I can’t answer that question for all women, but I do know what I need. I need my husband to be supportive of my endeavors and ideas. I want my husband to realize that the marriage does not center only around him and what he needs, but on what we both need. I want for my husband to make time for me. I want to be put on the top of his priority list, after God, and not on the bottom. Does that sound selfish? It’s not selfish when you know that he gets the same treatment from me.

I want for my husband to enjoy spending his time off with me and so I often encourage fun and creative things to do together when he does have the spare time away from work. I have to remember this, though, if I am not acting on my marriage obligations the way God wants for me to, I should not expect that my husband would be too happy about it. So then, I shouldn’t take advantage of my husband’s loving kindness or take our marriage for granted. Because my first priority should be my husband’s happiness, right?

I believe God has put me where I am at for a reason. I have been blessed with the man I married because that is who God put before me 23 years ago. I didn’t change the course of events to marry the man I married, because the events became the course. In other words, I did not put a gun to my husband’s head and tell him to marry me or else. What became yesterday is what is today. Not that we cannot change or improve on our marriage, but that we ought to be content with the person God has blessed us with.

Once we get rid of the idea of divorce and we get rid of the bad attitude is when we can begin to reflect upon who we are in the marriage and begin living our God fulfilled purpose. Once we get rid of the selfishness we can start to fulfill the roles and responsibilities that have been given to us when we got married. But we cannot get rid of these ideas until we choose to follow Gods plans for our marriage. We are the ones who fail marriage. Marriage does not fail, people do!

We fail marriage because we give up. We give up on God and we give up on what we can do to change ourselves. You’ve heard the saying; patience is a virtue, right? Well, we have given up on patience because we feel that time is running out. Time does not run out, but people do. The messages from society run amok and tell us to do things that are not from God but from selfish desires and arrogance. If that is who a person is then they have every right to continue listening to and believing those messages. But if you are a part of God’s family then you have your own messages to listen to.

Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lords will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV)

I know what I need from my husband. I need to know that he is devoted to our marriage that we started 23 years ago. I want him to accept me for who I am, because I cannot guarantee that I will never make mistakes. I need to know that my husband would never act on a bad attitude, turn against me, and ask for a divorce like many spouses in marriage do. Because what is that? That is not a marriage, that is people being wishy washy with each other, allowing feelings to control the outcome of the marriage. I believe a husband needs the same thing from his wife. A man needs his wife to respect his position in the marriage above everything else. If a man is allowed to be the man in his home, then everything else should just fall into place like clockwork.

…However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33 NIV)

Angie Lewis is the author of three marriage books offering marriage tips and wisdom filled answers tackling such issues as addiction, adultery, pornography, emotions, beliefs, feelings, marriage, children, forgiveness, communication, submission and spiritual influence in the home.

Love The Man You Married is a great teaching tool for couples. Every Christian wife and husband should read this informative book on marriage.
ISBN: 1411677501

Love The Woman You Married – This is a great book on finding and putting to work your purpose for marriage, and understanding the aspects of submission and spiritual influence in the home. A wonderful teaching guide about how God designed marriage to be. Excellent resource for husband and wife to read together. ISBN 978-1-4303-0047-2

To preview these books go here: lulu.com/AngieLewis/ lulu.com/AngieLewis/

Marriage Resources- heavenministries.com/ heavenministries.com/