Logo

Understanding what constitutes healthy relationships can help you make changes that lead to new heights of intimacy, happiness and fulfillment. No relationship is perfect, but here are 10 standard elements that should exist in all healthy relationships.


1. There is mutual respect between partners
A true sign of a good relationship is mutual respect between partners. It means that you respect each others’ individuality and make the most of your differences.


2. You trust each other
Each partner has faith in the other to be emotionally available when needed and you feel a genuine sense of safety and security in the relationship.


3. You appreciate each other
Both of you feel appreciated in the relationship and neither you or your partner feel unappreciated or taken for granted. You praise each other, offer compliments and use creative ways to show you care.


4. You can be honest with each other
In a healthy relationship, both partners display honesty and integrity from the start and maintain it throughout the course of the relationship. This means being honest in everything, and not telling those little white lies that can lead on to bigger, and more defining lies.


5. You support each other
In a healthy relationship, each person is interested in what the other is doing and there is a balance between giving and taking. Both partners are available for each other in a time of need.


6. You can spend quality time apart
In a healthy relationship, you shouldn't feel suffocated or controlled by your partner. Healthy individuals have their own friends, family members, interests and opinions outside the relationship. This also means letting her have a girls' night or her letting you hang out with your friends.


7. You have a good sex life
You're both okay with how often you have sex, how you have sex, where you have sex...and there's mutual participation. Sex is not withheld as a punishment and both partners feel safe enough to express their sexual desires without worrying that their partner will force them to do things they're uncomfortable with.


8. You manage conflict well
Contrary to what some may think, a healthy relationship doesn't mean you're happy 100 percent of the time. In a healthy relationship, you should be able to resolve your differences without blaming or belittling the other person. Instead of just avoiding arguments, healthy couples know how to handle them when they inevitably do come up.


9. There is good communication
If you are in a healthy balanced relationship, you should be able to listen to your partner and be able to support them without letting your own feelings get in the way. Both partners share details of their daily lives to strengthen their emotional bond and spend time together and learn about each other’s thoughts and ideas.


10. You truly feel happy
In a good relationship, both the partners are happy to be with each other and enjoy the relationship. You laugh with your partner and have fun together. You don’t feel like you are pretending, or that you should be someone other than who you are.

When it comes to relationships, most guys work too hard at trying to keep themselves happy rather than their girlfriends. There are certain elements of dating that guys should never overlook. Being a good boyfriend is a lot of work, but what it all boils down to is appreciating your woman and making her feel good about herself. With that, here are 10 steps to keeping the lady in your life happy:


1. Listen to her
Most men don't realize that a woman's idea of communication means actually listening to what she has to say and understanding her as well as relating to her problems without judging her or providing unwanted advice. Listen and understand your girlfriend's deep inward emotion and spirit.


2. Always make her feel beautiful
Don't just tell her you think she's beautiful, or she'll stop believing you. You need to continually show her that you think she is beautiful with your actions. Buy her sexy clothes, take her dancing and ignore everybody else, woo her with sweet gestures and brag about her to others. Do whatever you can do show her that she's the most gorgeous creature you've ever laid eyes on.


3. Know how to please her in bed
A good boyfriend must satisfy his woman's every romantic need not by making love just for the sake of it, but by being passionate about it. Show your partner the emotional intimacy she craves. Communicate with her on every level and anticipate her desires and needs.


4. Make her feel important
You have to understand that she's an equal part of the relationship, so appreciate her company and remember what is important to her. Look her in the eye and tell her what she means to you. Point out all the ways she is different from your past girlfriends and let her know there can be no substitute for her.


5. Challenge her to be better
You can naturally gain a special place in your woman's life by helping her find what she wants in life and make her understand and believe how important her happiness is to you. Help change the way she sees the world and help her stand out and live a happier life. The fact that you care that much about her well-being will make her want to keep you around longer.


6. Pay attention to details
Did she suddenly change her hair color, shed a few pounds, or buy a new outfit? These are all things you need to take note of; most women instinctively flock to attentive guys with keen eyes.


7. Be spontaneous
Once things become predictable in a relationship, things become boring--and once things become boring, the relationship is essentially over. Mix things up a little and surprise her with flowers or hidden love notes, whisk her away to an unplanned romantic weekend and call her for no other reason than to simply say "I love you."


8. Make her laugh
Not only will showing off your great sense of humor get a girl to laugh--it's bound to ensure that both of you enjoy your time spent together. A sense of humor usually tops a woman's attraction wish list and is one of the best ways to turn her on.


9. Don't take her for granted
Women want a man to be someone that makes them feel happy, secure and loved and don't want to deal with insensitive remarks, little hurts and frustration in a relationship. Let her know that you do appreciate her doing things for you.


10. Be chivalrous
Show respect for your girlfriend by being a gentleman. Even if you have been together for a while and chivalry has fallen by the wayside, revive it by opening doors for her, pulling out her chair at the restaurant, helping her with heavy bags, etc...

Interested in the other side of the coin? Check out our article on the 5 Traits of a Great Girlfriend.

We define the "backup guy" as a guy who is more than a friend, but less than a boyfriend. He's the safe, terrifically nice guy who’s always surrounded by women that complain to him about the cold-hearted losers they're dating. He's the boyfriend substitute women call upon when all other options vanish. He's always surrounded by women who want to date someone just like him-- except they won’t date him, for whatever reason.

The following 5 signs are all giveaways that you’ve fallen into the “backup guy” trap. With a quick perusal of the list below, you should be in a good position to decipher when to continue your pursuit and when to walk away with your dignity intact.


1. She rarely return your calls
If a girl is attracted to you, she should be calling you at least once for every three times you call her. However, if you don’t hear from her for weeks or months at a time, and all of a sudden she wants to hang out, take it as she’s just bored or is between boyfriends and there’s no one else to call.


2. She regularly cancels at the last minute
It is certainly fair to cancel plans occasionally for a legitimate reason, but if she flakes on you consistently and doesn’t try to be flexible with her schedule to free up time for you, it shows that she holds little respect for you at and that she doesn't want to commit in case something better comes up.


3. She teases you along with the simple intention of keeping you around
She romantically teases you along with things like "accidental" kisses with the simple intention of keeping you around so you'll always be there to rescue her. She even allows you to sleep in her bed so she can talk to you all night long about her feelings.


4. She tells you what a great boyfriend you'd be... for some lucky girl
This is basically like saying "you have all the qualities I'm supposed to want in a guy, but for some reason I find you sexually repulsive."


5. She talks about other guys while you are with her
She asks you for advice about different men she’s attracted to and constantly tells you about all her problems with them. When a woman you're interested in becomes comfortable enough to openly talk to you about all her problems with other men and asks you for advice about the guys she’s attracted to, she doesn't see you as a potential lover--You're in the FRIEND ZONE.

At the start of a new relationship, it's easy to overlook the clear cut signs that she’ll break your heart because of genuine attraction, excitement or just the fact you’re getting some action. However, with the majority of relationships destined for failure, you need to be selective and end a sour one before too much of your time and energy has been invested. For your benefit, here are 4 signs that she’ll break your heart.


1. She was already involved when she met you
The two of you hooked up when she was dating another guy or even worse--you're dating a married woman. While it can be easy to discount logic and naysayers when you're head-over-heels in love, but sooner or later you'll realize that you'll never be able to fully trust her. After all, how do you know she wouldn't start dating someone else? A cheat is always a cheat.


2. She's close with her exes
If you meet a girl that is able to stay good friends with her exes and gets a lot of calls from a lot of guys who all seem very close to her, she'll damage you. She may have some "friends with benefits" things going on with her exes, and the fact that she finds men so disposable means that she never really builds up strong relationships anyway. If you're looking for a serious relationship, never get involved with a girl who easily switches from viewing as lovers to treating them as friends.


3. She has deep-rooted issues
Whether it's problems with alcohol, drugs, or psychological issues, if there's something in her life that you’re always second place to, this relationship is not going to last long.


4. She's very secretive and lies a lot
If your girl isn't big on telling the truth, doesn't feel guilt over her constant lies, does whatever is "easiest" to get by rather than dealing with the truth and simply tells you what you want to hear, you should end it sooner rather than later.

So you've been trying hard to get close to a girl, and the more time the two of you spend together, the more you realize how much you actually like her. You've gotten really close to her with all the hopes of piquing her sexual interest, but somewhere along the way, you may have taken a few detours that led you right into the friend zone. So why have you ended up as friends instead of her boyfriend? Here’s why.


1. You've never asked for a date
You secretly lust for her, but instead of asking her out, you behave like a friend and never let the girl know that you have more than friendly intentions on your mind. If you like a girl, you have to make it subtly obvious that you're romantically interested in her. If your "friend" does not know you want more, then she cannot give more. Put it on the table and see what happens.


2. You voluntarily became her best friend
You became her romantic counselor, listened to every cry and pity party moment about how her last boyfriend did her wrong. You began doing things her girlfriends do with her to the point she's lost all realization of the fact that you have a package down there. You've become another sexless thing she hangs out with all the time as a platonic friend. You chose to be her shoulder to lean on, knowing you wanted to be her boyfriend all along.


3. You're way too nice and accommodating
You may be a good catch, but you can give a woman too much of yourself too soon. If you're always available for a woman at the drop of a dime, and offer zero challenge to her, you will not spark that base desire within her.


4. She's afraid to take it to the next level
It is sometimes a risk to go from being friends to being "lovers". A woman could value the friendship so much that she fears losing what the two of you have. Your friend will have to work through her fear to change this.


5. She's just not attracted to you
This is the most common scenario. She may find you funny, charming and fun to be with --but she just doesn't feel any sexual chemistry with you. Sometimes it’s just the way it is -- you don’t want to hit the sheets with every woman you meet, do you? If she‘s just not into you, you have a choice to make: Either stay her friend or move on completely.

Interested in the other side of the coin? Check out our article on The 5 Signs She Wants To Be More Than Friends.

Once you've found a great girlfriend, the last thing you want to do is lose her through a bad misstep. No one can list all the potential things that can destroy a relationship, but we can give you a heads up on the most likely causes of a breakup with these 5 relationship killers.


1. Cheating
Cheating is the ultimate relationship killer because once someone has cheated, regaining full trust is next to impossible. The initial betrayal of finding out that a partner has strayed is often enough to leave a relationship dead, and even if a couple does try to work past the cheating, the majority of couples won't survive.


2. Always placing your career before her
Your girlfriend is likely very proud of your career success and appreciates being with an ambitious man; however, she also expects you to make time for her. If you stay late at work every night, cancel dates for last-minute business meetings, or if you choose to constantly spend time with your co-workers after work, she will come to her own conclusions about your priorities.


3. Letting Yourself Go
If your girlfriend was attracted to you when you were wearing Italian suits, chances are that's what she likes, and she may not be attracted to you if you begin wearing nothing but holey sweatpants and football jerseys. Letting yourself go tells your girlfriend that she's not important enough for you to maintain your appearance and you were just putting on a facade to attract her.


4. Not making enough time for her
If you want to keep your girlfriend around, you have to find ways to make her feel special and important. You're not a bachelor anymore, so you will have to give up time watching the game with your pals in order to spend time with together with the lady in your life. Remember, if you don't pay attention to her, a lot of other men will.


5. Being controlling
People hate to have their freedoms limited by another person or persons. Controlling behavior such as blaming, anger, rage, violence, judgment, criticism and ridicule almost always results in resentment and emotional distance.

While some dating mistakes are obvious, others can be trickier to recognize. In fact, you may not even know you’re making them. So, if you feel as if you are somehow going off track with your relationships, but aren't really sure how, check to see if you are making any of these 5 dating mistakes:


1. Talking about your ex on your dates
Talking about your ex with your dates is never a good move. Women view men that can't stop talking about their ex non-stop as having unresolved frustrations and pent-up bitterness. You don’t need to go into details about each and every past relationship you’ve ever had or how you were wronged during any date. She also doesn’t need to know exact names, dates or all the gross details about you and your ex's sex life.


2. Sharing too much information
Don't give out your resume on the first date. Some of your past is straightforward and can be discussed right then and there; however, the first date is not show and tell time.


3. Having a narrow focus
Always dating the same type of women and expecting different results is a recipe for disaster. Branch out of your dating comfort zone and give a chance to those women you haven’t previously considered (think age, looks, profession, interests). Remember that dating only women that you think of as your type has gotten you exactly where you are right now--single.


4. Expecting too much too soon
Nothing turns a woman off and sends her running away faster than a guy who starts moving too fast and expects instant attraction, love and devotion, or even instant great sex after only one or two dates.


5. Giving up power
Lots of guys try to get women to like them by doing whatever the woman wants; becoming too considerate, too helpful and too kind in an effort to seemingly align their lives with a woman’s wishes. Don't be one of them. Women don't respect pushovers and they don't feel attraction for "nice" guys who always kiss up to them.

While every woman is looking for something different in a man, there are certain types of men that women go out of their way to avoid. And this is especially true during the early stages of a relationship, when a woman is trying to gauge a man's personality. Below are eight types of guys that women consistently stay away from.


1. The Financially Irresponsible Guy
A huge red flag is a financially irresponsible man with bad credit who's constantly buying things he does not need, overdrawing his bank account(s) and maxing out credit cards. Most women don't want to deal with a guy who can't seem to rustle up enough money for a latte, pay their bills on time, or spend his money wisely.


2. The Man-Child
This guy is clinging to his glory days when life was less complicated and responsibility was minimal. He’s obsessed with video games, frequently attends keg parties and considers Pizza Rolls one of the major food groups. These men are the ones who can’t keep a job, blame everyone else for their own stupidity and laziness, and are constantly outraged that the world is not giving them respect.


3. The Narcissistic Guy
One type of attitude guys have that women avoid is being too narcissistic and self-contained. Most women feel that this type of guy is obsessed with himself and would rather spend his time toning his muscles and looking good than on a date with them.


4. The Needy Guy
Women are not attracted to the type of man who needs too much support, validation, and constant reinforcement. The moment a man becomes too insecure and dependent in a relationship, a woman will run for the hills.


5. The Wandering-Eye Guy
This type of man can be the most aggravating for women to deal with because he's constantly looking at every female but the one he’s with. He makes inappropriate comments/gestures about women, ogles the bartender, the woman at the grocery store, even his best friend's wife, making the woman he's with feel inferior and unattractive.


6. The Predictable Guy
Women don't like the routine driven guy who does not like change, lacks spontaneity, and is predictable in all areas of his life from how he will react to situations, decisions he will make, the sex he will have, and the dates he will go on.


7. The Liar
This guy fabricates stories about about pretty much anything in hopes of getting laid instead of just being honest about his life or his desire for a casual fling. While the little white lies about past conquests, jobs, exes, qualifications, and experiences may seem harmless, most women don't want to deal with a guy who can't or won't tell the truth.


8. The Desperate Guy
The desperate man may have a strong want and desire to have a relationship; however, due to having little experience in the romance and dating department, his behaviors can indicate low-self esteem and a host of other issues that turn women off and can actually be viewed as creepy and disturbing.

Interested in the other side of the coin? Check out our article on The Top 10 Types of Women to Avoid Dating.

In the early stages of a relationship, it's surprisingly easy to give out a creepy vibe to women without even noticing. What can be perceived as regular behavior for anyone with whom you have an established relationship can range from obnoxious to downright frightening when displayed to a new woman you barely know. Here's a list of 5 behaviors that might trip the creep-meter for women who are just getting to know you.


1. Being unable to read her signs
You see an attractive woman across the room, so you try to catch her eye. You walk past her. You look at her. You even sit next to her and try to make eye contact. No luck. Your next move should be to take the hint that she noticed you and isn't interested. A man who refuses to accept this and continues engaging in a staring contest with a disinterested woman will make himself appear as as a potential stalker.


2. Aggressively trying to contact her
Many men seem to believe that they can prove their interest in a woman by chasing her down-- calling, texting, emailing, and following up on each unanswered message with more. While it's understandable that you want to get to know her better and you have many reasons for getting in touch with her, this behavior will only make you appear as a desperate man who is socially inept, insecure, and impatient. It's probably best if you initiate contact no more than two times without any initiative on her part to return the gesture.


3. Dropping by unexpectedly
If a woman tells you what time she gets off work or class, that is one thing, but paying attention to and noting her schedule without her being aware of it will only scare her off. No one wants to feel like they’re being watched like a hawk. A woman you've just met won't think it's very cute when you are always waiting for her at the same time outside her work or dropping off surprises on her doorstep. She will quickly realize how closely you pay attention to where she is and what she's doing, and will determine that you are a weirdo.


4. Mentioning sex at any point during the initial conversations
Most single women who've been dating for awhile want to filter out guys who are only after sex, so if you mention anything overtly sexual in your first few text messages, phone calls, or dates, you're going to be seen as a "typical" guy who is only fixated on sex and creep her out.


5. Invading her personal space
There's something about a guy assuming that he can move in close that women find so unappealing and creepy. It's probably not a good idea to move into a new woman's personal space until you understand her body language and get some signs that she is interested in that.

When it comes to choosing a potential mate, no one should ever settle for mediocrity, yet so often the women we date either hold us back, bring us down, or simply hurt us in one way or another down the road, in every sense of the word. That being said, here are 8 signs that your current love interest isn't worth dating.


1. She has a lack of intelligence
While many men have been conditioned to have an affinity for less intelligent women who are less challenging and opinionated, there are more pitfalls than you may think when dealing with a woman you can't have an intellectual conversation with.


2. She's all about drama and mind games
There’s a certain kind of woman who believes that acting out, extreme selfishness, entitlement, throwing tantrums, pathological jealousy and having narcissistic rages are normal and acceptable female behavior. They’re not. Do yourself a favor and drop her.


3. She can't hold down a job
A woman that can't hold down a job or always seems to have problems at work is usually lazy and just looking for a sugar daddy to meet all of her needs.


4. She's dishonest
Lying is a big red flag. We're not saying you should definitely call it quits if she has lied to you, but you should take this very seriously, especially if she has lied about her background, age, her health situation, etc..


5. She has drug and alcohol problems
You cannot have a healthy relationship with a woman who has obvious drug and alcohol problems. Do you really want someone who is a drunk or uses drugs to be the mother of your children? Think about it.


6. She's self-centered
If she spends more time talking about herself than getting to know you and the only feelings worth considering are hers, cut ties with her as soon as possible.


7. You have nothing in common with her
You don’t need to have everything in common with her, but you do need something that connects the two of you. If you guys can’t seem to come together on anything, you need to part ways with her.


8. She's flaky
The flaky girl isn’t worth your time either. One day she loves you. The next day she's not sure. The third day she wants to have your children. The fourth day she needs some space. Give her as much space as she needs, and never come back.

Check out our article on The Top 10 Red Flags Women Look For.

Do you sometimes find yourself struggling to find the right things to say to the lady in your life? If there's one thing that has always kept men wondering about women, it has to be figuring out what they love to hear. Whether you are in a committed relationship or wanting to take your relationship to the next level, here are 10 phrases that women never get sick of hearing.


1. "You're very smart."
Women want to be appreciated for their intelligence. By acknowledging her intelligence, you're communicating that you recognize her brains and not just her figure.


2. "You are the most beautiful woman I know."
Aside from making her feel aesthetically superior to other women, this remark will put her on a pedestal among her peers and give her an ego boost. She'll feel good about herself and will also feel less threatened by other women when they are around you. This phrase is particularly effective in long-term relationships, as you're assuring your woman that she's still hot.


3. "You're my best friend."
Want to assure her that you are the kind of man who's not just with her for her looks? All you need to do is to tell her that she is not just the love of your life, but also your best friend. Telling her how you feel above and beyond a sexual context will make her feel overpoweringly connected to you.


4. "I am so proud of you."
Telling your woman how proud you are of her for working hard to achieve her goals and showing your loving support will make her heart melt.


5. "You're perfect just the way you are."
This statement says that you've accepted her completely. Giving her an ego boost like that makes her feel cognizant about how much you openly and willingly accept her flaws.


6. "I don't want to be with anyone else."
This expression of enduring commitment says that she has become an essential, indispensable ingredient in your life and that you couldn't live without her. This is a heavy line; it's not many degrees away from proposing to her, so only say this if you truly mean it.


7. "What do you feel/think about [anything]?"
Women love to express their feelings on every topic imaginable. Asking this question tells your lady that you respect her views and that you're genuinely concerned about her feelings and opinions.


8. "How was your day?"
Asking about her day assures that you're willing to lend her your pair of ears and focus on what she has to say.


9. "You're great in bed."
Praising her performance in bed makes her feel like she really knows how to satisfy you and indicates that you appreciate her performance between the sheets.


10. "I love you."
Few men realize or appreciate the power of saying "I love you." By saying those three magic words (when you really mean it), you're acknowledging an attachment to your woman and satisfying her most basic emotional need--to know how her man feels about her and to hear it. abuse the words. Remember--saying this just to smooth over mistakes or as a precursor to every word out of your mouth won't fill her with delight.

Sometimes it's not just about the words from a man's mouth, it is also about showing your love through your actions. Check out our article on The Top 10 Ways to Make Her feel Special.