but ending a romantic relationship is also one of the most difficult — and confusing — decisions we face in life. if a partner strikes you, controls you, manipulates you, gaslights you, or otherwise treats you in an objectively hurtful manner, it’s time to put some distance between you and the other person. if there’s no longer any chemistry between you and your partner, the thought of sleeping together turns you off, or you’re avoiding sex completely, then that’s a …

the five love languages: how to express heartfelt commitment to your mate is a 1992 book by gary chapman. examples are given from his counseling practice, as well as questions to help determine one’s own love languages. chapman suggests that to discover another person’s love language, one must observe the way they express love to others, and analyze what they complain about most often and what they request from their significant other most often. an example would be: if a …

whether you are sticking your toe in the water of a new relationship or are fully submerged in a long-term one, a little free relationship advice can go a long way. to develop healthy boundaries, practice saying “no” to things that make you feel uncomfortable and voice your preferences and needs. but if you enter a relationship from a position of strength, you will be able to overcome bumps in the road. take your relationship game to the next level …

people whose parents divorced are more likely to experience relationship breakdowns than those whose parents remained together4 and seeing high levels of conflict during childhood and adolescence or experiencing abuse in the early years has been linked to relationship problems later in life.5,6 life transitions, such as moving from living together to being married, having a baby, children leaving home, and moving into retirement can put strain on a relationship, and the couple can start feeling less ‘connected’ to one …

when that’s the case, you’re no longer focusing on your relationship, which is one reason why overthinking in a relationship could drive you and your partner apart. not to mention, if you say “hi” instead of “hey” and it results in a breakup, they weren’t someone you needed to be with anyway. if that’s the case, “you might be overthinking your relationship because you have unclear communication,” megan stubbs, ed.d., a relationship expert, tells bustle. “grounding helps you stay in …