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.

And I stopped and thought about how these traditions come and stay. About how generations of children have celebrated religious heritages with bar/bat mitzvahs and christenings and baptism parties; about how American girls have Sweet Sixteen’s and how Latin girls have Quince’s. About weddings. And how these events occur just once in a lifetime. Once or twice in a family.

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”.

Recognizing that your relationship has dulled is heart breaking. Luckily there are many fun and exciting ways to spice things up again.

Look into the effect of social influence and how it relates to the behavior and detriment of men. Understanding social groups and influence will allow a man to choose the types of relationships we wants to have with them.

A relationship can not be properly built and nurtured with only one “hand”, one person. In order for a relationship to work with optimal success, there must be frequent and sufficient help and input. There must be honest non-critical and loving feedback on a continual basis.

Many times we do things in life for no particular reason or occasion, we do those things because something from inside tells us to do it, as such in a relationship too love should be showed for no reason but simply the fact that you love your partner and it is the heart within us that tells to do it. Doesn’t your heart tell you to simply buy a gift for your lover when you come across something that reminds you of him or her? You gift should not necessarily be an expensive one as it is just a way to express your love and love is not big or small.

Is your spouse too controlling? Are you too passive? Or are the roles reversed? Control issues refer to who’s in control, who’s in charge, or who’s getting their way. Significant control issues are always harmful to a relationship. Here are ten reasons you need to be concerned if you have unresolved control problems in your marriage.

We can so easily judge ourselves, and our lovers, against some ideal. This usually relates back to our judgments on our parents. They are the key. If you can’t love your parents, you will not find love for yourself or your loved one. Unblocking love for one person is unblocking love for every person and no one affects this equation more than your parents.

Too many couples focus on the why of getting better. Read on to discover why the what is much more important.

Do you have people in your life who truly bother you in big ways? I call them our soul attachments. Some people come into our lives for many reasons and a few are certainly intended to make us pay some debts to our karma bank or to our thought patterns. They feel and look like those bugs that you want to get rid of but never succeed.

Hard work is bad management not only relates to business. It is totally true in relationship and self health. If it's hard work, meaning stressful, long hours, not enjoyable, tiring or boring, then it's time for change. Big change. Because bad management destroys things.

The lives of ex-offenders and their families are being changed through an innovative program: Community Support Advisory Council (CSAC). The program helps ex-offenders become productive citizens while providing needed support to their families. Weekly Overcomers meetings with the community's support makes this a unique program, which is being regarded as a model for future programs around the country.

Any relationship can be revived if you know the formula and you are sincere in your reasons for wanting the reconnection. Don't take your partner for granted. Do something before it's too late.

Finding a soul mate is like trying to find two identical snowflakes. Good luck.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? In fact what would you do differently today? Does your fear keep you from what you most want? Do you find yourself making excuses instead of going after what you really want in life? Imagine like Indiana Jones who had a fear of snakes, you were tossed in a pit of writhing slithering snakes or do you have a fear of high places or even speaking in front of a large crowd.

Giving your relationship a regular tune up, is a great way to keep it running smoothly.

The Internet has helped revive the lost art of pen pal corresponding. You can talk with pals from all over the world and learn about their country and their culture. You can exchange recipes, make plans to travel to your pen pal's country to meet or just exchange every day thoughts.

Good relationships take work. I have witnessed many potential good relationships fail due too poor or ineffective communication, an inability to meet each other needs and by having unrealistic expectations of the relationship in general. The fact is, most of us don't know always know the things we can do to improve our relationships. Contrary to popular belief, its not always how much love you have for each other that can predict the success of your relationship, but ultimately it comes down to how conflicts and disagreements are handled.

Well, this is what I heard, but don't tell anyone I told you...

Trust is essential to all close relationships. Without trust, relationship fall apart quickly.

Love, or rather, the state of being in love, is sometimes too close to obsession, especially if it is unrequited, but also when, after a major break up, you find it hard to forget the past.

How close do you want to be with your partner? Here are tips and tools for getting and staying close.