As we get older, it gets much harder for us to make new friends and it’s even harder to make new friends as a couple. People you’ve known all your life start to move away, some get married, others have babies and you sooner than later you find yourself without any friends.

One can easily grow apart from people they’ve known for years. Making new friends can be quite a feat; making new couple friends is the biggest challenge of all but it’s worth it.

Research has shown that making new friends as a couple can boost your relationship and bring you two closer.

According to a new study published in the Personal Relationships journal, couples felt closer to each other when they made new friends together.

Led by Keith Welker PhD, the study used about 150 couples split into two groups.

People in the first group had to answer increasingly probing questions about themselves like, “If you could go back in your life and change any one experience, what would it be and why?”

The couples in the second group answered small talk questions and some of the participants were paired with other couples; others completed the task with their partner.

The research showed that partners who revealed personal details in front of another couple reported feeling closer to each other afterward than any other group.

The conclusion:it is possible that making new friends, rather than acquaintances, helps you see your partner in a different way and it can save your relationship if you find yourselves in a rough patch.

“The creation of couple friendships may be an additional way to reignite feelings of passionate love in romantic relationships,” the authors wrote in the abstract.

So if your relationship could use a boost, you might want to hang out with another couple once in a while.

How? –you might ask.Well, starting with the basics is always a good idea. Think of an activity you would both enjoy and have fun. No matter where you choose to go, you will meet like-minded people, or even couples there.

Go wine tasting, for example, if that’s what you like doing. You are sure to meet some interesting and cool couples there.

You can also take a vacation.  Cruises and adults-only, all-inclusive spots offer the best options for meeting like-minded couples. If you happen to meet people from another state or from a country on the other side of the world, well, you’ll have a new place to visit on your next trip and you’ll have a place to stay while you’re there.

The office is another great place to meet new people. If you overhear a co-worker arguing on the phone with their partner, strike up a conversation and invite them on a double date. Working at the same place will help you find some common-ground to begin conversation, but don’t spend the whole date talking about work because your partners will be bored to death.

Single people meet new potential dates online, so you two can also try to find an interesting couple to hang out with on the internet. Sites like kupple.com and hangbase.com let you browse couples by location and interest. Why not give it a try?

Volunteer with your partner. If you love animals, spend some time together at the local shelter. Not only will the activity by itself bring you two more closer together, but you will also have a chance to meet other couples there. If no couples are around, you can always make a new single friend.

If you start to feel that your relationship is stagnating, you should consider making friends with another couple. It’s worth the effort and it just might save your relationship.  

You met, you connected, you fell in love, you moved in together, maybe you even got married and then it all fell apart. When a relationship goes to hell, can you stay friends with your ex?

We’ve all heard that phrase “We can still be friends,” but can you really? If it’s your ex-husband in question and there are children involved, it’s crucial to remain at least civil. If there aren’t children involved, keeping the friendship alive will take a lot of hard work and a lot of maturity. Are you up for such a challenge is he or she worth the trouble?

In reality, there is no harm in staying friends with someone you’ve invested so much into already. Some find it easy, but others might find it impossible to stay friends with their exes. One is always the heartbreaker, while the other is the bitter one. It will take a lot to overcome the pain before the jilted one decides to give the friendship a chance.

So how do the people who really “stay friends” after a break-up make it work? 

Numerous studies have shown that the more satisfied couples were during a relationship, the more likely they were to remain friends. If the anger and hurt can be overcome, there’s great comfort in keeping an ex in your life. Did you have such a relationship? Is he or she worth the effort?

In actuality, staying friends with our exes means honoring the time we spent getting to know a person we still respect and feel close to. 

A truly healthy friendship with an ex-partner is a great sign that you’ve emotionally evolved past the breakup. It means the relationship itself was a supremely mature one, built on mutual respect and closeness. Such relationships are truly worth repeating in the future.

Before even thinking about going back to the friend zone, you should wait at least a month before you even consider meeting up with your ex, especially if you were the one who ended the relationship.

If it was an amicable separation it’s easier to stay friends. However, if it was an ugly break-up that has involved an affair or a betrayal, it is going to be hard to develop or re-establish the friendship. 

If you have children together, you should definitely work on the relationship. If you work together or you go to the same club, you should also try to stay friends with your ex. Remaining friends will eliminate tension and awkwardness in your shared environment.

Make sure you are in the clear with your emotions before you consider reviving the friendship with your ex. If you think that being friends will increase your chances of getting back together, you shouldn’t stay friends with your ex, since you don’t see him or her as a friend. This is dangerous territory. The relationship ended for a reason, going back is not a smart idea.

If you still have feelings for your ex, the best thing to do is stay away and get over the break up in a healthy manner. There is no point in maintaining a relationship based on confusion and denial.

Once you decide to give it your best, make sure you don’t have the same expectations you had while you two were together. It will not be the same. Jealousy will lurk around every corner, and who wants that? Ask yourself; are you ready to see your ex in a relationship with someone else? Are you ok with being part of his or her life with someone else? Can you handle that? If not, stay away. You still have some emotions to deal with.

The most important thing of all is for you to know why you are even considering staying friends with your ex. If you want to keep that person in your life because you respect them and enjoy spending time with them, you should find the strength to get over the break up and simply go on with your life.

Don’t hold on to hope or false belief that maybe you’ll end up back together. You don’t know what will happen in the future and you might be wasting your time. If you value the person and don’t want to lose them, be prepared for a rough ride. That is the painful truth. Once your ex starts a new relationship, you can be sure it will trigger some old painful emotions. The smartest thing you can do is keep contact to a minimum, be respectful to their new partner and maybe you can all be friends in the future.

We are talking about the person that has seen you naked, the person with whom you’ve shared the most intimate part of yourself. It’s going to be painful, it’s going to be awkward, but if they are worth keeping in your life, you have to grow up and move on.

As we transition into adulthood, we often find our circle of friends begins to shrink and we are not surprised. As time goes by, we grow older, people start to get married, have kids; some move, others change and so on.

Life often comes in our way and a whole new myriad of obligations restrain us, preventing us from spending quality time with our friends and not all of have the patience or the will to stick it out.

With the rise of social media and the development of technology, human interaction has gone to hell. Some of us don’t even know how to strike up a conversation anymore.

Lifelong bonds with friends are marvelous, but not always possible. Between juggling work and home, we often find ourselves having less and less time for our friends so our adult friendships take the back seat.

So how does one make new friends and maintain strong relationships with the old ones as an adult?

The one thing you have to remember is: it’s all up to you! You shouldn’t be surprised if some of your old friends have started to ditch your calls after a while. You have to nourish the relationship in order to keep it alive and well.

If you can’t find the time to go out with your friends, just ring them up and have a nice chat. Don’t forget to call your friends on a regular basis just to let them know that you’re thinking about them and that they too count in your life. They have to know that you haven’t forgotten about them. Also, surely you can find the time to go out for a quick drink on a Friday night? Take the initiative, invite a friend to dinner or simply drop by for a visit. It’s easy, but this goes for the old friends and keeping old friends is much easier than making new friends.

When it comes to making new friends, it’s a bit different. Adding friends on Facebook is easy and it doesn’t count. When was the last time you met a new friend in real life?

If you feel that your social skills are a bit rusty, you need to brush up on those and begin reconnecting with your old friends and start making new ones.

We do live in the age of social media and technology, so let’s start there. Try to connect with your contacts on Twitter and Facebook. You do share the same interests, so why not try to take the relationship further.

Ask an acquaintance to a show or a concert. You are sure to have a good time and it will give you the opportunity to get to know each other better.

Another great place to make new friends is work. Try to connect with some of your coworkers. Your new best friend might be just around the corner.

Go out for a drink all by yourself. You just might run into someone who shares the same interests. It’s worth the risk and you might end up having a blast!

Stop being defensive and start opening up. As we grow up, we tend to put up a wall of fear around us and letting new people in through that door can be quite a feat. We are too scared of being hurt. Risk it: give someone a chance.

Join a book club or find some other activity that has other regular participants. Go to the gym; join a hiking club, a parent-teacher association and so on. You are sure to meet other like-minded people there.

Don’t forget your family members. My sister is my best and oldest friend. My mother is also a very close and dear friend. You must have someone in your family that you are close to, a cousin or an aunt perhaps. Family members make great friends.

The most important thing of all: be true to yourself and others. Adults don’t have time to waste on pettiness and games. We all strive to find honesty and truthfulness. We need someone that understands us; someone that will be our rock on a stormy day.

Having passions in life is great, but people are the ones that enrich our existence.

I loved romantic comedies when I was a teenager and I developed a certain theory about love and Mr. Right. However, I grew up and learned – the hard way, of course – that life is far from a romantic comedy. Don’t get me wrong, I did find Mr. Right, but the road that led me to him was rather tedious. Love is complicated. We, humans, are complicated as well; but there is nothing simpler and more beautiful than true love. The trick is finding it and recognizing it when it looks you straight in the eye.  

We’ve all asked ourselves at point or another: “Am I in the right relationship?” “Is he the one?” “Where is this relationship going?”

Such questions can be troubling and can even put the “wrong strain” on the right relationship, so you better be careful.

If you want to make sure that you are in the right relationship with the right person, you might want to take a look at these tips that are set to help you determine whether the one you’re dating is “THE ONE”.

Tip 1: First and foremost: Set your intentions

This is your first and most essential tip. What does this mean? Well, it’s the basics of dating and the one thing you have to settle before going any further with the dating game. Setting your intentions means that you and no one else has to know what you want from the relationship you’re currently in. In other words, you have to ask yourself two very important questions:

1. Am I looking for a husband?
2. Am I looking for a good time and nothing serious?

Once you have an answer for these questions, discuss the issue with your partner. If he doesn’t agree, you shouldn’t pursue a future together. It’s just not meant to be. It’s always good to put your cards on the table as soon as possible, so that no one wastes any time. You should expect the same from your partner.

Tip 2: Establish mutual feelings

Have you ever found yourself giving a lot more in a relationship than the other person? Has it ever ended well? – Of course not. The core of a healthy relationship lies in the mutual feelings and understanding of both partners, meaning you should not waste your time with someone that doesn’t give as much and as good as he is getting. Such “one-sided” relationships never work. If you feel used, underappreciated or simply unfulfilled, the relationship must end. Respect yourself.

Tip 3: Allow your “flame” to spread into the “friend” zone

Never rely simply on the physical aspect of a relationship. If you have nothing to talk about, no common interests, how will you experience life together? How will you deal with the daily squabbles? How will you compromise? How will you support each other? If you haven’t managed to forge a solid, healthy relationship that stretches beyond the physical love and attraction, you should call it quits. Sometimes, two people just “click” at the very beginning and things quickly become clear. If you haven’t “clicked” outside of the bedroom, it’s time to part ways. That is, if you’re looking for a serious relationship. If you’re in it just for fun, keep at it.

Tip 4:  Family and friends still count, listen to what they have to say about your relationship

When our friends or members of our family try to get involved, we usually shut them out, but we shouldn’t. They are the ones that know us best and their opinion should always count. They might provide you with a different “viewpoint” about the person you’re with. Maybe you don’t see something they do see. If you’re battling with indecisiveness, turn to your close ones. They’ll guide you, for sure. If you’re settling for something, they’ll tell you. If you’re happy, but blind, they’ll open your eyes. If they approve of the person you’re with, you should start looking at him through their eyes… you might see something you missed before and give the relationship another chance.

Tip 5: Make sure you get “what you paid for”

If you dedicate yourself, if you dedicate your time, if dedicate your feelings, if you dedicate your all to one person, it better pay off. The person you’ve chosen to be with MUST love you, respect you, spend time with you, make you laugh, make you feel safe, make you feel complete. The two of you should feel as one. If these conditions are not met, it’s not worth it. Don’t even think about marriage. When it’s the right person at the right time, you’ll know. For if there’s even a glint of doubt about the person you’re with, you should take a moment to analyze why that “glint of doubt” lingers on. After all, it doesn’t take much for a glint to grow into a raving blaze.

Finding “the one” might be mission impossible or as easy as a walk in the park. One can easily get carried away in a relationship and before realizing it, you’ll find yourself in a long term commitment, or even marriage, that absolutely has no ground or future.

So before you let yourself be seduced by a handsome, strapping, gorgeous looking man with whom you have nothing in common, try to snap out of it and continue your search, for once you find Mr. Right, it will all be worth it.

Let’s start at the very beginning. The most important thing you have to check in your relationship is the commitment. How committed are you both? Do you spend time together? Do you have common goals? Do you work for a shared future? Is there a WE and US in everything you do?

You have to keep your eyes open for the signs that will tell you whether you two are meant to be together.

So how does one know? Here’s what you should be looking out for according to Hayley Hobson.

1. Can you imagine your life without them?

Does he fit in every plan you make? Can you imagine waking up without him? Does his opinion count? Are you factoring that person into your long-term goals? If the answer is no, that’s a very bad sign. You two are just not meant to be. Don’t waste time, end the relationship.

2. Are you emotionally invested in your partner?

A real relationship is never based purely on sex. The physical attraction does matter, but a real relationship is about commitment, it’s about experiencing life together, working towards a common goal. A real relationship is about overcoming the daily difficulties, the disagreements. A real relationship is about making compromises and forgiveness. A real relationship is about learning new things about each other and loving the differences. If you can love your partner even when you hate him, it’s a good sign that you two just might make it. If you only rely on the physical attraction and your connection doesn’t expand beyond that, you should consider ending the relationship.

3. Do you both take part in fun activities? How much time do you spend together?

If you start making plans on your own, excluding your partner, then you might be trying to pull away from him and create some distance and distance is never good. If you never include him in activities that are fun for you, then you probably don’t want to spend time with him. Going to the movies, going on a hike, grabbing a cup of coffee with your friends, going for a walk in the park… do you even want him there? If the answer is no, take the hint and send him packing.

4. Do you have the same values?

Do you have a lot in common? If you do, then you’re in a healthy, sound relationship. If you don’t, then it’s just a matter of time before you realize that you two don’t have a future together. You might be attracted to him, you might even be in love, but if you have nothing in common, the time will come when you start fighting over the most trivial of things, like which toothpaste we should buy, or what should we have for dinner? Once you start going down that road, there’s no turning back, so you might as well take a U-turn now and end it before it even begins.

5. How often do you have sex? Do you have sex?

Sex is the most intimate form of communicating our love for each other. Sex counts. We’ve all had our dry spells, never mind the reasons. However, once a dry spell turns into a never-ending full-fledged draught, you have a real problem on your hands. If you can’t overcome such crisis in a relationship, hard decisions must be made; but before you end the relationship, do give your best and try to save it, so there’s no room for regrets later. Once you start digging deeper,it will soon become apparent whether or not there is something worth saving. If nothing can be done, you should move on with your head held high. After all, life is too short to be wasted.

Also, does he inspire you to be better, does he “get you”? Does he accept you for who you are and loves you no matter what? Try to answer these questions and it will all become clear. Love is not about spending time with someone just because he happened to be there or because you don’t want to be alone or just because you’re tired of the search. Love is the most wonderful thing one can experience in life and it’s worth the wait.

Ah, true love! One of the most desired things in life, aside from money and fame, perhaps, is true love. Everyone strives to find it; everyone wants to find their better half, their soulmate, someone to share a life with. Finding a worthwhile relationship might come easy to some, but others, the more unfortunate ones, need to learn how to avoid making the same mistakes, how to overcome the fears they live with on a daily basis, how to keep up motivation after failure and so on. It sounds complicated, right? Well, it can be, and it does take a lot out of you, but once you’ve started down the right path, you can be sure that the journey will be worthwhile and you will find what you’re looking for. You just have to keep a few things in mind.

1. Love is something that is truly fundamentally important to us, but the issues and misunderstandings it comes with can be overwhelming and sooner than later we find ourselves lost. Ego, fear and emotional insecurities come first and cause the biggest problems of all. This is where you have to start. You have to liberate yourself from these unnecessary mental restraints if you want to overcome the obstacles that might prevent you from building the foundations of a strong and healthy relationship. You must overcome neediness, the constant seeking for validation from your partner, and the dependency that gradually grows as the relationship deepens. These are so-called “relationship killers”. One has to be confident and happy with one self before even allowing someone else in.
2. Remember: you have to be true to yourself and love yourself for what you are; once you’ve achieved that, others will start to see and appreciate the real you. You must never forget to remind yourself what really makes you happy, what makes you sad, what exhilarates you and what “pushes your buttons”. Don’t hide these things. These “things” are the building blocks of your personality and personality is what we fall in love with once we’ve passed the “physical attraction” part. The one you’re meant to be with will know all these things about you as well and will love you BECAUSE of these traits, not IN SPITE OF THEM. Never allow yourself, or anyone else, for that matter, to change who you are; never allow anyone to suffocate your passions and turn you into something “more suitable”. Your true love will love you for who you are.
3. Another very important thing to remember is that appearance does matter. You have to take care of yourself and appreciate your inner and outer beauty. Men find attractive women more appealing and not everyone has the time orthe patience to build the “friendship foundation” first so that the “sparks of love” can start flickering later. If you want someone to like you off the bat, you have to look good. Try to stay healthy, exercise, hydrate your body and smile as much as possible. The aura of confidence and strength will surely land you a “hunk”. If you want to land a hunk, you have to hunk up a bit yourself.
4. The accent on confidence cannot be overstated. Confidence makes all the difference in the world. You have to be confident that you are meant to find THE ONE. Let’s start with that. If you believe that you deserve to be with someone that will love and respect you for who you are, you’ll find him sooner or later. He might be your best friend, the guy standing in line in front of you in the bank, your neighbor. You never know. Yet if you let insecurity or timidity take over, you could miss the chance of a lifetime. Let them notice you. Let them see you and once they do, they won’t be able to take their eyes off you. Remember: loving yourself comes first; loving someone else comes second.
5. Research has shown that men are more attracted to strong, confident women, rather than the introverts. If you want to draw someone’s attention or strike up a conversation with someone, you have to be open and engaging, you have to smile and be friendly. Overcoming the restraints of the mind can be a tough task, but once you achieve it, nothing will stand in your way. Lasting relationships are born from pure and unrestrained interaction. It might seem frightening going up to someone and striking up a conversation, but it’s less frightening than the very thought that you could miss out on a great, long-term relationship with someone just because you lacked the confidence and the courage to utter a simple “Hi!”. Think about it. It doesn’t take much. Try to smile as much as possible. Choose to be happy. Be ambitious. Be strong. Love yourself and true love will find its way home.

Many believe that people who are in a long-term relationship should shack up first and try living together before they dive into the sometimes turbulent waters of marriage. Others, on the other hand, believe that shaking up could shake up the relationship and ruin the chances of a tying the knot.

These opposite sentiments can be confusing; so if you want to know whether or not you should or shouldn’t live with your partner before marriage, you should follow these tips.

1. Marriage is an established union that forms a legally, religiously, and socially recognized bond. With marriage come new responsibilities, people develop new traits and the outcome isn’t always a good one.

2. The one thing you should always remember is that the fear of divorce is real and it can arise from daily instances that seem trivial at first but hold the potential to grow into bigger and more serious issues later on.

Always focus on the positive; do not hold onto the negative and always remind yourself why you two are together. There must be a good reason if you are considering living together.

If you can’t find anything good to hold onto to, you should revise your relationship and make the difficult decision of calling it off before it becomes more serious. After all, a serious relationship is no relationship if it stands on shaky, glass legs.

3. Another thing you should always keep an eye on is money. Money is trivial; understanding, respect and love are crucial. You need to watch out from the so-called money mistakes.

If you are a power couple and if both of you have successful careers, you probably have separate accounts and spend your earnings just as if you were single. Try to talk it out and make a plan about your financial future.

Don’t forget why you are together and start making plans about your future together; this includes children, a joint checking account, a pension fund, a home and so forth. If you can’t see eye to eye on such an issue, reevaluate the relationship. Adults don’t fight over these things.

4. Living together doesn’t mean you have to get married right away. Slow down. Test the relationship out; let living together settle. Don’t put unwarranted pressure on your partner.

Let the relationship take its natural course. What’s the rush? If it works, marriage will definitely come. Unwarranted pressure can only ruin a relationship; it has never resulted in a happy ending, you can be sure of that.

5. Don’t forget to be spontaneous; don’t let yourself be dragged into a dull everyday life because it will ultimately ruin your relationship.

Don’t forget to leave each other some breathing space and enough time to appreciate your life together. Living together doesn’t mean you should stop being adventurous and turn into a boring couple that eventually drowns in their daily routine.

Don’t grow old before your time. Enjoy your youth together. These could be the best years of your life. Don’t overthink it, just go with the flow.

6. One of the biggest aspects of living together is dividing up the chores around the house. The biggest mistake you can make is letting chores – like washing the dishes or doing laundry – turn into full-blown arguments.

It all depends on you and how you were brought up. If one of you likes the house to be spick and span all the time, they will probably do most of the work; but helping out will only make your partner love you more and appreciate your effort.

There are other “traps” along the way, but if you only focus on the love you have for each other and if you respect each other, nothing will stand in your way.

Living together is like taking the relationship for a test drive. If it fits, it fits; if it doesn’t, at least you will know before taking it to the next level.